Knysna

Knysna nestles on the banks of an 18 km² estuary where the Knysna River meets the tides of the Indian Ocean. The lagoon is home to the unique Knysna seahorse, the exquisite Pansy shell and at least 200 species of fish.

Humpback and Southern Right whales frolic along these coastal waters from May to September, whilst dolphins are year-round residents.
The indigenous forests form the largest closed canopy forest in Southern Africa and are home to the colourful and endemic birds the Knysna loerie and Narina trogon.

Knysna is also home to the only forest elephant in South Africa. The town of Knysna, in the heart of the Garden Route, is surrounded by a natural paradise of lush indigenous forests, mountains and fynbos, tranquil estuaries, beautiful rivers and golden beaches. A moderate climate and a fine selection of accommodation, restaurants and enjoyable activities make Knysna the perfect holiday destination.

Knysna is experiencing an intense growth phase with new developments mushrooming, a new yacht harbour and a championship golf course completed recently and a 5-star resort hotel nearing completion. Tourism and the timber industry form the cornerstones of Knysna's economy.

The town and its surrounds boast a large variety of hotels, guests houses, bed & breakfasts, restaurants, arts & crafts retailers, adventure and eco-adventure operators.

The harbour no longer functions as a commercial port, but The Heads still guard the restless passage through which many a trading vessel sailed out into the wide ocean beyond. The tides rise and fall at an average 1,7m, filling the lagoon through a turbulent channel between "The Heads", which are two great sandstone cliffs.

The lagoon is permanently open to the sea, although the volume of influent fresh water is relatively small. This stable, saline environment accounts for the remarkable diversity of species recorded here, the highest in any South African estuary. Swampy areas, salt marshes and eelgrass areas of the estuary, exposed at low tide, produce almost all the food used by other organisms in the estuary, as well as reducing water velocities during floods, and trapping sediment.

The magnificent Southern Cape forests are one of South Africa's greatest natural heritages, owing their existence to the regular, orographic rainfall in the region. For many years the forests were mercilessly robbed of their rich resources, supplying timber to the furniture, construction and mining industries. Today, however, the forests are managed according to strict conservation principles.