Ancient forest and marine sanctuary
Eastern Cape, South Africa
Tsitsikamma National Park is a national park in Eastern Cape, South Africa, managed by SANParks. Visitors come for game drives, hiking, camping, bird watching, photography. The best time to visit is Apr-Sep.
The species most recorded in Eastern Cape, drawn from citizen-science observations. Tap any to find stays where you can see it.
Ranked by how often they are recorded in the province, from iNaturalist observations. Tap one to find stays where it lives.
Species birders log most in this province. Numbers are records, not guarantees.
Occurrence data from iNaturalist, aggregated by province. It reflects where a species is seen across Eastern Cape, not confirmed sightings inside this reserve.
Apr-Sep
Why book here
Wild places survive when the communities around them earn more from protecting wildlife than from anything that would replace it. Every stay you book through Spekboom carries a conservation contribution built into the price, never added on top, so choosing where you sleep becomes a way to fund the people and projects keeping this landscape intact.
Inside-park stays and nearby lodges, sorted by distance.
Storms River Mouth is the dramatic heart of the Tsitsikamma section of the Garden Route National Park, set where the booming breakers of the Indian Ocean pound a rocky shore and temperate high forest and fynbos roll right down to the sea. The chalets and camping sites are strung along a narrow strip between the cliffs and the water, with some of the finest coastal views in the country. This is the start of the famous Otter Trail and the much-photographed suspension bridge over the Storms River mouth. Short forest and clifftop walks lead off from the camp, and the protected marine area makes it a notable spot for snorkelling and scuba diving. Wildlife here is coastal and forest-dwelling: schools of dolphins offshore, the rare African black oystercatcher nesting along the rocks, the elusive Cape clawless otter, and Knysna louries and blue duiker in the forest. A restaurant overlooks the sea, and a shop covers basic supplies.
Nature's Valley Rest Camp lies in the De Vasselot section of the Garden Route National Park, on the banks of the Groot River where the Tsitsikamma forest meets the sea. It is a green, sheltered setting of tall indigenous trees, river, lagoon and beach, one of the most tranquil corners of the Garden Route. The camp is a paradise for birdwatchers and walkers. A choice of day trails leads from the camp, among them the Salt River Mouth, Kalander and Groot River trails, with maps that double as permits available at reception. Canoeing down to the Groot River mouth is one of the finest ways to spend a slow afternoon, and canoes can be hired at the camp. A shop and a small restaurant in the nearby village cover basic needs, with fuel available at The Crags. Accommodation and camping here suit those who want forest, river and shoreline within a few steps of their door.
Manyoni Private Game Reserve is one of the largest privately-owned reserves in Kwazulu-Natal. This 23,000-hectare reserve is the product of 17 dedicated landowners who dropped their fences in 2004 to create one contiguous protected area for our wildlife. The selection of the area as a potential release site for the WWF Black Rhino Range Expansion Project was a major driving factor in the establishment of Manyoni. In 2005, the newly established reserve was confirmed as a release site by the WWF and a founder population of black rhino were released into their new home.
Tsitsikamma National Park is in Eastern Cape, South Africa.
Yes. Tsitsikamma National Park is a Big Five area, home to lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino.
In Eastern Cape, commonly recorded species include mammals such as Meerkat, Black Wildebeest, Blesbok, Common Bottlenose Dolphin and birds including Cape Parrot, African Rock Pipit, Mountain Pipit, based on iNaturalist occurrence data. These reflect the wider province, not confirmed sightings inside the reserve.
The best time to visit Tsitsikamma National Park is Apr-Sep.
Popular activities at Tsitsikamma National Park include game drives, hiking, camping, bird watching, photography.
3 places are listed in and near Tsitsikamma National Park on Spekboom, from inside-park camps to nearby lodges. Every booking funds conservation.