Tsitsikamma (Garden Route National Park)

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When it was proclaimed in 1964, Tsitsikamma was the first marine national park in Africa. Since then it was progressively enlarged as more areas on land and sea was added to the Park, and by the time it was incorporated into the Garden Route National Park alongside Wilderness National Park, Knysna National Lake Area, and extensive tracts of state forests in between in 2009, the Tsitsikamma section covered an 80km stretch of coastline, extending on average 5km out to sea.

The name “Tsitsikamma” is a Khoekhoen word meaning “place of much water”, which is very apt as the region receives on average around 1,200mm of rain annually. This is a rugged but exceptionally beautiful area, with forested slopes, shear cliffs tumbling into the sea, deep ravines cut into the mountains by dark rivers over millennia, and enormous waves pounding unrelentingly onto the rocky shore.

Tsitsikamma coast
Tsitsikamma coast, Garden Route National Park
Tsitsikamma coast
Tsitsikamma coast
Tsitsikamma coast
Tsitsikamma coast
Forest creepers
Tsitsikamma coast
Forest stream
Sourfig Flower
Tiny greenery among the rugged rocks
Thunderous breakers
Thunderous breakers
Tsitsikamma Sunset
Storms River Mouth

The easy trail leading to the suspension bridges at the river mouth, about a kilometre from Storms River Mouth Rest Camp, the Tsitsikamma’s main tourst facility, really gives the visitor an excellent introduction to the Tsitsikamma-area; bringing you into contact with the beach, ocean, forest and river, and many of the creatures that find a home there.

The Mouth Trail at Storms River Mouth in Tsitsikamma
The Mouth Trail at Storms River Mouth in Tsitsikamma
Suspension Bridges at Storms River Mouth
Suspension Bridges at Storms River Mouth
Suspension Bridges at Storms River Mouth
In deep conversation on the suspension bridge at the Storms River Mouth
Storms River Gorge
Storms River Gorge
Storms River Mouth
Suspension Bridges at Storms River Mouth
Suspension Bridges at Storms River Mouth
Suspension Bridges at Storms River Mouth
Storms River Mouth
Small pool and waterfall in the forest

Notably, Tsitsikamma’s list of recorded mammals is dominated by marine animals rather than the large terrestrial game species normally associated with a national park in Africa. That being said, visitors should count themselves lucky to see one of the seven whale or five dolphin species that ply these waters – we were fortunate to see a pod of Indian Ocean Bottlenose Dolphins in the surf and a handful of Humpback Whales breaching far into the sea. On land however the Chacma Baboons and Rock Dassies are ubiquitous inhabitants of the camp. And with almost 300 bird species recorded, many of which closely associated with the ocean and rocky beaches, the Tsitsikamma section is a birdwatcher’s delight. Most of the Garden Route National Park’s 25 species of snakes are seldomly seen, so we were thrilled to witness an altercation between a deadly venomous Boomslang and Southern Boubou while walking around one morning.

African Oystercatcher
Chacma Baboon on a cliff-face
Boomslang
Deadly battle between a Southern Boubou and a Boomslang
Common Sandpiper at a rock pool in the Tsitsikamma
Indian Ocean Bottlenose Dolphin
Forest Canary
Humpback Whale
Delicate damselfly in the forest
Honey Bees harvesting nectar from a sourfig flower
Cape Skimmer Dragonfly in the forest
Kelp Gull
Kelp Gull chick on nest
Knysna Turaco
Lemon Dove
Red-sided Skink
Rock hyrax, or dassie
Rock hyrax, or dassie
Rock hyrax, or dassie
Sombre Greenbul
Speckled mousebird
Swift Terns
Water Thick-knee
White-breasted Cormorant

Walking around after dark, and seeing the healthy population of frogs and toads at Storms River Mouth, we realised how grossly inadequate our old guidebook on South Africa’s amphibians was to identify the 24 species that’s been recorded in the Garden Route National Park. We remedied that soon after we got back home!

Raucous Toad: Storms River Mouth has an amazing variety of toads and frogs that show themselves after dark
Raucous Toad: Storms River Mouth has an amazing variety of toads and frogs that show themselves after dark
Eastern Leopard Toad: Storms River Mouth has an amazing variety of toads and frogs that show themselves after dark
Raucous Toad: Storms River Mouth has an amazing variety of toads and frogs that show themselves after dark
Raucous Toad: Storms River Mouth has an amazing variety of toads and frogs that show themselves after dark

As already mentioned, Storms River Mouth Rest Camp is the Tsitsikamma section’s main visitors facility and understandably one of the Garden Route’s top attractions. Here, wedged between mountain and sea, overnight visitors have a choice of spectacularly located accommodation and camping sites, serviced by a restaurant and shop that stocks basic food items and curios. There are picnic sites for day visitors and a small swimming beach. Guided boat tours and more adventurous activities up the Storms River gorge can be undertaken daily. Unique snorkeling and scuba trails allow visitors a glimpse into the underwater world of the Tsitsikamma, and on land several walking trails lead deep into the forest. At the eastern side of the Tsitsikamma section lies the more rustic Nature’s Valley Rest Camp, just outside the small holiday town of the same name. The renowned Otter Trail, covering a distance of almost 50km between Storms River Mouth and Nature’s Valley over 5 days, is rated as one of the best and most scenic hiking routes on the planet.

Camping site 50i at Storms River Mouth Camp in Garden Route National Park, December 2017
Camping sites at Storms River Mouth
Some of the accommodation units at Storms River Mouth
Some of the accommodation units at Storms River Mouth
Some of the accommodation units at Storms River Mouth – these are the rustic Forest Huts
The temporary restaurant at Storms River Mouth. The wooden building that housed the restaurant previously burned down and is being rebuilt.
Swimming pool at Storms River Mouth

Storms River Mouth was the sixth destination on our December itinerary through eight of South Africa’s national parks. It is easily accessible along a good tarred road that turns off the N2 highway between Plettenberg Bay and Port Elizabeth.

34 thoughts on “Tsitsikamma (Garden Route National Park)”

  4. kim blades, writer

    Hello. Wonderful photos as always. I remember the southern boubou and boomslang one from December. My parents took my sister and I on a holiday to Cape Town during the Christmas holidays in December of 1979. We drove there via the OFS, Kimberley, Karoo to Cape Town and back along the south coast Garden Route. We stayed overnight in a small hotel in Wilderness and drove through the Storms River route and continued through the then Transkei back to Durban. I remember the Wilderness and Storms River areas and thinking they were ideal locations for dinosaurs. Your photos bought back that memory and I can still imagine Terranosauros’s and Pteradactyls roaming and flying around the gorges, cliffs, rivers and beaches. The Garden Route landscapes and scenery are truly spectacular!

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      1. BETH

        Not at all. West Africa is very poor and not well-kept, but I wonder if there might be places that would be bring relief to the occupants. Serious sicknesses are rampant.

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  7. John

    Absolutely amazing wonderful place!! And your photos are really beautiful, and really convey the message that photos are going to make. To me it’s a fabulous place where I could live, there’s everything!😊 I am born in a seaside town and love animals and nature. No, I’m not the least jealous of you!😉😀

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    1. de Wets Wild Post author

      Tsitsikamma is a treasure, John. I only wish we lived closer – at around 1200km from Pretoria it is rather difficult, and expensive, to get there regularly. I am glad to know you enjoyed this post so much.

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      1. John

        Wow, it´s far away. You really visit every nature place in your country, who is so big. Your blog is my favorite blog, and sure many others as well! Here is everything, good storys, facts and wonderful pictures!😊

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    1. de Wets Wild Post author

      Spot on , Lois – the little one next to the plaque is a dassie!

      And both the boomslang and the boubou walked away from the fight (well, one slithered and one flew) which ended when the bird was satisfied that the snake wasn’t a threat any longer

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