Garden Route: Knysna
Knysna is one of the Garden Route´s best known travel destinations and was recently named as one of the Top 100 Destinations in the World and one of the Top 25 in Africa in the Trip Advisor Travellers’ Choice Destinations Awards.
Whatever the season, Knysna stays green. Its warm, temperate climate makes it the perfect all-year-round destination.
The mild winters on the Garden Route, from May to August, ensure sunny and beautiful wind-still days and are often referred to as the “secret season”. The forests do not loose its leaves, people don’t hide indoors and children aren’t dressed like overweight sleeping bags with limbs. Truth be told, day-time temperatures rival a balmy European summer, with an average winter temperature around 19`C.
In Knysna, nature quite literally knocks on your front door. The town nestles between the impressive Outeniqua Mountains and the Indian Ocean, with the world-renowned forests encircling it like a protective mantle. This exceptional nature’s playground of beaches, lakes, mountains, forests and rivers offers an unforgettable holiday. Whether you’re an adventurous type or simply like it lolling around in the sun, Knysna has it all.
The 21 ha estuary is protected from the sea by the monolithic sandstone "Heads" - silent sentinels down the centuries of the rich history of this unique part of "paradise of earth". Adding to the richness of this incredible region is the spectacular Fynbos vegetation, contributing 8000 plant species to the Cape floral kingdom. The Knysna forest measures some 80, 000 ha in size and is managed according to strict conservation principles.
Pezula Golf Estate & Luxury Spa Hotel
This luxury hotel consists of 83 exquisitely appointed luxury suites, linked by short landscaped pathways to the nearby main building and accessed by foot or battery-operated golf carts. All suites maximise the spectacular views of the Knysna Lagoon or Indian Ocean and the Pezula Championship Golf Course, and are decorated in contemporary African style, with warm earth tones predominating
The Turbine Hotel and Spa offers, seventeen suites, six luxury suites, a honeymoon suite and the self-catering Water Club apartment. All suites have individual décor and art, split extra large king beds and secured with a Ving card access system. All accommodation at this Knysna hotel is air-conditioned (heating and cooling) and is full en-suite with a separate shower and bath, two basins and heated towel rails.
Nestling in the Afromontane Forest, just seven kilometers from Knysna, with endless views, shared only with our Fish Eagles, the large and elevated luxury 'tree suites' are an African celebration of color and textures. Privately owned, within 137 hectares of nature reserve on the Knysna Rive the Phantom Forest offers a unique bio-diversity of Afromontane forest, Cape coastal fynbos and estuarine wetland. There are over 150 bird species, bush pig, bushbuck, grysbok, the rare blue duiker (one of Africa's smallest antelope), and a variety of smaller game.
