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Voykit pocket guide · South Africa
Tsitsikamma
Give Tsitsikamma 2 nights based in Storms River village: one full day for the national park mouth, one for the Bloukrans bungee or canopy tour. Skip it as a day trip from Knysna.
Tsitsikamma is a forest-and-gorge stretch of the Garden Route in the Eastern Cape, not a town. The action splits into three points on the N2: Storms River village (beds and food), the Storms River Mouth inside Tsitsikamma National Park (walks, suspension bridges, restaurant), and the Bloukrans Bridge (bungee, zipline). It sits 144 km from George airport and 182 km from Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha), so most travellers see it on a one-way Garden Route drive and stay two nights. Self-drive is the practical way in; the Baz Bus and coach lines stop here too. Book the national park day first, then fit adventure activities around the weather.
- Country
- South Africa
- Best months
- Oct–Apr (warm, drier); May–Sep is cooler and wetter but cheaper
- Avoid
- Peak December–early January school holidays (beds fill, prices jump)
- Stay
- 2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- ZAR
- Money
- Currency is the South African rand (ZAR, R), about 17–18 per US$ in 2026 (check). Cards and tap-to-pay are accepted almost everywhere in cities and at lodges; carry small cash for tips.
- Daily spend
- Budget R600–1,100 excl. bed · Mid R1,100–2,000 excl. bed · High R2,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Vodacom and MTN have the best coverage; Cell C and Telkom are cheaper. Buy at the airport shop with your passport (RICA registration is required).
- Emergency
- From a mobile 112
- Plugs
- Types M, C, N · 230 V · 50 Hz · The big round-pin type M is rarely used elsewhere; buy a local adapter at the airport or any supermarket.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: 10–15%; check if a service charge is added for large groups.; Fuel attendant: R5–20, more if they wash windows and check tyres.; Car guard: R5–20 when you leave.; Safari ranger and tracker: About R150–300 per guest per day for the ranger, R100–200 for the tracker — check lodge guidance.; Hotel porter: R10–20 per bag.
- Water
- Tap water is safe in most cities and towns; in some municipalities with failing infrastructure, ask your host.
- Toilets
- Clean Western toilets at fuel stations (Engen, Shell, Ultra City), malls and park camps.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | R30–55 |
| Main course at a village restaurant | R120–220 |
| Beer: draught / bottle at a bottle store | R35–55 / R20–30 |
| Petrol, per litre | R23–25 |
| National park day fee, per person | R250–350 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | R150–350 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- GRJ · George Airport
- About 144 km west; the closest airport, roughly 1 h 45 min by car on the N2About 89 mi west; the closest airport, roughly 1 h 45 min by car on the N2
- PLZ · Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha) Airport
- About 182 km east; roughly 2 h 15 min by carAbout 113 mi east; roughly 2 h 15 min by car
Typical fares
- Bloukrans bungee jump
- about R1,400 per person (check)
- Canopy tour or zipline
- about R700 per person (check)
- Tsitsikamma National Park day fee
- about R300 per person (check)
Get around
You need a car. The N2 is the spine and the sights are 10–30 km apart with no useful local bus. Drive on the left; fuel up at the Storms River Bridge petrol stop. Without a car, coach lines and the Baz Bus drop you at the village or bridge, and you book shuttles for the park and activities.You need a car. The N2 is the spine and the sights are 6.2–19 mi apart with no useful local bus. Drive on the left; fuel up at the Storms River Bridge petrol stop. Without a car, coach lines and the Baz Bus drop you at the village or bridge, and you book shuttles for the park and activities.
See and do
Known for
- Tsitsikamma National Park and Storms River Mouth suspension bridges
- Bloukrans Bridge bungee jump
- Indigenous forest and the Big Tree yellowwood
- Canopy tours, ziplines and kayaking on the Storms River
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Storms River Mouth, Tsitsikamma National Park | Drive the R102/N2 to the park gate, about 15–20 min from the village, then walk from the car park | About 30 min |
| Bloukrans Bridge bungee and zipline | Drive the N2 about 20 min west to the bridge; check-in at the Face Adrenalin site | About 30 min |
| Nature's Valley | Drive the N2 east then the Groot River pass road, about 30 min | About 40 min |
| Knysna | Drive the N2 west, about 1 h 30 min | About 1.5 h |
| Plettenberg Bay | Drive the N2 west, about 1 h | About 1 h |
Sleep
- Storms River village
- The main bed base: guesthouses, lodges, restaurants and the information centre, 5–10 min off the N2. Best for a 2-night stay with a car.
- Storms River Mouth (inside the national park)
- Park rest camp and campsites right at the gorge; you pay park fees and book far ahead. Best if the mouth walks are your whole reason for coming.
- Nature's Valley
- Small village ringed by the park, about 30 min east; quieter, beach-and-trail base, few shops.
- Bloukrans / N2 farm stays
- Lodges and farm cottages along the N2 between the bridge and the village; handy for bungee mornings, need a car for everything.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Hallohah-loh |
| Thank you | Dankiedun-kee |
| How much is it? | Hoeveel is dit?hoo-feel is dit |
| Where is the toilet? | Waar is die toilet?vaar is dee toy-let |
| Please | Assebliefah-suh-bleef |
| Can I pay by card? | Kan ek met 'n kaart betaal?kun ek met un kaart buh-taal |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Say hello and ask how someone is before any request; avoid: Launching straight into a question
- Handshakes: Three-part African handshake with friends; a normal handshake with strangers; avoid: Refusing an offered hand
- Elders: Use Mr/Mrs or 'Mama', 'Baba' respectfully in townships and rural areas; avoid: First names with older people you have just met
- Braai invitations: Bring meat or drinks, and arrive on 'African time'; avoid: Taking over the fire
- Photos: Ask first, especially in townships and villages; avoid: Photographing children without a parent's permission
- Politics and race: Ask questions and listen; avoid: Lecturing on history or crime
Scams and watch-outs
- Left-hand driving on a fast N2 with trucks; avoid driving the passes after dark and never at night in rain or mist.
- Book Bloukrans bungee, canopy tours and the national park day ahead in December–January; walk-ins lose slots.
- Tsitsikamma National Park charges a daily conservation fee per person on top of any activity price: check the SANParks site for 2026 rates.
- Card skimming and bag-snatching are the realistic city-style risks; keep valuables out of sight at trailheads and viewpoints.
- Swimming at the Storms River Mouth is cold and the surf is strong: check with park staff before going in.
The area is rural and generally calm; the real risks are N2 driving, cold water and surf at the mouth, and leaving bags visible in parked cars at trailheads. Standard South Africa precautions apply: lock up, don't walk unlit roads at night, and keep phones out of sight.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Tsitsikamma yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Tsitsikamma National Park and Storms River Mouth suspension bridges
- Bloukrans Bridge bungee jump
- Indigenous forest and the Big Tree yellowwood
- Canopy tours, ziplines and kayaking on the Storms River
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- South African National Parks — Tsitsikamma: www.sanparks.org/parks/garden-route
- Tsitsikamma Tourism: www.tsitsikamma.info
- Wikivoyage: Tsitsikamma, revision 4800984 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4800984
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Tsitsikamma
Na hierdie adres, asseblief
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- From a mobile112
No embassies in Tsitsikamma; consulates-general are in Cape Town and Johannesburg, and most countries' embassies are in Pretoria. Check your own country's listing before you travel.
English works everywhere; Afrikaans and isiXhosa are widely spoken locally.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/tsitsikamma). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.