Knysna Forest Tours offers multi day, overnight hiking trails specifically catering to school groups/youth groups. We base ourselves at Harkeville Forest Lodge, where nature meets affordability!!
All accommodation and all meals are taken at the lodge in the Bunk House and/or Safari Tents. The lodge has superb facilities, including a pool, sundeck, and a 100ft long “foofie slide”!!
The Bunk House offers four, five, six, and ten bed dormitories, leading off a central barbeque and dining area. This is an ideal facility for large groups from where guests/students can explore our beautiful forests!! The Bunk House has access to separate male and female ablution facilities with hot and cold showers. Educators/teachers are accommodated in separate rooms in the Bunk House.
The two Safari Tents, each with 24 beds, are built on timber decks. These are mainly for school groups. The Safari Tents also have separate male and female ablution facilities with hot and cold showers.
Knysna Forest Tours will meet your group each morning at Harkeville Forest Lodge and take the guests out to the trail each day. Packed lunches, permits, guides, and walking sticks are supplied each day. The group is responsible for using it’s own transport/school bus; alternatively we can arrange that for you. (At an additional cost.)
Itinerary:
Day one :
Arrival at Harkeville Forest Lodge and check in. Lunch today for your own account. Should the group arrive before lunch we will walk the 9km Perdekop Trail. A beautiful warm up forest walk starting and finishing at Harkeville Forest Lodge . Duration of walk is approx 3 hours.
Day two : Circles in a forest – Woodcutters Trail.
Time: 1 ½ hrs or 4 hours
Distance: 3kms or 9kms
Exertion: Light to moderate
Features: The heart of the Knysna Indigenous Forest in the Goudveld area with many prime examples of 600+ year old Outeniqua Yellowwoods and 3m high tree ferns.
Description: Huge trees, old giants, the hysterical cackling of Red billed Wood hoopoes, Knysna Turaco’s(Loeries), massive Tree Ferns, gulleys, streams, ancient Iron wood trees – this is the heart of the forest. Arum Lilly’s, fungi, bracket fungi’s’, porcupines, dreams of Old Foot (the long lost hero Elephant made famous by Dalene Matthee) Baboon droppings, Bushpig droppings and Bushbuck droppings are seen on almost every corner. A real forest experience, this is one you HAVE to do. Suitable for all ages, from 5 years old to …….well …..any age.
Day three: Millwood Mining Circuit:
Time 2 ½ hours
Distance: 6kms
Exertion: Light
Features: Historic interest, beautiful indigenous forest and mountains, old abandoned mine shafts in the kloofs and gorges.
Description: A short easy but incredibly interesting walk with outstanding examples of mountain fynbos and moist high forest. The site where gold was first discovered in RSA in the middle of the Knysna Forests. Explore old shafts in the forest nestled behind little waterfalls, listen to the famous loeries and then visit the old mining museum and original site of the Millwood village. Nothing remains of the old village except some old restored mining equipment. The forest has basically returned to its original state and the forest slumbers peacefully in the foothills of the Outeniqua Mountains.
Day four : Robberg Nature Reserve Trail
Time: 4 hours
Distance: 11kms
Exertion: Moderate
Features: Unbelievable coastal scenery and views across Plettenberg Bay. Geological and archaeological interest, inter-tidal zone, huge seal colony, sea birds and animal-life.
Description: The Robberg Peninsula is a nature reserve and a national monument. A moderately strenuous circular walk which leads out high on the northern side of Robberg to the point, returning along the southern coastline to the Gap. Also the site of Nelson Bay Cave –first occupied 120 000 years ago. Hundreds of seals gather on the rocks at Grasnek and can be viewed easily from high up on the cliffs. A perfect opportunity to see dolphins, penguins, and whales. ( Whales only in season – July to October). The huge diversity of bird life, amazing Fynbos, and evidence of rocks dating back to the early Cretaceous period (130 – 110 million years ago) make this an extremely enjoyable walk with spectacular coastal scenery. An experience not easily forgotten.
Day Five :
Departure after breakfast. Travel home safely……..see you next year!!
What to bring:
Sleeping bag
Torch
Slip slops
Swimming costume
Towel
Mosquito Repellent
Good walking shoes/trainers
Warm Fleece
Waterproof Jacket
Day Pack
What the Rates Include :
All meals and accommodation, all permits, guides and snacks on all hikes.
Price per person sharing:
The price per student/teacher for this tour is:
R1350-00 based on a minimum of 20 guests.
R1690-00 based on a minimum of 10 guests.
