Wilderness: lagoons, forest and long beach on the Garden Route
Wilderness is a small coastal village between the Outeniqua Mountains and the Indian Ocean, with lakes, forest and a long beach. Late spring and summer suit swimming and paddling.
Why go
Wilderness sits in the middle of the Garden Route, with a wide beach on one side and the Touw River lagoon on the other. Visitors paddle canoes up the Touw River, walk forest trails and swim at the main beach. Paragliders launch from the hills above the village and land near the beach.
The Kaaimans River Pass and the old railway bridge give classic views over the river mouth. Nearby Victoria Bay has a small surf beach, and Herolds Bay has a sheltered tidal pool. Knysna and Plettenberg Bay lie within an hour or so by car, so a longer trip is easy to add.
Plan it
- Best time
- November to April is warm and good for the beach and paddling. Whales pass along this coast in winter and spring. Rain can fall at any time of year.
- Getting there
- Fly from Johannesburg to George in about 2 hours, or from Cape Town in about 1 hour. Hire a car at the airport and drive roughly 15 to 25 minutes to Wilderness. From Cape Town, the N2 drive is about 450 km and takes around 5 hours.
- Visa
- None. Wilderness is in South Africa.
- Stay
- Guesthouses, self-catering cottages and lagoon lodges. Expect roughly R1,500 to R3,500 a night, with higher prices in December.
- Budget
- $$, Flights, car hire and lodging add up
- Good for
- Couples, families, paddlers and walkers
Visa rules and prices change: check them before you book.