The Area ~ Attractions & Activities

Wilderness and the Garden Route

Wilderness National Park is situated in the heart of the Garden Route, is an exhilarating world of lakes, rivers, inland marches, estuaries and beaches against a backdrop of lush forest and lofty mountains. Nature trails wind through densely wooded forest and along tranquil rivers, affording you the opportunity to encounter the brilliantly coloured Knysna lourie or one of the five kingfisher species that occur here.

The series of lakes connected by the Touw River (Eilandvlei, Langvlei and Rondevlei) host a variety of aquatic species and is an internationally proclaimed Ramsar site by UNESCO.

Canoeing the rivers and waterways, abseiling the cliffs, walking the miles of empty white beaches and watching dolphins, whales and rare birds, fishing the river or the sea or mountain biking are all within minutes from your home-from-home.

Golf Courses World class golf courses on our doorstep are Fancourt, George Golf Club and Oubaai. Other highly rated golf courses such as Pezula and Simola at Knysna and Pinnacle Point Golf Estate at Mossel Bay. All within 45 minutes away.

Knysna with its annual oyster festival; historic Mossel Bay with its casino and Oudtshoorn with it world renowned Cango Caves and ostriches are all within 1 hours drive from Serendipity.

Monkeyland primate sanctuary and the adjacent Birds of Eden the largest free flight bird aviary in the world are top eco-tourism attraction in the Garden Route approximately sixty minutes of leisurely driving from Serendipity.

Worthwhile visiting are the polo fields of Kurland near Plettenberg Bay.

The mountains of the Southern Cape Region Part of the scenic beauty of the Garden Route, is the mountains and mountain passes to the Klein Karoo. Mostly tarred, but some with rustic gravel roads, like the Swartberg Pass, considered to be one of the most spectacular and breathtaking passes in Africa – a tribute to Thomas Bain, who built it. The road to Gamkaskloof, “The Hell”, is accessed from the peak of the Swartberg Pass. Gamkaskloof was for more than a century the home of a self-sufficient farming community, but now visitors can experience its unique cultural heritage protected within the Swartberg Then there’s Meiringspoort, also in the Swartberge and one of the more spectacular routes between the Central and Klein Karoo, snaking along the river beneath towering red rock cliffs. The Outeniqua Mountain Pass between George and Oudtshoorn is considered to be one of the world’s most beautiful railway passes. If you cannot do it by rail, the road linking the towns will expose you to some of the scenic beauty of the area.

Whale watching At the southern tip of Africa, where two of the world’s greatest oceans converge, a total experience of land, sea and the rainbow culture of the Western Cape offer you some of the most exciting land based whale watching venues in the world!  Each year Southern Right whales migrate into the coastal waters to calve and nurse their young. The animals, often mere meters from the shore, provide unsurpassed whale watching opportunities between June and November. On the Garden Route whale viewing can be done from Still Bay to Plettenberg Bay and especially at Wilderness where the viewing is exceptionally good from the vantage point at Dolphin’s Point on the Kaaiman’s Pass where whales often come in close to suckle their calves and at Plettenberg Bay where licensed operators take visitors by boat for close encounters with these gigantic animals.

For the strong at heart cage diving with the White Death Sharks off Mossel Bay is available.

Attractions and activities by area:

Golf courses along the garden route

The Garden Route is known as the golfing mecca of South Africa. With no less than 12 golf courses, all within an hour drive from Wilderness, one is spoilt for choice.

• George Golf Club
  The George Golf course is a beautifully manicured, 72 par, 18 hole course, with bent greens, set in the heart of the Garden Route. The course rating for men is either 70 (club – 5862m) or 72 (championship – 6162m), while that for the ladies is 72 (5204m).
• Fancourt
  Fancourt Offers Three Originally Designed Gary Player Golf Courses – Including The Links, Which Gary Player Has Often Referred To As His Greatest Design Feat. The Links, Montagu & Outeniqua Golf Courses Are All Ranked In The Top 20 In South Africa.
• Oubaai
  Oubaai Golf Course is proud to be the first Ernie Els Signature course in South Africa. The course is a traditional Links layout ideally situated between the Indian Ocean and the Outeniqua Mountains.
• Kingswood
  Kingswood Golf Estate is perfectly placed between the Fancourt Links and George Golf Course at the very heart of the Garden Route’s golf hub. Tailored for guests who want to make the most of their visit to our picturesque region.
• Pinnacle Point
  The Pinnacle Point Golf Course is something truly unique for the discerning golfer. This 18 hole championship golf course was designed by well-known South African golf course architect Peter Matkovich who opened the course together with top Irish Tour Golf Professional Darren Clarke in November 2006.
• Mosselbay Golf Club
  Famed for having a view of the Indian Ocean from every tee, this 18-hole links-style course, with its large undulating greens, makes for an idyllic yet challenging round of golf. A round of golf at Mossel Bay Golf Club is the perfect start to a golfing trip along the coastal areas of the Garden Route.
• Simola
  The course offers challenging and rewarding golf amidst spectacular scenery. Set below the high ridges, it’s free from the wind that so often plagues coastal courses. Keeping your head down at Simola can be a challenge; simply because the views around the course are awe-inspiring.
• Knysna Golf Club
  Fancourt is South Africa’s premier golf resort, with all three of our golf courses ranked in the Top 20 in South Africa (2011 Golf Digest rankings), The Links ranked No. 1, Montagu ranked 7, and Outeniqua ranked 18.
• Pezula
  Pezula Championship Golf Course is located in the Western Cape of South Africa in the picturesque town of Knysna, the jewel of the world famous Garden Route. This stunningly beautiful golf course is a sweeping spectacle of fairways and greens rolling through the pristine Southern Cape landscape.
• Goose Valley
  The Goose Valley Golf Club is situated in pristine surroundings, only 4km from Plettenberg Bay, bordering on the Keurbooms Lagoon. This magnificent golf estate offers a splendid Gary Player designed 72 par, 18-hole signature golf course in the heart of the Garden Route.
• Plettenberg Bay Golf Club
  Plettenberg Bay Country Club has an 18 hole golf course set in a private nature reserve. The highly rated course is a very popular tourist destination. The course is easy to walk, and the 2 main inclines can be observed from the veranda.