Things to Do in Knysna
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If there is such a thing, Knysna is the heart of the Garden Route. This medium-sized town on the banks…
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Hiking Trail
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Knysna Following an old mining path along the Forest Creek, the Circles in a Forest Hiking Trail beckons hikers to explore the loveliness of the Goudveld Forest. This genuine forest experience is suitable for families and people of all ages, offering two trail options starting at Krisjan-se-Nek.
Feel dwarfed as you pass the towering 600-year old Outeniqua Yellowwood trees. You can almost hear them whisper Oupoot, the name of the long lost heroine and matriarch elephant made famous by Dalene Matthee.
This is truly the heart of the Knysna indigenous forest typified by giant Yellowwood trees, three-metre high tree ferns, Red-billed Wood-hoopoe, babbling streams, ancient ironwood trees, arum lilies, colourful mushroom and bracket fungi. Evidence of baboon, bush pig, porcupine and bushbuck can be seen everywhere. Keep glancing up to the treetops and you might spot a Knysna loerie.
Formerly called the Woodcutters Trail, this route is named after one of Dalene Matthee’s famous novels. The three and nine kilometre trails range from easy to moderate and are manageable for anyone over the age of five.
Nature Reserves
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Knysna Quays Only accessible by ferry, Featherbed Nature Reserve is a privately-owned unspoiled headland at the Western Head of the Knysna Lagoon. Visitors young and old will thoroughly enjoy embarking on a spectacular four-hour eco-experience to this exquisite little corner of the Garden Route. This outdoor experience includes a return ferry trip, nature drive, guided walk and a lavish buffet lunch at the Food Forest Restaurant. Access to the reserve is strictly controlled and visits are only permitted in the company of the Featherbed Nature Reserve's specialist guides.Starting with a 25-minute ferry cruise, your local guide will share intriguing tales about the Knysna Lagoon, early shipping industry and Knysna’s oyster cultivation.The cruise is followed by a 4x4 drive to the top of the Western Head where supreme views of the lagoon, mountains and Knysna can be seen. After the drive, you have the option of walking a 2.2 kilometre downhill guided nature trail. This fun family outing ends with with a blowout buffet lunch at the popular Knysna restaurant under the milkwood trees.The four-hour excursion departs daily from Knysna Waterfront. Bookings are essential.
Popular Attractions
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Knysna Quays A trip to Knysna Heads is a prerequisite for first time visitors to Knynsa. Two dramatic sea cliffs guard the entrance to the lagoon from the surging ocean.The Eastern Head has a lookout with spectacular views of the lagoon, Leisure Isle and Knysna. The Western Head is primarily a privately owned nature reserve reached only by ferry – Featherbed Nature Reserve. Four-hour excursions depart daily from the Knysna Waterfront.An onboard excursion to Knysna Heads is a thrilling experience and there are various options available. The ultimate cruise is aboard a catamaran such as the Zakat, which cruises through the Heads while serving oysters and champagne. The perfect way to end a day!
Hiking Trail
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Pezula Golf Estate The Fisherman's Path Sparrebosch Hiking Trail is a scenic trail through indigenous forest and fynbos to a secluded bay where two streams run into the sea. During the rainy season there is a beautiful waterfall. Bushbuck and numerous birds can be spotted on this well-established route.
Duration: 2 hours
Difficulty: Moderate (steep hill)
Distance: 5 km
Bars
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Knysna Knysnarians know about good watering holes and you'll certainly find plenty of them at the vibey Bosun's Pub and Grill, lips curled around a frosty or tucking into a hearty meal. This old style English pub serves locally brewed ale and value-for-money scrumptious pub grub! You'll find all the local Mitchell‘s Brewery products here – on tap and bottled, ranging from Bosun‘s Bitter, Foresters and the new Mitchell‘s Gold. So get down there and sluk a pint or two in this comfy, cosy pub and be warmed by the great atmosphere and friendly people.
Beaches
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Brenton on Sea Locals claim that one of the most wonderful beaches on the globe lies right on the other side of the Knysna Western Heads, at Brenton-on-Sea. There are rocks to clamber on, little pools to cool off in and a long bay for beach walks and shell seeking. Walk to Buffels Bay from Brenton-on-Sea, have lunch or an icecream, and stroll back.
Hiking Trail
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Knysna The Garden of Eden is a walking route set in the lush, green Knysna indigenous forest.
The trail is easily marked on the side of the N2. The route is a short board walk through the forest in a circular shape. The major attraction is the forest itself; absolutely beautiful yellow wood trees, thick green foliage and streams. The garden itself comprises smaller trails, so it's up to you if you wish to do the short walking trail, or meander off to explore further. There is also a 800 m board walk suitable for wheelchairs.
Distance: 1 km, level throughout.
Fee: R10 per person.
Hiking Trail
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Knysna This circular day walk takes about three hours and is easy to do. The total length is about 7 km. The trail is in the Gouna indigenous forest and crosses a part of the home range of the Knysna elephant herd. Clear markers serve as guide. Follow the Gouna road/Kom-se-Pad to the Grootdraai Picnic Site. There is a swimming area as well.
Popular Attractions
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Knysna Eco Afrika Tours offers a relaxing and enjoyable deep-sea fishing trip off the Garden Route town of Knysna.
All equipment and bait is supplied; all you'll need to bring is your fishing license, warm jacket and any refreshments and food you would like to snack on. There are 2 vessels that operate daily. You are allowed to take your catch home.
Daily tours depart at 7:00 and 16:30.
Beaches
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Pezula Golf Estate Direct access is a little steep but it's worth the effort to steal away and spend hours on the beautiful private beach of Sparrebosch. Swim, fish or just soak up the tranquility and stunning natural beauty around you.
Hiking Trail
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Knysna The starting point for this stunning trail is Diepwalle Forest Station, situated 23 km north of Knysna along the Uniondale road.
If you don't have time to walk the entire trail, the route can be done in three sections. Each is colour coded for easy identification, with the shortest route of 6.5 km, Elephant Walk III, marked with red elephant motifs and black on yellow arrows.
Prepare to be seduced by big trees, fungi, tree ferns, lichens, pretty tumbling streams and forest birds! Diepwalle is an awesome rainforest and is the refuge of a tiny remnant of the famous and highly secretive Knysna elephants. It was thought that only a solitary elderly cow remained but recent research has found that there may be seven or more.
The circular red route is fairly easy and follows a short section of the Outeniqua Hiking Trail and passes two gigantic Outeniqua Yellowwood trees that are over 600 years. Elephant Walk I (black) is 9 km and Elephant Walk II (white) is 8 km.
Along with 30 m high yellowwoods, other trees to spot are stinkwood, ironwood, white pear, and Cape holly. Birds to look out for are the Narina trogon, red-billed wood hoopoe, olive woodpecker, black-headed oriole and the Knysna turaco (loerie). Vervet monkeys can often be seen clambering in the tree tops.
Permits are obtained at the Diepwalle Forest Station office. Grab a map and tree identification list (various trees are numbered). There is a lovely tea room here – the scones go down well after tripping through the woods.
Golf Courses
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Knysna One of South Africa's best golfing destinations, Simola boasts overwhelming views and an outstanding Jack Nicklaus Signature course.
Breathtaking vistas of the Knysna Heads on one side and the Knysna River on the other make it difficult to focus on the game. But in the midst of all this beauty, the course offers challenging and rewarding golf amidst spectacular scenery.
Simola was one of the first Jack Nicklaus designs on the Garden Route, reflecting the maestro's philosophy of adjusting the layout and design to the natural features of the landscape.
Fairways flow along the rising and falling natural landscape and every hole offers superlative views of the Knysna Lagoon all the way to the Heads or across the pretty meandering Knysna River and valley below.
Golf Courses
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Knysna Meandering through the tidal pools and between towering indigenous trees, Knysna Golf Course offers an incredible golf experience on the Knysna Lagoon.
This 18-hole course commands wonderful views of The Heads and features an attractive parkland layout with some of the finest bent grass greens in the Southern Cape. The course provides a first-rate challenge to players of all levels and is also an affordable and essential golfing option on Garden Route itineraries.
The signature hole is the par-five ninth, known to be the most daunting in Knysna. Channelling through the estuary with reeds flanking both sides of the fairway, it presents a stiff challenge to the most experienced player. The course is also home to abundant ocean and freshwater birds as well as forest-dwelling birds and the Knysna loerie.
After a demanding round of golf, relax in the friendly atmosphere of the clubhouse. Bookings are essential +27 (0) 44 384 1150.
Galleries and Museums
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Knysna Knysna Fine Art is one of South Africa’s finest galleries, specializing in contemporary South African art in a variety of media, although a number of international fine artists are exhibited.
The gallery also handles the work of the South African masters and works closely with vendors and collectors. Recent sales include major works by Gerard Sekoto, J.H Pierneef, Lucas Sithole and Robert Hodgins.
The owner is Trent Read, the elder son of the late Everard Read, who was the doyen of South African art dealers, and Trent is the fifth generation of his family to be a dealer. He worked at Christies in London for several years and also in the USA but most of his career has been spent as a director of Everard Read in Johannesburg. He moved to Knysna in 1994 and opened the gallery in 1997.
Trent is considered an expert in contemporary South African art but his knowledge of the fine and applied arts in general is broad. Clients of the gallery have access to a wide spectrum of expertise from his international links.
The gallery moved to Thesen House in 2010 and have recently opened a new venue in the same building. A Different Drummer handles ceramics, objets de vertu, photographs and fine tribal artifacts. Knysna Fine Art has rapidly established a reputation for excellence with collectors, architects and interior designers.
Mountain Biking Trails
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Knysna Get on your bike for an awesome 19-kilometre trip through Knysna’s Goudveld Forest.
Starting at the Goudveld Forest Station, the circular Homtini Trail weaves along fairly relaxed contours in the indigenous forest and plantation. With only one steep four-kilometre climb to make you gasp for breath, it is considered a moderate ride.
Starting and ending at Krisjan-se-Nek picnic spot, the route offers some lovely exhilarating single-track slip-paths, shady jeep tracks and sweeping elevated views of the mountainous landscape and distant Knysna Heads.
Permits can be obtained at the Goudveld boom before the Krisjan-se-Nek picnic site.