Visitors flock to Garden Route National Park
The number of visitors to the Garden Route National Park during the annual SA National Parks Week campaign had doubled in the last few years.
The week-long campaign, held from 16 to 23 September, attracted a total of 7 449 visitors to the park. Most visitors were recorded in the Tsitsikamma section of the Park (3 714), with Knysna attracting 1 734 and Wilderness 1 506.
The park had prepared activities to showcase the diverse nature experiences it offers. Park Manager Paddy Gordon said, “Knysna has South Africa’s single largest complex of indigenous forests and fynbos areas. We also manage seascapes and estuaries. SANParks invests millions annually to protect and maintain the area for conservation for the benefit of current and future generations.”
The park planned activities for each section, focusing on educational initiatives such as seahorse talks, forest walks and estuarine exploration, presented by officers of the People and Conservation department.
Gordon expressed gratitude to the visitors, who make it
The Garden Route remains an exciting destination for both local and international visitors for its diverse ways of venturing into nature.
worthwhile to protect and conserve natural assets forming part of the GRNP and surrounds (buffer areas).
According to Rey Thakhuli, general manager of communications at SANParks, the Garden Route had the highest stable increase in the country with a 56, 8% growth.
“The GRNP performed extremely well with Garden Route recording the highest increase, realising 56,8% growth.
“In 2015 they registered 3 519 visitors, in 2016 it was 4 750 and this year an exciting 7 449, while Addo came second with a 26,4% increase, from 6 236 in 2016 to 7 884 in 2017,” he said.
The Garden Route remains an exciting destination for both local and international visitors for its diverse ways of venturing into nature - hiking, cycling, ziplining, segways, scootours, water activities (snorkelling, diving, boat cruises, canoeing) and others.
Its wildlife includes diverse mammals such as the blue duiker, honey badger (listed in the Red Data List as a critically endangered species), the leopard, the caracal, bushbuck, African clawless otter, the marsh mongoose, the chacma baboon, Cape grysbok, Cape porcupine, the elusive Knysna elephant and others. Sea wildlife includes whales and dolphins in Knysna and Tsitsikamma.