Wednesday, November 18, 2015

4th Post - The Garden Route, Knysna, Tsitsikamma, and the Little Karoo

What contrasts between our first week in the northeast of the country and our second week in the south. Sunday we flew from Johannesburg down to the South Coast for 3 nights on the Garden Route around Knysna. This is a spectacular area of South Africa with mountains, seascapes, and a great diversity of vegetation. From Knysna we headed over the Outeniqua Mountains into the Little Karoo (desert) and Oudtshoorn, the Ostrich Capital.

White Mushroom in the Indigenous Forest at Garden of Eden

Tall, towering Yellow Wood Trees at Garden of Eden

Tree Ferns

Walking in the Garden of Eden

Our group in Plettenberg Bay, overlooking the Indian Ocean

Bloukranz Bridge and Gorge

Sign at the World's Highest Bungy Jump

Jumping off the Bridge - 700 feet into space from the Bloukranz Bridge

Kiko and Matt at the Indian Ocean

Lunch at Tsitsikamma National Park

Beautiful pool and waterfall at Tsitsikamma

View of Indian Ocean through the Vines of the Tsitsikamma Forest

Calla Lily at Tsitsikamma

Suspension Bridge over Storm's River

Matt, Kiko, Suzan and Heinz

Waves pound the rocks at Tsitsikamma

Rock Dassie

Incredible Surf

Sunset over the Knysna Quays

Dinner at 34 South Restaurant, Knysna

Donna smells the sweet jasmine flowers at the Knysna Quays

Indian Ocean at the Mouth of the Knysna Lagoon

Matt and Kiko at the Featherbed Sea Caves

Sea Daisies along the Featherbed Reserve Shore Path

Vuvu, Blessie, and Anna - the wonderful staff at Candlewood Lodge, Knysna

Our hosts at Candlewood Lodge, Ines & Andreas

Playing on the beach - Indian Ocean at Wilderness

Wilderness Beach from the highway overlook

Atop Outeniqua Pass - Hops and Vineyards

Cango Caves

Cango Caves

Swartberg Mountains north of Oudtshoorn

Foster's Mansion - Historic Feather Palace

Ostrich Feathers do add glamour!

Heinz stands on an ostrich egg!

Welgeluk - Feather Palace at Safari Ostrich Farm

young ostriches

Jack the Ripper

Susan astride the ostrich

Welcome Drinks at La Plume Guesthouse

Luxury accommodations and beautiful bathrooms at La Plume

La Plume Guesthouse

Breakfast at La Plume

De Hoop Dutch Reformed Church

House River Pass

Jacaranda and Tower Head Mountain, Ladismith

Sacred Ibis in Montagu

Sacred Ibis feeding their young

Du Toitskloof Pass - First glimpse of the Cape Region


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