Adventure-seekers are incredibly spoilt for choice when it comes to the various options available whilst exploring the wonders of the Greater Knysna Area. We usually highlight our own offerings, but today we thought we would share with our readers a few of the unique local adventures which we love the most. Below are some extraordinary pursuits that promise to reveal the iconic beauty and diversity of Knysna’s natural world.
Take to the Skies
Have you ever dreamt of soaring like a bird on coastal thermals? Well, when you visit the Greater Knysna area you can do just that. The allure of paragliding is not merely the ultimate sense of freedom that hanging around high up in the sky affords you. Another advantage is that, at such elevation, you are able to quietly grasp the sheer loveliness of this part of the world; a sweeping coastline fringed by forested dunes, mountains, lakes and estuaries.
Our region has become a Mecca for paragliding, and the warmer months present the ultimate thermal conditions necessary for this increasingly popular, adrenalin-fuelled adventure sport. If you travel through Sedgefield and Wilderness along the N2 during the season, you may be lucky to witness the regular spectacle of summer skies peppered with the colourful ‘wings’ of high-flying adrenalin seekers. There are several different launch sites used by the various operators in the area, and the site for each flight is chosen according to whether the essential thermal conditions are present. We recommended: Flytime Paragliding: www.flytimeparagliding.com
Forest Guided Tours
Another experience we highly recommended is a 3.4km Circles in a Forest guided hike with registered guide Meagan Vermaas of Forest Guided Tours, whose deep-seated reverence and incredible knowledge of the Knysna Forest is truly inspiring. The hike is named after the famous book written by Dalene Matthee, it aims to give walkers genuine insight into the wonders of this living, breathing forest realm.
The trail through this part of the Goudveld Forest just outside Knysna has been blazed through a tightly-knit maze of diverse tree species, some, like the old yellowwoods, are so old that they rise up even beyond the canopy. Much of the beauty of this verdant wonderland lies in the little details. The velvety, bright green moss which clings to the bark of trees and rocks, which on close inspection are remarkable in their complexity. The multicoloured forest fungi that grows on fallen trunks of decaying timber. The various shades of pretty leaf litter. The wispy, pale green lichen which hang like chandeliers from the boughs of the trees and the thick, dark green ferns which edge the pathway. There are fascinating life forms wherever you cast your eye.
This pursuit truly is the best medicine for mind, the body and the soul. Call: 073 363 6522
Gourmet Village Walk
The Gourmet Village Walk in Knysna is a laid-back culinary tour which gives visitors the opportunity to explore the streets of Knysna on foot, meet the locals and sample the local chow, all the while sharing stories with other travellers over shared meals. I believe it is one of the best ways to get to the heart of new place. It has been thoughtfully designed not only to showcase several of our cool eateries, but also to provide insight into the various historical, cultural and environmental aspects which make Knysna so unique. Owners of Knysna Hike and Bike, Anne Centner and Mandy Stubbs, are accredited professional tour guides with a genuine passion for all things local and between them they possess a wealth of knowledge and love to share anecdotal tales about our region. Their fascinating narrative en-route adds a great deal of substance to the experience. You will certainly leave satisfied after this culinary journey through Knysna, as it is a feast for all the senses…particularly the palette. Anne and Mandy also offer a host of other professionally designed tours, which include Forest Tours, The Craggs Wine & Bubbly Cycle, and the Knysna Village Cycle, among others.
For more info call: Anne: +27 (0)82 893 1361 or Mandy: +27 (0)83 388 2424 or email: info@knysnahikeandbike.co.za
Snorkelling at Gericke’s Point
The beauty of our Garden Route seascapes is something to behold. The true wonder of this ocean realm however, is what lies beneath. One of the simplest and most rewarding ways to observe some of the diverse life it holds, is by snorkelling. Our coastal waters teem with a magical array of marine life just begging to be explored. For us, one of the most mind -blowing snorkeling destinations in our region is Gericke’s Point and recently AMD Odyssey has added guided snorkelling tours to their adventure offerings. Tours cater for both beginners and experienced snorkelers with a mix of contained rock pools and open reefs available. With 33 rock pools flanking the peninsula, each with a varied composition of seaweed, molluscs and crustaceans, divers wary of being in the open ocean are treated to a vivid display within the safety of these rock pools. The pools range in depth between 1.2m and 3m.
With guides Mark and Amanda Dixon, divers visit over 10 rock pools and learn about the marine ecology and how the currents influence the species present.
(More experienced divers can venture off the eastern shelf of the peninsula to view some of the larger species of fish in depths between 2m and 8m. Rock pool tours are tide dependent with dive times an hour either side of the spring low tides.)
This is without doubt one of the best ways to spend a summer’s day and one that will leave you with a new appreciation for the web of marine life found along our remarkable coastline. With just a mask, a snorkel and a pair of flippers, you can lose yourself in the wonder of this underwater world that so few ever get the fortune to experience.
Mark : 082 213 5931
Amanda : 072 949 3002
Email : explore@amdodyssey.co.za
Web : www.amdodyssey.co.za
Moonlight Meander
This guided tour of the intertidal wonderland of Gericke’s Point by the light of the full moon has been running for the past 18 years now, which is testament to just how extraordinary it is. Judy Dixon has been revealing the unique inter-tidal marine world to hundreds of people through the years and this highly educational tour successfully illustrates the complexities of our ocean environment. Countless nocturnal creatures which remain largely hidden during the day for fear of predation venture out in the dead of night and many of them exhibit fascinating and sometimes downright bizarre behaviour. Judy is a walking encyclopaedia of knowledge about this marine world and her passion for this complex web of life holds an audience captive throughout.
More info:
Judy Dixon
(044) 883 1015
or Sedgefield Information Office
(044) 343 2007
