• Hotel Claude, Garden Route National Park, Tsitsikamma, Storms River Mouth

Garden Route National Park

155,000 hectares of paradise - protected and here for us all to enjoy

The Garden Route National Park protects many of the natural wilderness areas of the Southern Cape coast (or Garden Route coast) between the City of George (60 km west of Hotel Claude) and Tsitsikamma (east of Plettenberg Bay, and about 90 km from Hotel Claude).

Although it’s made up of a number of separate nature reserves, SANParks manages the Park as a single unit divided into three sections: Wilderness, the Knysna Lakes (including the Knysna Estuary and most of the indigenous Knysna forests), and Tsitsikamma - which includes the Storms River Mouth rest camp, and the Tsitsikamma Marine Protected Area (Africa’s first and oldest MPA).

Things to do in the Garden Route National Park - and while you're staying at Hotel Claude:

MTB in the Garden Route National Park

The Garden Route National Park is famous for its mountain bike routes. Here're just a few:

  • The Harkerville MTB Routes (at the Garden of Eden, 20 km west of Hotel Claude). Four beautiful cycling routes through indigenous forest, fynbos, and plantations. Featuring amazing views of the coastline, and following Jeep tracks and logging roads as well as single track with both non-technical and challenging technical sections (depending on which route you choose). Yellow Route,  (13 km - difficulty: 3/10); Blue Route (11 km - difficulty: 4/10); Green Route (14 km - difficulty: 6/10); Red Route (22 km - difficulty: 8/10)
  • The Petrus-se-Brand Cycle Route from Diepwalle to Harkerville (download map);
  • The Farleigh Mountain Bike Routes (download poster);  and
  • The Homtini Mountain Bike Route (download map) 

Download The Garden Route National Park’s Awesome Knysna MTB Routes brochure. 

  • Permits & tags: Day riders can buy permits at the entrance gates at each riding area, or at SANParks offices in Thesen Harbour Town, Knysna (Telephone 044 302 5600). If you plan to ride more frequently, purchase an annual tag from the SANParks office. SANParks Wild Cards are not valid for cycling in the Park.

Birding in the Garden Route National Park

Walks & picnics in the Garden Route National Park

Visit the Garden Route National Park online

Visit the Garden Route National Park online