CHRISTMAS AT BERENTY RESERVE

January 3, 2019July 9, 20202 Comments

Guys, we went to Berenty Reserve and I finally saw lemurs!! Hundreds of them!

We knew we wanted to stay around Fort Dauphin for most of Gareth’s trip, mainly so he can see where I’m living and help sort out my flat (thank you, G!!). But we wanted to do something special over Christmas which led us to Berenty.

Berenty is a small, private reserve about 3.5 hours from Fort Dauphin, and one of the most famous in all of Madagascar. It’s one of the best places to see lemurs in the country, and where primatologist Alison Jolly studied lemurs for over 50 years. If you’re into lemurs, this is your spot.

LOGISTICS

TRANSPORT

You need to organise transport to and from the reserve directly — you can’t just turn up. They can arrange this from Tana, but in Fort Dauphin the Le Dauphin hotel is their sister site and you can arrange things there. You’ll be picked up from the hotel early in the morning with a driver and a guide. The drive out is part of the experience, with a few stops along the way to see the changing landscape. We had a fantastic drive out, you can see some of the pictures below.

FOOD

There is a restaurant at the reserve, but nowhere to buy snacks. The restaurant is a fixed menu — continental breakfast (with or without eggs) in the morning, and three courses (starter, main, dessert) during lunch and dinner. Breakfast is from 6 – 9, lunch from 12-2:30 and dinner 7-10. The food was good but not great — though this lobster on Christmas Eve was quite the treat.

ELECTRICITY AND WATER

The reserve runs on generator power, so there’s electricity from 5am to 9am, 11am to 3pm and 5pm to 10pm. This is generally fine but as it’s the peak of summer, nights without a fan or air con were HOT. There is also running water, flushing toilets, and showers with hot water. (YES, PLEASE!)

COST

The cost for transport and the guide is €157 each. It includes the driver, gas to/from the reserve, a guide who provided us with three (long) walks a day (7-11 am, 3-6 pm, and 7-8 pm), room and board for both driver and guide, and entrance to the reserve and museum.

It’s another €62 each night for a double occupancy room. Meals are 19,000 Ariary each for breakfast and 36,000 Ariary for lunch and dinner, however on special occasions (Christmas Eve), there is a special menu that was €22 each. Water, and most drinks, are 6,000 Ariary.

THE EXPERIENCE

You see SO much at Berenty. You’re basically guaranteed to see all the different types of lemurs that live in the reserve, and you can get quite close to them! We also saw chameleons, flying foxes, snakes, so many cool bugs, tortoises, and a crocodile. We saw so many incredible things, which you can see in the photo diaries here and here. Our guide JP was incredible — he was SO knowledgeable about everything and just such a nice person to be around.

In all, if you’re in Southern Madagascar and at all interested in lemurs, Berenty Reserve should be top of your list!

MADAGASCAR – MONTH ONE

December 17, 2018August 30, 20201 Comment

So I blinked and it has somehow been just over a month since I arrived in Fort Dauphin! In some ways it feels like I’ve been here much longer, and in so many others it feels like I’ve literally just arrived.

GETTING HERE

To back up, I left Boston the evening of Sunday, November 11th and after a long journey (Boston → Chicago → Addis Ababa → Tana), I arrived in Madagascar on Tuesday, November 13th.

I was nervous for the chaos I’d been told to expect at the airport, but it was really easy to find my driver and secure myself a Telma SIM card for my phone – everything went smoothly right up until I realized I had forgotten the PIN of my brand new ATM card and had no access to money. I changed what little cash I had and THANK GOD was able to remember it the next morning, when I was back to catch the internal flight down to Fort Dauphin.

FORT DAUPHIN

view from my front porch

Fort Dauphin is stunningly beautiful. I keep having to take a break to look around in shock that I actually live here.

I’m really loving the work aspect of everything, which is exciting as that’s what I’m here for. My projects are all very interesting, and I’m really looking forward to learning so much more about HIV and WASH. I’m going to focus on learning enough Malagasy to get by — the basics, numbers, words for food, etc, and then I’m going to switch to learning French, as I think it’ll be really easy to learn the basics here and most people I’ve met speak it. There’s also an Alliance Francaise in Fort Dauphin where I might be able to take lessons. This is the first time I’ve been anywhere near an immersive French experience, and I want to take advantage!

SETTLING IN

I live with one other girl in house new to our company, meaning it’s empty aside from two beds, a table, and a couch. It’s going to take some work to make it homey, and our first week was a series of unfortunate events where every time we thought we had it figured out, something new went wrong. Finally got buckets to fill up when the water is on at night to use for showering/flushing the toilet, and the water went out for 10 days straight. There was a period of time when I had giardia, no water to flush and all the lightbulbs in our house had burnt out. Stumbling to a dirty toilet with a head torch whilst feeling like you’re dying in a brand new country is QUITE the trial by fire!

When I first arrived it was kind of terrifying how helpless I felt. I didn’t know my way around town and Google maps is not really a thing here. Nor is Google translate, and I didn’t know any Malagasy. So for things as basic as food and water I was so dependent on others to show us where to get them, order for us, handle the money. I’m so excited for everything coming up and by this time next month to hopefully feel even more settled in than I do now!

The biggest adjustment has been how much time it takes to accomplish anything. It took a full week to get to a point where we had drinking water, toilet paper, soap, buckets to shower/flush with, and a trash can. My first week I learned to celebrate the smallest victories – having a shower was an entire day’s accomplishment, and I’ve grown from there. There are still so many things I need (a fan! a fridge, a functioning laptop, a dresser not filled with cockroaches, etc), but I’m getting closer and closer to living a relatively normal life. We also had a Thanksgiving meal on the day, which was so lovely as it’s tie for Christmas as my favourite holiday.

That said, it’s only been a month and I’m now nearly as comfortable killing the roaches as our very capable upstairs neighbor is. We have a good stock of back up water, set up steady laundry service and a cleaner who comes twice a week (what luxury), and everything feels much easier. It’s shocking how happy the ability able to wash your hands, take a shower (even from a bucket), and flush a toilet can make you. I’ve also found a bunch of places in Fort Dauphin where I love to eat, and beside the giardia haven’t been that sick from food yet (touch wood).

COMING UP

Somehow time has moved fast enough that Gareth is currently in the air, on his way to Tana. It feels like we said goodbye so recently, and if we can keep this up through the year I think time will fly and be much easier than our LA to London long distance was. We’re hanging around the Fort Dauphin area while hoping to do a few day/overnight trips to nearby reserves and lodges, and maybe a few nights at the fancy hotel here in town.

After that we’re into 2019 which is almost too crazy to consider! 2018 flew by, and it’s kind of freaking me out how fast time has been moving lately. That said, 2019 will be quite the adventure and I’m looking forward to being even more settled here in Mada.

BIG NEWS PART TWO: MADAGASCAR

November 6, 2018August 30, 20201 Comment

Hi there, it’s been a minute hey? We’ll be back to regularly scheduled Greece posts shortly, however I’m behind on everything due to some Major Life Changes. As of last Thursday, I no longer live in London. I’m home in Boston for a few (amazing) weddings, and next week I’ll be getting on a plane and arriving three days later in Antananarivo. Why you ask? I’m moving to Madagascar.

source

THE WHEN

I fly out next Sunday night, and arrive midday Wednesday. The contract is for 12 months to start, which feels great professionally and long personally. This is without a doubt the most exciting, terrifying, adventurous thing I’ve ever done. I vary between confidence and fear, along with overwhelming sadness at leaving Gareth (OH GOD AND BRADY), both of whom I’ve already had to say goodbye. But it is an incredible career move – and in that respect I’m nothing but excited.

THE WHAT

I’ll be a Project Development Officer for Community Health in Fort Dauphin, which is on the south-eastern coast of Madagascar. I’ll be working on project design and development, funding applications, donor reporting, and implementation for three projects – HIV in both rural and urban settings and WASH in schools.

Fort Dauphin

MPH

ALSO, I was accepted to begin my Masters of Public Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Classes are through distance learning, so I can complete the work online while living in the field in Mada. It’ll take 2-3 years to complete, and I’m honestly shocked my degree in writing/TV got me into LSHTM, as it’s one of the top programmes in the world!

So by this time next year, I’ll be halfway through a masters and have a year in the field as an Officer on my CV. I’ve felt this urgency to progress as I changed careers quite late, and haven’t been so pleased to still be an assistant at 28. But now (I hope) the ball is finally rolling and things are going to only get more interesting from here. These are two things I’ve been trying to do for years, and I am SO happy it’s all happening!

WHAT NEXT

I’ll be able to check off number 12 and 23 of my 30 before 30, which are probably the most important ones left on there. I’ll be posting more frequently as this is definitely a time I’ll want to look back on years from now. I’ll be talking about how to survive long distance, the preparation needed before moving to a developing country, and once I arrive, all things Madagascar. I’m so excited for this next chapter!

Four Days in Cape Town

September 12, 2018July 9, 20201 Comment

And then WE WERE THERE! It felt like we’d been on our way for weeks, and suddenly Table Mountain appeared before our eyes (on fire from an arsonist no less). We’d made it!

I didn’t know what to expect from Cape Town, other than to love it. And love it I did. I could have spent weeks getting to know that city, and I firmly hope to return one day to do just that. We stayed in Salt River which is up and coming and maybe a bit more dangerous than we had anticipated (per our Uber drivers, actually staying there felt quite safe).

By this point of the trip we were ready to relax, so our days were a lot less packed than those leading up to it. If you’re looking for a chilled out itinerary that still fits in the major things, look no further!

FOUR DAY CAPE TOWN ITINERARY

DAY ONE

After hanging with the penguins, returning our rental, and settling into our Airbnb, most of the day was gone. We wanted to get out and do something fun with our afternoon, and a great place to get acclimated is at the Victoria & Albert Waterfront. There are loads of restaurants, many with views, and it’s quite a touristy part of the city. It’s fun for an afternoon, and a great place to watch the sunset, but I wouldn’t recommend more than a few hours there. It’s a bit like a giant outdoor mall. We had dinner on the roof deck of Harbour House which was delicious, and had great outdoor seating. (There’s also a bookstore at the Waterfront with really cheap Travel Catan, if you’re into that!). This is a great first stop, first to get it out of the way but second to ease into the city if you’ve just arrived.

DAY TWO

The next morning grab some breakfast at Food Lover’s Market before meeting up with the free walking tour which starts just around the corner at Motherland Coffee. They have a few tours–we did the Historic one which we loved, though I’m sure they’d all be great. You’ll get some history and great insight into the city, and see most of the major sights! Prior to this trip I wasn’t big on tours, but I’m beginning to change my mind. This ends in Company’s Garden, where G and I sat at the café and had lunch, read a bit, and played some cards. It was lovely.

After the tour, make your way back to Greenmarket Square and explore the market. We went on a bit of a buying frenzy getting gifts for friends (and ourselves). We needed another bag, as we had somehow collected way more than we could fit in our two backpacks for the journey home. We ended up getting an incredible elephant painting, a cute little backpack, a few bowls, salad spoons, magnets, and a big canvas print – and we got to barter, which I am a pro at (thanks to Katie and our time in Guatemala) and Gareth is honestly TERRIBLE at. Even so, we got some pretty good deals.

From there head to your accommodation to drop off your loot, before catching an uber to Reverie Social Table, a highly recommended dinner place. It only seats about 16 people each night, and it’s a social experience as much as a culinary one.

Get to know the other guests, have far too much (delicious) wine, and eat some of the best food in Cape Town. I definitely recommend this place and its adorable chef, Julia Hattingh.

DAY THREE

Wake up early, grab breakfast, and head straight to Table Mountain. Be ready to hike, and though harder than (I) expected, it is so worth it! If you’re able, I highly recommend skipping the cable car and hiking up yourself – it’s such an incredible feeling.

Once finished, jump in a cab to Bo Kaap, which is close by and just as incredible in person as it is in pictures. There’s so much to see, and some cute shops (I got an adorable terrarium from Angels+Earth).

The same walking tour group offers tours of Bo Kaap, and while we didn’t have time to do it, I bet it would be great!

Just a few minutes’ walk from Bo Kaap is Bree Street, which has some of the best food in Cape Town. The hardest part is deciding where to go. We chose to have tapas at La Parada which was SO good, especially the Pork Belly and Cauliflower Puree, but I’ve also heard great things about Bocca and Villa 47. If you’re into nightlife and big on food, I’d stay around Bree street so you can try a different place each night. After a few Spanish wines, mosey down the street to Sky Bar which has a rooftop bar with incredible views of Table Mountain. It’s the perfect way to end the day, sipping on a mojito, watch the sun set around the iconic mountain you’ve just climbed.

DAY FOUR

Be better than us and plan ahead, so you can spend the morning actually visiting Robben Island instead of trying unsuccessfully to get last minute tickets. We tried craigslist, calling hotels, and going in person in case there were any no shows, with no luck. Because you’ll already have tickets, spend the day taking a tour of the island.

You’ll notice there aren’t any Township Tours on this itinerary. Gareth was pretty against them, as he sees it as paying money to look at poor people. I know there’s a lot more to the tours than that – history, education, development, etc, but I really agree with his hesitation and that it wasn’t the right way to get involved. Instead we decided to go into Langa Township to Mzansi Restaurant, which was a great way to see and support the Township without being as voyeuristic.

TIPS

Book Robben Island tickets at least a week in advance. It was unfortunately sold out by the time we arrived in Cape Town, and we were so disappointed to miss it.
It’s not necessary to rent a car, Uber is a great way to chat to some locals (though most of ours weren’t actually from South Africa) and is super cheap!
Get a sim card at the airport to make getting around South Africa incredibly easy from the first moment.

Where to stay in (Lower) Kruger

August 4, 2018July 9, 20201 Comment

Prior to our trip to Kruger National Park, I did a lot of research on where to stay. First I narrowed it down to lower Kruger based on the current drought situation, which impacts where the animals are most likely to be, and then, based on reviews and amenities, finally decided to stay at Lower Sabie. It was a relief to have picked, but the relief only lasted a few minutes because when I went to book – three months before our trip – it was already sold out. Tip number one: book early!

My second choice was Crocodile Bridge Rest Camp, which still had a permanent tent available on our dates, so I quickly booked in. During our time in Kruger, we visited both Lower Sabie and Skukuza, as well as staying in Crocodile Bridge, and they are three quite different camps that I think would suit different people.

CROCODILE BRIDGE REST CAMP

I chose Crocodile Bridge because I knew Gareth would like the more authentic feel. Crocodile Bridge doesn’t have a restaurant or pool, and only a little shop. You get a personal grill (remember to bring charcoal!) and a fridge, and otherwise it’s mostly just you on your own figuring things out. It feels like a real adventure and you never forget where you are or what you’re doing.

I quite liked staying there, as most of the people around us were campers who’d been all over Africa on safari, but if I hadn’t had Gareth I think I would have felt isolated and overwhelmed. If you’re looking for a more “in the bush” feel, this is a good camp for you. It’s quiet, you’re roughing it, and coming home and grilling our dinner and hanging out just the two of us was really nice after long days of driving. It was easy not to cook for lunch because we were always on drives and could pop into a larger camp, but you must be back inside your camp by a certain time (during March, when we were there, it was 6:00 pm) which meant you had to eat dinner wherever you were staying.

SKUKUZA

Skukuza is the place to go for amenities. It is basically a town in the middle of the national park. It has multiple restaurants, a spa, a large shop, a post office, even a doctor’s office! It’s huge, the closest thing to a resort, and where to go if the idea of being far from civilization makes you nervous. (If you go, make sure you go to the steakhouse and get their special – it is SO good.) If what you’re looking for out of your safari is loads of big game drives, followed by an incredible steak dinner and a massage, Skukuza is for you.

LOWER SABIE

Lower Sabie was a blend of the other two camps. Like Skukuza, it had a restaurant, deck overlooking the river, a pool, and quite a big shop. We ended up going there for things we hadn’t packed thinking Crocodile Bridge may have (silverware, plates, etc), and had at least one meal there most days. However, it’s not as busy or commercial as Skukuza was.

VERDICT

If we were to go back to this same area of Kruger, my choice would still be Lower Sabie. The manageable size paired with the option not to cook every night, huge shop full of all the things we didn’t have, and the pool give it the edge to me. Crocodile Bridge and Skukuza are two extremes and would definitely appeal to certain people, but if you’re looking for the average, it’s Lower Sabie. That said, this is a personal choice based on what you’re looking to get out of your Safari, and even if the one you want is booked, they are all great in their own way.

HIKING TABLE MOUNTAIN

July 31, 2018July 9, 20202 Comments

When we first decided to go to South Africa, but before we had started planning, only one thing was certain – we’d be hiking Table Mountain. As we both love hiking, there was no way we could get to such an iconic mountain and take a cable car to the top.

Then we actually got there and man was it tall. I’m not going to lie, the first 10 minutes or so, I complained pretty much non-stop. I was hot, I was tired, I was sunburnt — bless Gareth for not leaving me behind and only mocking me a little.

Then we actually got to the start of the Platteklip Gorge and I was too out of breath to keep complaining! It is steps the whole way up, under the baking sun. About halfway through I was using my arms as well as my legs to get me over each step. It wasn’t easy! (Unless you’re Gareth and then everything is easy!)

We took a lot of beaks, every time we reached shade. Our sun burns from our hike in along the Garden Route and the fact that we were still on Malarone meant that halfway up my arms started to blister, and by the time we reached the top I was seriously concerned about the state of my skin. (I applied factor 50 about every five minutes, it was no match for the sun. Eventually I gave in and wore Gareth’s sweaty shirt.)

Getting to the top was INCREDIBLE though. The absolutely gorgeous view made each difficult step worth it. It took us about two hours (I stopped a lot), and we hung out at the top for about the same amount of time. There’s a cafe/grocery store up there, as well as a little shop with souvenirs. There’s even a mailbox, where I sent myself and my momma a letter!

We took in the views before finding shade, some beverages, and whipping out our trusty cards. It was such a lovely afternoon, marred only by the cable car down, which was too high for my liking. If you’re in relatively good shape, definitely consider climbing to the top. It’s hard but worth it and far more rewarding than standing in a line and letting an elevator do the work for you!

Lion’s Head

MORE OPTIONS

For keen hikers, there are many more options than just the Platteklip Gorge.

Lion’s Head offers incredible views of Table Mountain, takes about 90 minutes, and is not terribly difficult.
Skeleton Gorge is another path up the eastern side of the mountain that starts in the beautiful Kirstenbosch Gardens. It takes about 4 – 4.5 hours

PENGUINS! STONY POINT NATURE RESERVE

July 27, 2018July 9, 2020

After our incredible day on the wine tram, we woke up early to head to our final destination, Cape Town! However, first we had to stop along the way Stony Point Nature Reserve in Betty’s Bay. We’d decided we weren’t going to make the day trip to The Cape of Good Hope, and you know I wasn’t going to miss penguins.

STONY POINT NATURE RESERVE

Stony Point Nature Reserve is filled to the brim with penguins, and I had no idea how awkward and hilarious these adorable little birds are.

I could have watched them waddling and hopping around for hours. And Stony Point Nature Reserve is so cute, it would be a lovely place to spend an afternoon.

Alas we only had about twenty minutes with them before we had to get back on the road. Luckily, the drive from Stony Point Nature Reserve is perfectly picturesque — (I MEAN REALLY).

TIPS

There’s free parking (and a restaurant), so no need to worry about amenities
Entry is 20R for adults (about 1.15 GBP)
If you can, save enough time to pull off the road and jump in the (very inviting) water!
If you don’t have time to make it to the Cape of Good Hope, Stony Point Nature Reserve is a great alternative to ensure you get some penguin time. It’s one of the largest penguin breeding colonies of African penguins in the world.

FRANSCHHOEK WINE TRAM

July 22, 2018July 9, 20201 Comment

Up until this point in the trip, we had been sleeping in tents, on planes, or roughing it along the Garden Route. We a holiday from our holiday, as annoying people say. Luckily we were on our way to Franschhoek, which is maybe one of the most gorgeous and relaxing places in the world.

The drive in was out of this world, actually. The landscape was stunning – it felt a bit like I was back in Spain in the Picos de Europa, but even more gorgeous. The couple we met and ended up spending most of our time with had hiked up these mountains, and they said it was one of the most exhausting hikes they’d ever done, but also one of the most beautiful. It’s easy to understand why.

Buzzing from our drive in, we got to our Airbnb and were pleased to find a big, beautiful space, along with a bottle of local wine, waiting for us. Our host was amazing, even offering us an extra night for free because no one had booked!

We took the first night easy, walked into town for a chill one and after a bit of an exploratory wander we decided on pizza at Col’Cacchio Pizzeria. There was live music, good pizza, and a lively vibe. We loved Franschhoek instantly.

FRANSCHHOEK WINE TRAM

We woke up early the next morning to do what was a huge highlight of the trip – the wine tour on the Franschhoek wine tram! Imagine this… you’re in one of the world’s best wine regions. The sun is shining, the landscape is out of this world gorgeous, and you have nothing to do all day but sip on wine and maybe snack on a cheese board or two. What could make it better? Perhaps a beautiful tram that picks you up and drops you off a new location each hour, ensuring you pack as much into your day as possible without ever having to worry about logistics!

It lasts for about 6 hours, and be sure to pace yourself – they don’t pour taster sizes and it would be so easy to overindulge. Luckily our group kept it mostly together, and it was an INCREDIBLE way to spend the day. We linked up with another couple from Finland but who were living in the UAE, and had such a great time seeing the absolutely gorgeous wineries and sipping the insanely delicious wine. We brought one bottle back to London with us (it was all we could fit in our bags!) and it’s still there, waiting for us to drink it.

There are a few different routes, and we chose the Red Line because it focused on wines that are sold in the international market – there’s a chance we could find some of the wines we loved so much right here in London! Our highlights were Eikehof, Chamonix, and Dieu Donne. They all had very different vibes. Leopard’s Leap had the best wine, but was very modern and hotel-y, which was a less charming ambiance than Eikehof which was family run with gorgeous outdoor seating. Dieu Donne had incredible views, and the drive in and out to Rickety Bridge was the best of the trip (the wine tram becomes a wine tractor at one point!). We had to skip a few, and missed out on Franschhoek Cellar and Maison. I can’t think of one I’d have swapped out, so I’m very happy with the ones we chose.

It ends early enough to grab dinner, and we were home with enough time to have a completely relaxing evening full of rehydration and He’s Just Not That Into You, a perfect way to end our time in the wine region.

DETAILS:

It cost about £12 per person for the tram, which included a welcome wine at most of the stops.
The set tasting menus varied, but you were generally about £5 per winery. While not inexpensive, it doesn’t break the bank!
It departs at 10:30 and 11:30 every morning. There are 8 stops and if you leave at 10:30 you can fit in six of them max, and at 11:30, five.
Eat a lot of food! Most wineries offer a cheese board, some do a full lunch. Get breakfast at BICCCS which is delicious and has outdoor seating, and we obviously liked Col’Cacchio for a cheap and cheerful dinner.

You can find more details on the tram here here, but trust me that if you enjoy wine, camaraderie and incredible scenery, you do not want to miss this!

Robberg Nature Reserve, Garden Route, South Africa

WHERE TO STAY ON THE GARDEN ROUTE

June 9, 2018July 9, 2020

We moved around a bit during our time along the coast, and ended up spending most of our time in Knysna, Plettenburg Bay, and Storms River.

Plettenburg Bay

If you’re looking for the beach, then it’s definitely Plett Bay for you! The beach is gorgeous and you can surf, if that’s your thing. Plett is in the middle of the three towns, and we ended up spending a lot more time there than I thought we would as it is a perfect base for so much – Robberg Nature Reserve, Tsitsikamma National Park, where we had an excellent time on a kayak and lilo up the Storms River Gorge, bungee jumping, and a few animal reserves. It also has the most nightlife of any of the three options, which some would miss staying elsewhere. We spent a lot more time in Plett than I thought we would.

Storms River

Storms River was so, so green. It was also tiny and quiet and a fantastic base for the nearby
activities. We loved Storms River and if we were to go back we’d stay here the whole time. Our days were exciting enough that all we wanted from our base was a place to relax, and Storms River was exactly that. That said, a couple we met ziplining didn’t like how small it was or the distance from the beach, so they cut their time there short and moved to Plettenburg Bay. If you’re traveling solo, I’d avoid as this is such a small town it could be hard to meet others (though this was the only place we made friends, as it’s where the ziplining base is).

Knysna

Knysna was the best of both worlds. We stayed up in the hills where it was very green and quiet, and we over overlooking the lagoon from our cabin. The town, however, was the largest of them all and the lagoon has some great actives: boats, hiking, and if you count eating as an activity, it had the most (and best) restaurants.

The Verdict

We personally preferred Storms River to stay, Plettenburg for activities, and Knysna for food, but each is wonderful in its own way and has something different to offer. Like I said, Storms River won our hearts the most, but it’s not for everyone. No matter what, you can’t go wrong as they are all fantastic and the commute back and forth is quick and easy.

HIKES ALONG THE GARDEN ROUTE

June 7, 2018July 9, 20201 Comment

Though our hike in Robberg Nature Reserve was perfect, there are loads of other amazing hikes along the Garden Route as well. Find a breakdown of the ones I was most interested in below.

WILDERNESS

Half-collared Kingfisher Trail (7.2km, +/- 3hrs)

This one follows Touw River into the forest, where you take a pontoon across to the eastern bank of the river, where you walk down a 2km boardwalk that leads to a waterfall. We were really sad to miss this one — if you go let me know how it was!

Brown-hooded Kingfisher Trail (5km, 2-3 hrs)

This trail is opposite the eastern bank of Island Lake. You follow along the Duiwe River to a waterfall where there is a natural pool where you can take a dip!

KNYSNA

Harkerville Forest – Perdekop Trail (9.5km, circular, 3-4 hrs)

This hike is another one we were really sad to miss! You pass by a waterfall with another natural swimming pool beneath it, and it’s said to be relatively easy.

Harkerville Forest – Kranshoek Coastal Day Trail (9km, 4-5 hrs)

This hike starts at the top of a tall waterfall and the trail winds down to the bottom gorge, and then goes back up, ending at the Kranshoek view point. This is a moderate hike with over 200m ascent and descent.

Diepwalle Forest – Elephant Trails (all circular, 3-4 hours)

There are three routes here of varying difficulty, all along old woodcutter paths and by old yellowwood trees. The Black Trail is the easiest (9km) and passes through the King Edward VII picnic site. The White Trail is moderate (8km) and has a rock pool. The Red Trail (7km) is the most difficult and crosses a small stream about midway through that is ideal for a rest stop.

TSITSIKAMMA

Storms River Mouth Trail (1km, 1 hr)

This easy trail takes you to the suspension bridges, one of Storms River’s claims to fame. They are stunning and you won’t want to miss checking these out!

Lourie Trail (1km, 1hr)

This is an easy trail that will allow you to see the indigenous forest without too much time or effort. After a quick but steep climb up, you’ll emerge at the Agulhas lookout, and then through some gorgeous fynbos and the coastal forest.

Waterfall Trail (6km, 3-4 hours)

For half this trail you’ll be following along the incredibly famous and beautiful Otter Trail (if you have time/interest in multi-day hikes, check out the Otter Trail!).It follows the gorgeous coastline and ends at a stunning (in the rainy season) waterfall.