Plan an exciting trip to Tsitsikamma

Have you ever seen a photo on Instagram that made you start planning a trip? That was me when I first saw a picture of the suspension bridge over Storms River at Tsitsikamma National Park. I’ve shared all of my planning advice from my trip in this post to show you how to plan a trip to Tsitsikamma. This is easily one of the top attractions in Eastern Cape and is well worth a visit.

What is Tsitsikamma?

For those that don’t know, Tsitsikamma is along the Garden Route which is a scenic, coastal region from Mossel Bay in Western Cape to Plettenberg Bay in Eastern Cape, South Africa. There are a number of outdoor activities to try in the area. What makes it special is the dense forests, the black water of the Storms River, the small intimate town and the spectacular views of the ocean and river.

How to get to Tsitsikamma

The first step in learning how to plan a trip to Tsitsikamma is understanding the different ways of getting there. Decide which route and method you will use to get there by going through the options listed below. Go with what works with your budget and schedule. I promise that the effort is worth it.

Getting to Tsitsikamma option 1: Road trip

Depending on where you are driving from and how much time you have, you could simply drive there.

Getting to Tsitsikamma option 2: Fly to Port Elizabeth

One way of getting to Tsitsikamma is to fly to Port Elizabeth. Once you land in Port Elizabeth you will still need to do a 192km drive to Tsitsikamma. To get to Tsitsikamma from Port Elizabeth, I would recommend hiring a car or catching a bus – check out Baz Bus for their bus schedules. Though this may be the most convenient option, it could work out as the priciest especially if traveling during a popular time or planning a trip last minute.

Getting to Tsitsikamma option 3: Fly to George

The closest airport to Tsitsikamma is George Airport. Once you arrive in George, it’s a 162km drive to Tsitsikamma. Once again you will need to hire a car or catch public transport to get to Tsitsikamma.

Getting to Tsitsikamma option 4: Take the bus

If flight prices are too high, don’t worry, you can still get to Tsitsikamma. Take a bus to Port Elizabeth. From Johannesburg, this is a 14 hour, slow drive.

This is the option I selected to get to Tsitisikamma because bus tickets were considerably cheaper than flights. The seats in the Greyhound bus were comfortable and had a bit of recline. It was great that there are usb charging points at each seat. Warning: don’t count on that little tv screen in the bus for entertainment!

I chose an overnight bus so I travelled during the night while I would have been sleeping anyway. I then hired a car to get to Tsitsikamma. There are car hire outlets at the bus drop off point in Port Elizabeth. Just note that the car hire outlets at this location are not open on public holidays. On public holidays, you can alternatively hire a car from the airport which is 15 minute drive from the bus stop – get there using Uber.

If you don’t want to hire a car, you could opt for the Greyhound bus that takes you all the way to Storms River. I didn’t use this option because the bus times didn’t fit my schedule and I needed a way to get to each activity while in Storms River

My bus ticket cost R938 for a return ticket to Port Elizabeth from Joburg. To quickly and easily find cheap bus tickets, learn more about Travelstart Buses.

Activities at Tsitsikamma

The next step in learning how to plan a trip to Tsitsikamma is knowing what to do once you are there. Below are my top picks.

*All prices mentioned are the prices as they were in May 2019 for South Africans.

Zipline at Tsitsikamma Canopy Tour

To experience the lush Tsitsikamma forest from the air, go ziplining from tree to tree with Tsitsikamma Canaopy Tour.

There are 10 platforms on this tour which means you get to zip line 10 times. The platforms are built on Yellowwood trees that are hundreds of years old.

The guides are really fun and make sure that you feel safe and comfortable. They assured us that the cables can hold the weight of two elephants so we had nothing to worry about.

The feeling of zipping over and through the forest reminded me of Tarzan. The forest is very green and the only sounds you hear are of birds chirping and leaves ruffling. The guides shared that leopards walk through that forest but only at night. From that point I was on high alert looking out for a leopard. All I spotted was a chameleon though. I know it doesn’t make sense that I would want to bump into a leopard.

They have six other locations in South Africa which I am also hoping to visit. Follow Canopy Tour SA on social media so that you don’t miss out on their specials.

A tip for when you go: don’t just look ahead, look around too.

Price: R600 per person*

Go Blackwater Tubing

Tube n Axe Backpackers is a hip hostel in Storms River. Even if you don’t stay there, you can sign up for their activities.

Blackwater tubing on Storms River is one of the activities offered at Tube n Axe. They have two options – the green route and the red route. The green route is a 1.5 hour guided tubing and paddle boarding tour on Storms River – this is what I did. The red route takes 4.5 hours and is physically tougher.

They provide all of the gear you need (wetsuit, helmet, life jacket, tube and paddle board). All you need to bring is swim wear to wear underneath the wetsuit and shoes that you don’t mind getting wet. I wore sneakers.

Aand to top it off, the trip includes a light meal afterwards.

Price: R650 per adult & R350 per child*

Visit Tsitsikamma National Park

And finally, the location that blew me away when I saw a photo of it on Instagram – Tsitsikamma National Park. The suspension bridge over Storms River just before it meets the ocean is one of the best sights I have ever seen.

It’s a 5 minute drive from the gate and then a 15 minute walk to get to the suspension bridge. I had sandals on but would recommend that you wear sneakers.

The dark, black colour of Storms River is caused by the type of plants that grow on the River banks. When they get into the river, they turn the water black. At this national park, you see the dark water of Storms River meet the blue of the ocean.

I was so happy to be walking on this suspension bridge. What makes it even better is that you get to view this from different angles and heights depending on how much you are up for a walk and climb through the different pathways.

Price: R59 per day*

Other attractions in Tsitsikamma

1. Another attraction that people love in the area is the bungee off of Bloukrans bridge which is the highest bridge bungee in the world.
2. The Otter Trail is one of the most popular hiking trails in South Africa. It’s 45km long and takes 3 days to complete. This is also on my SA bucket list.

That’s it! You now know how to plan a trip to Tsitsikamma. Discover more top destinations in Eastern Cape, South Africa.