Category: coastal

Trip report by site editor Rick McCharles

day 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | info page

Rather than take the more expensive Baz Bus, I bought a ticket on one of the several available coaches traveling Cape Town to Port Elizabeth. There are many every day.

Competition keeps quality high, prices low for long distance bus travel. I paid about $32 for the 8 hour trip.

From the bus stop on the highway, however, there’s no public transportation to the National Park. Asking at Tourist Information, I quickly found a driver willing to take me the last 18km for 150 Rand ($17).

… Perhaps I should have taken the Baz Bus after all. It would have delivered me closer to the Park gates. And picked me up end-of-hike at a hostel in Nature’s Valley.

Many had recommended staying the night prior to departure at the trailhead Storms River Mouth Restcamp. I tented.

It’s one of the best campgrounds I’ve ever seen. (reviews)

There might be more Rock Hyrax (“Dassie”) than people

The sunset was definitely as magical as I’ve EVER seen.

After a rib feast and South African wine at dinner, I couldn’t have been more excited to start the Otter Trail next day.

Restaurants are comparatively inexpensive in South Africa.

My original high res photos from day 0.

… on to day 1

by site editor Rick McCharles

Storms River Mouth Rest Camp, one of the best campgrounds I’ve ever seen, is the trailhead of two multi-day hikes: Otter Trail and new Dolphin Trail.

Almost every visitor — including me — does a Mouth Trail day hike out past the restaurant. It’s the start of the Dolphin.

The Suspension Bridge and Lookout Trail is an easy stroll that leads along the western side of the river mouth, past the Strandloper Cave to the suspension bridge (aka “Mouth Trail“) across the Storms River.

On the other side of the main bridge there is a short but very steep climb to a lookout point (aka “Viewpoint Trail“).

See the rest of my photos on flickr.

I ate three delicious meals at that restaurant, by the way. Free WiFi.

The Tsitsikamma National Park is a protected area on the Garden Route, Western Cape and Eastern Cape, South Africa.

… On 6 March 2009 it was amalgamated with the Wilderness National Park and various other areas of land to form the Garden Route National Park. …