Natures Valley, Tsitsikamma

Possibly the best part about staying in Nature’s Valley is that, despite its being on the Garden Route and in spite of its overwhelming beauty, it has managed to remain relatively ‘undiscovered’. The peaceful valley, some 29 kilometres from Plettenberg Bay, lies virtually in the heart of the Tsitsikamma forest, the site of monkey ropes, old man’s beard dangling from trees, a beautiful lagoon surrounded by mountains and forest, and miles of unspoilt white beaches - arguably the most beautiful part of this coastline.

In Nature’s Valley lies a small village, a little hamlet of 50 houses, permanently occupied by its residents who have managed to minimise any development that might spoil the area. The village lies virtually at the mouth of the Groot River at the bottom of the Groot River pass on a lagoon, and one speculates that it is the road that wends its way through the pass in an impressive example of multiple hairpin bends that may account for the lower numbers of visitors to this part of the world.

Nature’s Valley forms part of the Tsitsikamma National Park. Here the mountains are densely overgrown, and forests and deep river ravines making it virtually impassable to travel by ox wagon in the old days - hence the road. It is also the end of the Otter Trail, one of South Africa’s flagship hikes that navigates 42 kilometres of craggy coastline from Storms River before stopping here.

Nature’s Valley has only one shop, no banks, and definitely no shopping malls. There are scenic walks and hikes in the area through rainforest, along cliffs and through dry river beds, and if you haven’t got your boots with you, then canoeing down the river or simply sitting and drinking in the beauty, are other mandatory activities.