Elephants used to roam freely in the forests surrounding the town of Knysna, but have since disappeared due to ivory hunting. In 1994 Lisette and Ian Withers founded the Knysna Elephant Park by saving two elephants from a culling program in the Kruger National Park. Today a large family of elephants roam freely in the park, fulfilling the dream of the owners to bring elephants back to this region.
Visitors to the Knysna Elephant Park have the opportunity to have close up encounters with these giants of the African Bush. Learn about the nature and habits of elephants and enjoy the opportunity to view them on their terms in the open.
The German-guided version of our tour that covers the highlights of South Africa (link to English tour provided as well). It provides a mix of cities, countryside, historical sites, scenic drives, nature, wildlife, culture and people. The southbound tour starts in Johannesburg and ends in Cape Town.
Highlights:
Panorama Route
,
Blyde River Canyon
,
Kruger National Park
,
Swaziland
,
Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Game Reserve
,
St. Lucia
,
iSimangaliso Wetland Park
,
Transkei
,
Garden Route
,
Storm’s River Mouth
,
Knysna
,
Cango Caves
,
Route 62
,
Cape Winelands
,
Stellenbosch
,
Paarl
,
Cape Town
.
Plettenberg Bay is situated on the shore of an impressive bay of the same name. The town is located ±33 km east of Knysna on South Africa's Garden Route. The Portuguese explorers who first set eyes on the bay named it "Bahia Formosa", the "Beautiful Bay".
The Knysna Estuary is often referred to as the Knysna Lake. It is however an estuary and not a lake - even though it resembles a lake in appearance. Most tourists explore the estuary by ferry. A number of these rides are on offer. The most popular is the outing to the Featherbed Nature Reserve
The mouth of the Knysna Estuary is a narrow channel, which is difficult to navigate for those not familiar with it. The channel is often dramatically depicted framed by two huge rocky promontories, known as The Knysna Heads. The Featherbed Nature Reserve is situated on the Western Head.
The Garden Route is a tourism paradise combining excellent infrastructure with scenic natural attractions. It comprises the narrow coastal belt on South Africa's south coast, stretching from the Tsitsikamma Forest in the east ±200 km to Mossel Bay in the west. It is named after the region's lush vegetation and mountainous scenery.
The Robberg Peninsula, which forms the western shoreline of Plettenberg Bay, is managed as a small nature reserve. The northern shore of the Peninsula consists mainly of steep mountain slopes and cliffs, below which a large seal colony resides. On the southern side it is easier to get close to sea level and to two pristine sandy beaches that can be found here.