05/02/2017 Garden Route Part 2/3

After de Rust, we headed to Knysna. On the way there, we made a short stop at friends of our relatives. They live in Hoekwil, which is about fifteen minutes away from George, the largest city on the Garden Route.

Irene and Paul retired early in Switzerland and then emigrated to South Africa. They have settled in a little paradise: Hoekwil is situated on a hill, from which you can directly overlook the beautiful landscape and the sea. They have an impressive garden and a cozy guest lodge. You can tell how much love and dedication they put into planning and implementing it all. We spent a few beautiful hours with them and ate probably the best cheesecake of all time!

Strengthened, we then made our way to Knysna.

We had heard a lot of positive things about this little town in advance and were accordingly excited. This time we were in a small apartment in the middle of the city. We could actually reach everything within a few minutes.

However, we were barely in Knysna when we were already disappointed. On the one hand, Knysna is incredibly touristy (we felt it even more extreme than the previous parts of the Garden Route at that time) and on the other hand, we had the impression that it didn't really have much to offer for backpackers like us. Furthermore, we were nowhere else bothered as much as in Knysna, so far that was never a problem. However, Knysna is an excellent starting point for other activities: George, Wilderness, Plettenberg Bay, and Nature's Valley are quickly accessible.

We also made a day trip to the latter, which was simply incredible! Nature's Valley is known for its beautiful landscape and many hiking trails. We chose a three-hour trail along the coast and through the forest. The tourist office is located in a very secluded kiosk and the owner there helped us a lot. Since the paths are not signposted, there are photos with approximate descriptions along the way. So it was a hike and a photo rally in one.

Although the trail was adventurous and not entirely without danger, we enjoyed it very much. Nature's Valley is definitely a must-visit!

Back in Knysna, we met friends of our family for brunch just before we left. It was very nice to see familiar faces again and exchange African experiences.

Right after Knysna came a very big highlight: we visited the Addo Elephant Park. Many said it would be boring after Kruger, but since we were only on guided tours there, it was great to drive around ourselves once. Although we had some respect at the beginning passing by giant elephant herds, that quickly disappeared.

The size of Addo is ideal for safari beginners like us. We even saw a lion! At the entrance, you receive a map with different routes. We liked the Gorah Loop the best. We were the only people there and saw buffalos, zebras, and warthogs at the same time. The animals stood and grazed next to each other very peacefully. What a great sight!

Inside the park, there is a board with magnets where tourists can mark where they spotted which animals. That was really handy! Despite the rather high entrance fee, we can fully recommend Addo Elephant Park.

By the way, we didn't stay directly in the park itself, but about 15 minutes away from the entrance at the 'River Front Estate' lodge. Lisa, the host, is a treasure and very helpful! Since Isa managed to lock herself in the bathroom and Lisa's husband had to break down the door, we even got an upgrade in the end.

Another highlight was the Zuurberg Horse Trail, which we took on the last day in Addo. Unfortunately, we missed taking photos of it, but it was a great feeling to see the world again from a horse's back. The days there definitely passed too quickly, and I can't wait to go to Addo again next time!