Activities in the Area
There is so much for visitors to do, see and experience in Knysna - whether looking for culture and heritage, nature and outdoor adventure or pure relaxation. The tidal lagoon provides a constant playground and the surrounding areas ensure endless opportunities that will appeal to everyone’s interests. The Milkwood Collection is perfectly located. Even the more distant activities allow a return to base after a day’s adventure away.
Pledge Nature Reserve
Robberg Nature Reserve
Garden Route National Park
Parks & Reserves
Featherbed Nature Reserve
Suitable for all ages and fitness levels, this experience includes a ferry trip on the Lagoon, a 4x4 drive up the headland, or a guided walk through coastal forest and fynbos into ancient sea caves.Pledge Nature Reserve
In the heart of Knysna, you can follow meandering trails along streams to the Reserve’s highest point. Enjoy the magnificent view over the town and across the water to the distant Knysna Heads.Garden Route National Park
Experience one of the most beautiful stretches of coastline in the world – enjoy adventure, hiking, relaxing on beaches, paddling the silver lakes and more.Goukamma Nature Reserve
Ideal for canoeing, swimming and hiking, the reserve is inhabited by wildlife such as vervet monkeys, bushbuck, porcupine and grysbok, as well as over 220 bird species.Robberg Nature Reserve – Plettenberg Bay
The reserve is a national monument steeped in history, with prehistoric rocks and Stone Age artefacts. Highlights include spotting the rare blue duiker and viewing Cape Seal Lighthouse - the highest navigational light on the South African coastline.Day Walks & Picnics
Garden of Eden
Take a stroll in one of the most lush and beautiful parts of the Knysna forest, accessible to visitors. Wooden walkways ensure a comfortable walk even with elderly visitors or small children.Jubilee Creek
A lovely picnic spot on the banks of the creek in the deep forest. A day-walk follows old mining trails to an ice cold swimming hole.Dalene Matthee Big Tree and Memorial
Best known for her books on the Knysna Forest, author Dalene Matthee felt strongly about the conservation of the forest. After her death a memorial has been erected at Krisjan-se-nek picnic site in the Millwood Forest above Rheenendal. The site boasts an 880 year old giant Outeniqua Yellowwood tree and is also the start of the “Circles in a Forest” day walk.Gericke's Point Beach Walk - Sedgefield
Along this beach walk you'll get to see some fascinating sea life and also some of the highest fossil dunes in South Africa. There is plenty to see in the rock pools and the Black Oystercatchers are interesting to observeOvernight Hikes
Outeniqua Trail
This spectacular seven-day trail winds its way throughout the entire forest with ample overnight huts and alternative starting points according to the level of challenge you want to face.Harkerville Coastal Trail
Work hard and earn the amazing views. If little wooden bridges, ladders, chains, steep cliffs, narrow wooden stairs and soaring heights excite you, you won't be disappointed.Otter Trail
It's South Africa's most popular hiking trail. Indigenous forest, fynbos, stretches of pristine beach, hidden coves, secluded forest pools, breathtaking views.
Tsitsikamma Blackwater Tubing
Adventure Land
Knysna Sandboarding Tours
Beaches
Bollard Bay Beach - Leisure Isle
Bollard Bay is an ideal family beach, with safe swimming in the shallow waters of the lagoon.Noetzie Beach
A steep path leads down to this beach, famous for its castles. The Noetzie River forms a pretty lagoon before flowing out over the small sandy beach into the sea.Coney Glen
Coney Glen is a popular fishing and picnicking spot on the Eastern Head. BBQ facilities are provided near the parking area.Brenton-on-Sea
Fifteen kilometres west of Knysna, the seaside resort town of Brenton-on-Sea is a nature lover's paradise with a beautiful unspoilt beach and peaceful surroundings.Buffalo Bay
The small seaside town of Buffelsbaai (also Buffels Bay and Buffalo Bay) is situated in a National Parks Board Reserve. The village boasts an excellent climate and one of the safest swimming beaches along the Garden Route.Keurboomstrand – Plettenberg Bay
Keurboomstrand has a natural long beach surrounded by fynbos and indigenous forest next to a private coastal nature reserve.Outdoor Activities
Southern Yachting Academy
Traverse the Knysna Lagoon and sail through the Knysna Heads to Buffalo Bay, Noetzie or Plettenberg Bay for day sailing adventures. Southern Yachting also provides internationally recognised recreational skipper certifications.Spring Tide Charters
Spring Tide Charters operates daily trips from the Knysna Lagoon, on a 50 foot yacht. The whole family can enjoy interactive sailing, leisure and even some "extreme" sailing for the adventurous.Tsitsikamma Blackwater Tubing
A unique river experience that includes tubing, swimming, rock jumping and hiking. Enjoy a quick and easy half day adventure or a full-day gorge expedition for fit and fun loving adventure seekers.Face Adrenalin Bungy jumping
Bloukrans Bungy offers the ‘highest bungee from a bridge’ in the world. Experience the magnificence of the Bloukrans River valley, while throwing yourself more than 200 metres down towards the river below.Adventure Land
The park offers mini slides that plunge into a kiddies pool, and more adrenaline pumping slides for bigger kids and adults.Mountain Biking Africa
If you love cycling, Mountain Biking Africa will take you for a ride like never before! They offer guided mountain bike tours on single track, sea views and loads of downhill fun.Skydive Plettenberg Bay
Enjoy the thrill of a 35 second free-fall over one of the world's most scenic drop zones. Enjoy a 20 minute plane flight to 10 000 feet, then jump out attached to your tandem master who guides you safely back down!FlyTime Paragliding
FlyTime offers paragliding courses, amazing tandem flights, tour guidance and organization and equipment sales.JJ's Fishing Charters
Great fishing and birding on the lagoon, or cruising from the Knysna Heads to the Knysna River.Tony Cook Adventures
Whether you're a fitness fanatic or just want to experience the beauty of these surroundings, Tony Cook Adventures offers walking, hiking, biking, kitesurfing, stand up paddle surfing and more.Knysna Sandboarding Tours
Experience a fun-filled day for the whole family at the beach, sliding down the dunes on sand boards. Get expert instruction by a guide, to take you from beginner to thrill seeker in no time.Tsitsikamma Segway Tours
Take a journey through the quaint Stormsriver Village and along a route through cool pine- and indigenous forests. Join the two-hour tour to the majestic thousand-year-old Tsitsikamma Big Tree and back to the village.Knysna Scootours
Enjoy an exhilarating downhill through indigenous forest, while on the lookout for the majestic Knysna Loerie, the shy bushbuck and wild boar. Scooters can handle one adult with a child passenger.
Hog Hollow Horse Trails
Radical Raptors
Monkeyland
Horse Riding
Hog Hollow Horse Trails
Enjoy magnificent views, whilst horse riding amongst zebra, impala and fallow deer through grassy fields, indigenous fynbos and along old woodcutters forest trails.Southern Comfort
Well known for their horse rides in the Knysna Forest, Southern Comfort offers guided horse rides for the whole family, beginners or experienced riders.Wildlife Sanctuaries
Monkeyland
Monkeyland is the worlds first free roaming multi-specie primate sanctuary. Enjoy a 128 metre suspended canopy walk, where you’ll see primates such as lemurs and spider monkeys, roaming free in their forest home.Birds of Eden
Situated next to Monkeyland, the world’s largest free-flight bird aviary houses more than 3,500 specimens of more than 280 species, with the main focus being African birds.Jukani Wildlife Sanctuary
Jukani is home to big cats such as lions, cheetahs, tigers, leopard, jaguar, pumas, caracal, serval cats and other wildlife species such as zebra, springbuck, honey badger and various snake species.Tenikwa Wildlife Awareness Centre
It's one of the largest active wildlife rehabilitation centres in the Western Cape, attending to a diverse variety of animals including both terrestrial and marine species. The Wild Cat Experience offers a great way of interacting with leopards, cheetahs and servals.Knysna Elephant Park
This park provides a safe encounter where you can meet and feed these gentle giants. You can also enjoy a sunrise walk with the elephants or go on an elephant-back ride.Radical Raptors
Radical Raptors is a rehab centre for birds of prey. Visitors are provided with an opportunity to view and interact with a variety of trained, non-releasable birds. The complex at The Heath includes a craft shop and play park for kids.Marine Tours
Ocean Odyssey
Ocean Odyssey offers close-encounter, boat-based whale watching, marine tours and SUP hire - three daily departures and a fleet of ocean going vessels.Ocean Blue Adventures
Experience close encounter whale watching, marine dolphin and seal watching, sea kayaking and township tours.Ocean Safaris
Ocean Safaris offers a variety of whale watching, dolphin watching and other marine activities in Plettenberg Bay.Offshore Adventures
Swim with seals in the Robberg Nature Reserve, home to approximately 6 000 Cape Fur Seals, or go in search of Blue and Mako sharks in a snorkeling marine safari, out on the open ocean.Game Farms
Botlierskop Game Farm
This malaria-free game lodge is home to an abundance of animals, including lions, elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, rhinos, hippos, rare black impalas and more, as well as unique bird life.Buffelsdrift Game Lodge
The game farm boasts an array of wildlife, including elephants, rhinos, buffaloes, giraffe, hippos and over 200 bird species. They also offer African bush safaris, meerkat safaris and elephant feeding.Zorgfontein Mosselbay
Home to animals such as giraffe, kudu, waterbuck, zebra, blue wildebeest and buffalo, Zorgfontein also offers a Catwalk experience, where visitors get to take a walk with young African lions.Museums & Galleries
Old Gaol Complex
The Old Gaol complex houses displays of the town’s angling and maritime history as well as the Knysna Art Gallery and tea room. Two blocks down, Knysna's second museum complex includes Millwood House, Parkes Shop, Pitt Street House and Parkes Cottage.Knysna Fine Art
One of South Africa’s finest galleries, Knysna Fine Art specialises in contemporary South African art as well as featuring a number of international fine artists, covering a variety of media.Sally Bekker Art Gallery
Renowned local artist, Sally Bekker, favours oil and watercolour paints for her gorgeous pieces. The gallery is situated in the Woodmill Lane Shopping Centre.Dale Elliott Art Gallery
Dale and Mel Elliott, a unique father/son professional artist combination exhibit their original art works in their boutique gallery in The Knysna Mall.jandreart
Be inspired by the high-energy art of award winning artist, Jan Raats. Travelling extensively, his material is taken from his environment, dominated by his work as a humanitarian.Dallas Smith
His large acrylic paintings vary in subject, from yachts and birds to beach scenes. His clean, crisp and peaceful work is easy on the eye, yet with a distinctively striking effect.
Packwood Wine Estate
Storms River Bridge
Wild Oats Farmers Market
Wine Estates
Bramon Wine Estate & Restaurant
Situated in The Crags, this family run estate has broken new ground by pioneering vineyards in the Plettenberg Bay area.Packwood Wine Estate
Surrounded by indigenous forests and amazing views, the award winning vineyard and country estate offers wines, bubbly and homemade cheese platters using produce from the estate.Boplaas
Situated in Calitzdorp, Boplaas is known for world class table wines, ports and award winning pot-stilled brandies. It’s an easy day-trip from Knysna to visit their cellar.Herold Wines
Accessed via the scenic and historic Montagu Pass above George, Herold Wines is unique. Its vines are rooted at a higher altitude than most other South African vineyards.Plettenvale Wines
This boutique vineyard and winery offers visitors a hands-on experience in the wine making process. Their hand-crafted wines are produced with passion and care plus great attention to detail.Markets
Wild Oats Farmers Market
Brimming with locally-produced foods, both the take-home and breakfast variety, the market offers free-range meats, dairy and cheese, as well as freshly baked and bottled goods. Open every Saturday morning in Sedgefield.The Knysna Friday Market
The Friday Market is a great local gathering in Knysna with a good vibe, where you can enjoy good food and music with friends and family. Open from the first Friday in September to the last Friday in May, from 16h00 - 20h00 out of season and in season until 20h30.Harkerville Market
This typical Saturday market offers natural and organic products, fresh breads, breakfast, home-cooked meals, locally produced cheeses, mushrooms, pies, bottled products, crafts and more.Sightseeing
The Knysna Heads
The Knysna Heads are two massif towering landmarks, with their dramatic cliffs guarding the lagoon entrance from the Indian ocean. The lookout on the Eastern Head provides spectacular views of the lagoon, Leisure Isle and Knysna. Park at the car park at the top of the Heads or drive to the end of George Rex Drive, park the car and walk up to the lookout to enjoy the dramatic viewsSeven Passes Self-Drive Route
Cross seven rivers on this delightful detour off the N2 coastal highway. Discover single-lane bridges, guest farms, tiny wooden settlements, a gold rush town called Millwood and the Big Tree picnic site.Spitzkop Viewpoint
Situated on the Prince Alfred Pass between Knysna and Uniondale, Spitzkop is the highest accessible peak in the Knysna area. The view from the top looks out over the Knysna Heads, across to Plettenberg Bay and the Outeniqua Mountains.John Benn Pleasure Cruise
The double-decker floating restaurant offers daily Lagoon cruises to the Knysna Heads. There are two fully licensed bars with music, and you can enjoy light meals and fresh Knysna oysters.Keurbooms River Ferry
This forest and gorge experience is only accessible via the pristine Keurbooms River Estuary. Travel five kilometres up the river, while surrounded by ancient, indigenous forest. An optional walk through the forest, with spectacular views of the area, is also available.Paul Sauer Bridge (Storms River Bridge)
Spanning the impressive Storms River Gorge, the concrete arch bridge is a marvel of architecture and engineering. A walkway next to the bridge offers stunning views of Storms River and the surrounding Tsitsikamma National Park.Big Tree
Walk the board walk in the Tsitsikamma indigenous forest to the Big Tree, a giant yellowwood approximately 800 years old. Entrance fees payable.
Cape St. Blaize Lighthouse
Shark Cage Diving
Cango Caves
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