Day 3 + 4: Knysna, Kayaking in Keurbooms River N.P. & Wine Tasting

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A long ride was scheduled for this day. In the morning, we left Cape Town, to ride to Knysna, a ride of approximately 520 km. The main activities shall be carried tomorrow; a kayaking excursion at Keurbooms River (it actually was scheduled for Plattenberg Bay, but it was changed to Keurbooms River, due the conditions of the wild sea) and a wine tasting at one of the warm farms, before we should move on to the next destination, Tsitsikamma N.P. In this blog post you can read how my first camping night was, if I stayed dry during kayaking and if the South African wine is approved.

At 6.45 the Truck was standing before the hotel, where Bheki helped us to put our luggage into it. Before we left, there was some time for breakfast in the Ashanti Lodge. The last night was the last night that we slept in a hotel; from this moment on, we would sleep some quite adventurous: camping. Camping in the African wilderness! Of course, at some camping places it was possible to make a upgrade to a lodge. The last night of our trip, in Johannesburg we also have a lodge. After the breakfast, we left at 8:00. It started to rain, and the rain would not disappear, but sometimes it was dry. Luckly it was dry when we made a small stop by the St. Lowry's Pass.



During the route of 520 km, we followed mainly the river Botrivier. The Botrivier is a river in the province West Cape in South Africa. However, there is also a small town called Botrivier, settled 93 km southeast of Cape Town. Around the Botrivier you can visit some whine farms, to taste the great whine which they produce here. This excursion was scheduled for tomorrow. The Botrivier thanks his name to butter. The Bot is reverencing to Creamy Butter, or "Botter" in the Afrikaans Language. After some hours, it was time to make stop by the St. Lowry's Pass. From here, you have good view at the whine fields by Stellenbosch when you have good weather. However the weather was not perfect (we were quite luckily the rain had stopped), but some dark clouds have gathered above us. But luckily, we could enjoy the sight. The pass has a height of 920 meters, but for me it does not looked that high. That's because you cannot go to the edge of the pass. A small wall is build from stones before the dangerous edge, to prevent that people will fall down from the edge. Due this small wall it's quite hard to image that your standing this high. Also, please be careful for baboons. It is forbidden to feed them, and if you do, they get quite aggressive to you and/or to the next visitors. For more information, please check my previous blogpost. If you travel from Cape Town to the beginning of the Garden Route (Tuinroete in Afrikaans), you can make a stop by the St. Lowry's Pass. The Garden route starts at Mossel Bay and ends by the Storm River at the Eastern Cape. Tsitsikamma N.P., where we should head out tomorrow after the excursions also belongs to the Garden Route. In the next blogpost you can find more information about this great route.



For lunch, we stopped by a tank station. By our camping trip, all our meals are including, but due the weather it was not possible to make our own lunch. It rained to hard, and it was impossible near to road to hang our plastic sail to cover our space. That's why our tour leader decided to order some toasts. It took some while (almost 45 minutes), before it was ready. In the mean time, you could try some Bakkoek. Bakkoek is white bread, which means "Cookies that are backed". However, the size was quite big, and it did not look like a cookie. It looked like a square, pale white bread. I did not tatse it, but some others did and they were positive about it. It was a little bit sweetened, but it was not so sweet as a cookie. When our toasts were ready, we decided to start to ride again. Our toasts were quite good, and made out of ham, cheese and tomato.



The whole day, we were plagued by rain. Also, when we reached our first camping point, we had rain. When we arrived, Manda asked on the reception if it was possible to do an upgrade, because of the rain. For those who wanted, a update in a standing caravan was possible. However, the demonstration about the tents was obliged to follow. Bheki showed us, how easy it was to build the tents together. In the mean time, the train has stopped, only a little bit drizzle was falling. The tents were easy; roll the inner side of the tent at the grass. Apply the tent sticks, and put them easily on the tent. At the inner side of the tent there were some small clamps to apply the tent to the sticks. The front housing was then put together with to vertical tent sticks, and attached via the pegs. From here on, the outside rain coat was applied, and attached on the same way at the sticks. Last but not least all the pegs should been plugged into the ground. I never saw such simple tents. Too bad, some tents had some leakages, but luckily Bheki and Manda had some back-up tents. The tents were big enough to sleep with 3 people and you have more than enough place to sleep with 2 people including some bags. The camping did have fence. From the one side it does feel save, but from the other side it did not. Everybody was helpful when building tents, and also Bheki showed us his helping hands. In the mean time, the rain was stopped. But however, we got some dirty hands of it,

but it’s ok, that’s why we have soap! Our camping was the Monk Caravan Park. It lays at a quite large lake, where it is possible to do water sports. It has caravans for rent, but you also can rent chalets. It does have a small store as well. The sanitary was clean and it look hygienic. Just a little bit disappointing was that not all toilets doors could be locked. But the most important is of course that the toilets were clean and working. Just before dinner, we made a little hike at the lake. It was nice and here we saw some pretty nice houses. They were all guarded with camera’s, and some had even private guides at night. We did not have much time for a long walk, but we stayed some 1,5 hour away, where we just walked to an side and returned back. We had to ask someone to open the gate to enter. Not much time afterwards, the dinner was ready. The diner was Kip Curry with corn. Manda is an excellent cook, and cooks with much vegetable and does his best to keep everyone satisfied with his food. And he passed right away. Hereafter, we took some more time to get to know each other, drank some wine and went to bed. The next day would be busy and the alarm would go at 6.00.



Too bad was that we did not have much more time to Knysna. Knysna is a nice place to visit if you like nature. Especially due the forest, and the Garden Route does pass here. Also some coast lines are quite nice to see, for example the Knysna Heads. For the people who don’t like action, take one of the many small cruses to the Knysna Heads, or visit the Thesen’s Island to go shopping and find a good restaurant, but that should not be hard over there. The name Knysna comes from the word “Khoi”, which means “hard to reach”. During the first settlements of the Dutch, the Dutch and some other European people moved inside the country and formed some small towns. The towns who had a horse were quite lucky that they were been able to reach other towns or help. Knysna was at that time undeveloped and hidden in the forest, so it was very hard to reach. George Rex, and colonial administrator, moved to Knysna for the exporting hardwood from the lagoon. Rex died in 1839 and his business was quite popular. During the hardwood cutting, a lot of the forest was destroyed, but luckily some politicians could save it around 1880. If you have some time left, the forest would be a great place to discover. There are some hiking trails (some up to several days), or do an challenge beach walk of 14 km where you have to concur some cliffs. Or just take an kayak to peddle at the Goukamma river that lead you though the forest. But, the best place to visit (according my Rough Guide) is absolutely the Leisure Island. A great place to swim in the lagoon in the high tide of the summer. If you like animals you might check the Knysna Elephant Park. Here, abandoned, abused and orphaned young elephants are placed. The caretakers feed the Elephants and sometimes they join them a night. As tourist, you can do some tours with the elephants where you walk with them and you might wash them. Or, sit relax at the back during a 2 hour excursion trip. Close to Knysna is the Plettenberg Bay, or next destination for the upcoming day.



The next day, after our first night, the alarm went at 6. At 7.15 all tent should been dissembled and already in the truck, as same as our luggage. It was time to move to Tsitsikamma N.P., but not before we had two excursions: first, a Kayak session in the Plattenberg Bay (in the end it became a kayak tour at the Keurbooms River). And Second, a wine tasting with some great wine’s of South-Africa. After our breakfast the buss leaved at 8.00. In not less than one hour, we arrived at the Keurbooms River. During the much rain fall and some heavy wind, it was not advice to go kayaking in the Plettenberg bay, especially with tourist that did not have much experience with kayaking. The kayaking tour guides decide it was better to do the kayaking at the Keurbooms River. Here the river is streaming across the old ancient forest of the Keurbooms River Nature Park. This place is quite amazing to do kayaking in as well. If you like kayaking, there are options to do the multiple day kayaking treks in this area. Our kayaking guide told us there were actually leopards living in this ancient forest. He never saw one alive, but he did found some quite recent footprints of one of them. But also dangerous animals are living in the forest. So was he once bitten by a snake when he had one multiple day tour and it took quite long before help came. The snake bite was not poison but it hurt like hell. But the animals you probably would see most are birds. There are quit much birds in this parks and living aside the river. Kayaking is a great way to see them. They are flying, sometimes quite close over your head and you see them sitting at the rocks. I liked the kayaking here. After a small introduction we went open the river. I went with Inge in one kayak. It took not long before we lost the bay and we were in the middle of the nature park. This park does remind me somehow on Asia, however I never was there. I did not expect that these forests and rivers were actually in a “savanna” Africa land. It actually surprised me, because I never thought this was part of South-Africa. The river leads us into the park, where we saw quite much rock formations. The rocks where white and everywhere threes were growing where they could grow. This leads into rocks that are covered by trees and some places by stone. I think that the high points we could saw where over the 200 meters high. An ideal place for birds, and we saw many. Birds fly around, sometimes quite close, sitting at trees, at the rocks or in some small caves in the rocks. A binocular is a plus for this area but it’s not necessary. We saw some beaches, some of sand, but also some covered with rocks. Due the tide we had to peddle quite at the side and that made it a little bit easier to spot birds. Sometimes, when you peddle to close you get the risk to get stuck with your kayak or run into a small rock coming out of the river. Our guide knew exactly at which points so he leaded us over the river avoiding those spots. At one beach we had a break of an half hour. We got some drink and we could swim if we want. The water is clear and safe. There are no sharks or crocodiles in the water. The weather was quite good. The sun was shining, there was no rain and it started to become a little bit hot. And I knew that. Even when I used sun block, my legs were starting to burn and in the end of the trip they were red. That was also because I put my pants sleeves quite high to prevent them for becoming wet. It did not matter anyway, because by every peddle I load my legs quite under water (So no, I was not dry, but luckily the sun was shining!). After some time at the beach, it was time to go back via the same route. That was not boring, because you ware able to see new things which you did not saw the first time. At the end, it took around 3 hours that we were back. Manda prepared some lunch for us, so after we came out the water it was almost time for lunch. Manda made some Salad and bread fur us.



After lunch, we took a ride to the wine tasting, which was actually a little bit short. Just 5 people attend. And the price was very good (cheap). To compare: In the Netherlands you would have for the same price just as one glass of (average) wine. We had our wine tasting by Bramon Wine. The wine tasting only had the tasting, so no whine tour. We started first with a sparkling wine, a Sauvignon Blanc. The wine was sparkling, it almost looked champagne and it almost tasted like champagne. But still you were able to taste the wine had a good quality and I did like the sparkling. It felt quite fresh and not heavy. A lot of quality wines do taste quite heavy, or way to heavy in mine opinion and I do not always like that. Sometimes I do and sometimes I do not. I think it depends on how I feel, the time and the circumstances. In my opinion the sparkling Sauvignon was the best wine, but others say that the third wine was nicer. The others did already have some experience in wine tasting. For me it was the first time. I do like a wine at its time, but I prefer beer. As second we got an white wine, the “Bramon Blanc to Blanc”. In our opinion, this one was the last one at the taste rank. For me the taste was a little bit heavy, but I sentenced much quality and I did not taste any sweet notes. It was more a very dry wine and I prefer my wine a little bit sweeten. But it still was good wine. One note: all the wines were of high quality and did not taste horrible or bad, all wines tasted quite good and you could taste the high quality of the wines and the care they put into the hard work. But this wine was not so good in our opinion as the other ones. But still, this wine very tasty and good to drink. At third we got “The Crags” a Sauvignon Blanc, a white wine. It has a tropical granadilla and passion fruit note. It was bottled in 2012. This wine was a little bit sweeten. And it did taste also a little bit heavy, but this time it did not disturb. For me, the heaviness was quite in balance with the sweetened. But it was not so fresh and light as the number one, and I prefer a little bit a fresh, sweet, light wine. At last, we got one rosé wine, “The Crags Rosé”. This wine was also quite nice. If you do like rosé wine this wine would probably suit you. Again, a heavy quality taste was what I tasted. This wine, was without one doubt the best Rosé wine I ever had. But I do not drink much Rosé. It was fresh and sweeten, but still it tasted a little bit dry, heavy. I found it a pity they did not have red wine to taste. Too bad, that after one half hour the wine tasting was over. I expected a little bit more. For example a small tour at the wine cellar and a visit or a look at the wine fields. But the good quality of the wine made it good. And what’s also not fine was that the glasses where to big, or the volume of wine was to less. Without no doubt, it was the last one. But that seems normal with wine tasting, but I do agree I do not like that factor *wink*.



The truck was waiting and it was time to go to Tsitsikamma N.P. At the Keurbooms River N.P. we got already a small introduction. To be honest, Tsitsikamma N.P. was the great surprise of my trip. Oké, I have admit, the second (nothing beats spotting a leopard after one week or searching) great surprise. But my great experiences of Tsitsikamma N.P. just have to wait for another blogpost!

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Photos

St. Lowry's Pass
Here, you have a great view over the wine fields of Stellenbosch. Too bad the weather was not great, otherwise we had a better view.

St. Lowry's Pass
Do not feed the baboons!

Bakkoek
These Woman sold the traditional "Bakkoek".

Monk Caravan Park
Yes, our tent is standing!

Monk Caravan Park
This is the lake, laying behind the camping side.

Kayaking at the Keurbooms River
Ready to go!

Kayaking at Keurbooms River
I never suspected that South-Africa had that ancient forest. For me, I had the feeling I was in Asia, or the Amazon in South-America! I really recommend to do kayaking at least at one place on the Garden Route

Kayaking at Keurbooms River
Dragging the Kayak to the beach

The Sauvignon Blanc Sparkling Wine
The best wine, in my opinion that I tasted by Bramon Wine Tasting

Bramon Wine Tasting
Can I have some more of your incredible wine?