News

Management in the Garden Route National Park identified “adventure sports” to stimulate tourism in the region. Thus far applications to host activities in the Park go through an ecological evaluation process and techniques such as “zoning”, are used for each application. This scientific process helps simplify the complexity associated with managing a Park in the 21st century. Through “zoning”, adventure sports can go ahead with “low occupancy” whilst “high biodiversity” is maintained.

The Garden Route National Park (GRNP) with its mosaic ecosystems of seascapes and landscapes is a tourist attraction for tourists travelling between the Eastern and Western Cape. Through “adventure sports” the GRNP hopes to attract more visitors to the Park and the Region said Len du Plessis, Manager for Planning for the GRNP. He was addressing media from the Garden Route Forum. “Adventure tourism is growing even in difficult economic times as more and more people are looking for a rare experience” according to SANParks tourism responsible strategy (2022). Various activities held in the GRNP currently include hiking and nature walks, forest excursions, birding, mountain biking and water activities.

Events held in the National Park follow an extensive process prior to approval. The Southern Cross 3-day run to be held from the 9th – 13th August 2013 in the Wilderness section of the Park is one of several popular events held in the Park. Others include the Knysna Oyster Festival, the Otter Trail run in Tsitsikamma and others.