Along the 300km stretch of unadulterated beauty known as the Garden Route, which runs from Witsand in the Western Cape to Storms River in its Eastern counterpart — and with stiff competition from the likes of Plettenberg Bay and George — only one town goes by the nickname “the Jewel of the Garden Route”, and that’s Knysna. 

With its lovely lagoon, tepid Indian Ocean and showstopping sandstone cliffs, the town lures travellers with natural beauty, exquisite accommodation, top-notch restaurants and countless outdoor adventures. While by no means exhaustive, here is a list of experiences to bookmark for your next trip to this jewel of a town. 

1) HEAD FOR THE HEADS

One of the most iconic landmarks on the entire Garden Route, the Knysna Heads are a pair of sandstone cliffs that separate the lagoon from the Indian Ocean. Divided into the Eastern and Western Heads, both offer breathtaking views of the ocean, lagoon and Outeniqua Mountains.

The Eastern Head is accessible by car and has a number of viewing points and decks. There are no public roads to the Western Head, which falls within the Featherbed Nature Reserve. The only way to explore it up close is to book an experience in the reserve, which is accessible by ferry from the waterfront. 

Alternatively, you can see the Heads up close from a boat. Several companies offer cruises on the lagoon to the cliffs.