Guided Day Walks in the Garden Route
For those with limited time available in the Garden Route but still seeking an informed guided nature walk and hiking experience, Garden Route Trail offers the following half day and full day guided walk options: All bookings for walks : Mark - 0822135931 or walk@gardenroutetrail.co.za
Woodcutter Trail :
Set in the Millwood Forest the trail offers an option of a relaxed 3km or a longer 9km walk. Starting at the memorial site of Daleen Mathee next to a 880 year old Outeniqua Tree, both routes offer easy access to large climax forest trees and pass through an impressive stand of tree ferns hugging the a drainage line.Seed dipersal, bushpig territories and even rare elephant droppings are some of the secrets of the forest that you could experience on along this trail. Biridng is exciting, but it will challenge your knowledge of forest bird calls.
- Cost : R240/person . Booking essential
- Equipment : Daypack, camera, binoculars, weatherproof.
Groeneweide Trails :
Set on the southern slopes of the Outeniqua Mountains, these three trails offer a sellection of distances between 9 and 15km. Starting on the Saasveld Campus of the Nelson Mandela University, the trail descends to a river crossing before immersing you in the subdued shades of forest green. The paths pass through through the territorial ranges of at least 2 leopards, one of which is collard with a GPS and you will learn about the lifestyle of these elusive preditors. Booking Essential.
- Cost : R240.00/person.
- Meet at entrance to Saasveld Campus.
- Equipment Required : Daypack, sunhat, sunscreen and windbreaker/waterproof
Bushpig Trail :
Traversing the vegetated dunes in Goukamma Nature Reserve you are guided for 8km through Milkwood Forests into Fynbos on one of the tallest vegetated and fossilized sand dunes in South Africa. To start, you cross the Goukamma River on a self propelled pontoon and then enter the mystical haunts of bushpig, bush buck and possibly leopard.
- Booking Essential.
- Cost : R240.00/person.
- Meet at reserve info centre on the eastern side of the reserve.
- Equipment Required : Daypack, sunhat, sunscreen and windbreaker/waterproof
Moonlight Meander & Starlight Stroll.
This incredibly popular walk is a three hour ecological interpretation of the inter-tidal zone focusing on the survival, feeding and reproductive strategies of the organisms living in the rock pools and beach. There are also a number of recipes on how to enjoy some of the rock pool bounty seen. The tour is dependent on the tides and is best suited for days on either side of the full and new moon. Contact judy for tour dates.
- Cost : R75/person.
- Meeting point : Swartvlei beach parking lot.
- Bookings essential.
- Walks start at 19h00 from Swartvlei Beach and finish between 21h30 and 22h30
- Equipment Required : torch with 3 hours battery life, shoes that can get wet, windbreaker
- Contact Judy : Tel - 044 8831015, E-mail jzd@telkomsa.net
Guided Forest Canoe and Walking Trail.
Our forests are renowned for their rare high quality woods. The rivers that flow through them are a spectacular means of passing through the forest. While canoeing and walking along the part of the course of the Touw River in the Wilderness National Park, your guide will teach you about the trees, birds and the important contribution that forests make to the sustainibility of water in the region. After canoeing and walking through the forest you reach the Touw River Cascades for lunch and a swim before returning by canoe.
- Cost : R260.00/person inclusive of park entrance fee.
- Lunch packs : R35.00/person
Elephant Walk : 
In the Diepvalle Forest, you will be guided along the Elephant Trail routes through pristine Afromontane Forest. Your senses will be heightened by the prospect of seeing one of South Africa's only free roaming elephants. Passing 800 year old Podocarp's and walking beneath towering tree ferns you will be able to escape all references to our modern world and enter the habitat of Knysna Turaco's and Narina Trogons.
- Cost : R240.00/person. Booking Essential.
- Equipment : Daypack, camera, binoculars, weatherproof.
Robberg Peninsula :
A wonderful walk circumnavigating the Robberg Peninsula. Offering spectacular views of the bay and Titsikamma Mountains, you are guided through numerous geological profiles and coastal fynbos passing a Cape Fur Seal colony en route to the point. Returning on the western side you cross over to a tambola island with perfect beaches and safe swimming to view a Cape Gull Colony. Between May and November this walk offers wonderful land based sightings of Southern Right and Humpbacked Whales breaching on both sides of the peninsula. Booking Essential.
- Cost : R240.00/person.
- Meet at Parking area in reserve.
- Equipment required : Daypack, sunhat, walking shoes with good grip, sunscreen, windbreaker, camera, binoculars
Dune Mole Rat Trail :
A 6Km circular walk with bird eye views of of Rondevlei, Wolve Rivier and Swartvlei as you are guided through the Dune Fynbos. Here Erica's and Leucodendron's abound interspersed with Buchu. On this walk you will discover the species of 'little' fauna of South Africa's wildlife and learn the intricacies of the Fynbos. The path traverses a wetland area and is located in a Ramsar Heritage site because of it's importance as a breeding site for numerous bird species. Booking Essential.
- Cost : R150.00/person.
- Meet at Rondevlei Bird Hide
- Equipment required : Day pack, water, snacks, sunhat, sunscreen, camera, binoculars.