Driving the Garden Route Day 3: Hiking through Robberg Nature Reserve
Today’s adventure takes us just 10 minutes from last night’s accommodation in Plettenberg Bay to Robberg Nature Reserve, a beautiful set of beaches and trails set right on the Indian Ocean. The weather is in sharp contrast to yesterday’s (where I managed to sear the straps of my tank top right into my shoulders) and is actually a bit grey and hazy. However, we set off this morning, admittedly a bit later than intended, nonetheless determined to enjoy ourselves despite the strange weather. Soon, we find ourselves cruising towards the hiking trails, eager for another amazing day.
We chart our own route on a few different loops around the park and then follow the gentle trails past some truly spectacular scenery. Despite the less than ideal conditions, Robberg is still inarguably amazing and we find ourselves stopping to photograph some view or another every few minutes, exclaiming in excitement “look at that”, “oo, but look at this”. You would think we’d never seen the ocean before..
Our hike takes us over raised boardwalks, across bright orange rocks, and onto golden sand before we reach a long beach and sit for a while just to admire the view. Mum has taken to frequently pinching me on the trip to remind me that we are on the beach in Africa, or eating dinner in Africa, or driving in Africa, or doing any number of relatively normal things in Africa. It is amazing, though, to really sit back and appreciate where we are and how far we’ve travelled to be here. Even more special, of course, because we are having this adventure together, since we hardly see one another once a year these days with me living in Sydney.
After our relax at the beach, we make our way back along the trails to return to our car, driving on through Knysna and Wilderness to reach our lodge in George. By no means uneventful, it was still nice to have a slightly shorter day compared to all of the 20 hour days where we cram activities into every spare moment and end up miserably sleep deprived (not that it wasn’t worth it for the cats). The original plan was to stop at one of these seaside towns and do some kayaking after our hike, but we are put off by the late hour as well as the overcast, so we decide to save the boating for another day in the hopes that the sun will make an appearance (and maybe I can even out this hideous tank top strap tan, as well). Here’s to another phenomenal day in Africa!
Read more about our road-trip along the Garden Route:
DRIVING THE GARDEN ROUTE DAY 1: ADDO ELEPHANT NATIONAL PARK
DRIVING THE GARDEN ROUTE DAY 2: VISITING BIG CATS AT TENIKWA WILDLIFE REHABILITATION CENTRE
DRIVING THE GARDEN ROUTE DAY 4: WINE TASTING & OSTRICHES IN OUDTSHOORN
DRIVING THE GARDEN ROUTE DAY 5: SEASIDE IN MOSSEL BAY & HERMANUS
DRIVING THE GARDEN ROUTE DAY 6: EXPLORING HERMANUS & FERNKLOOF NATURE RESERVE
