Diepwalle Forest

Diepwalle Forest and the Prince Alfred Pass offer one of the most scenic and rewarding drives in the Garden Route, especially for those who appreciate history, nature, and quiet surroundings. The drive through the indigenous forest is breathtaking, with towering yellowwood trees, dense ferns, and a feeling of being completely removed from busy tourist routes. Prince Alfred Pass itself is an engineering masterpiece, built by Thomas Bain in the 1860s. The pass winds gently through the mountains with gravel sections that are generally well maintained, making it suitable for most vehicles if driven carefully. Allow enough time, as this is not a route to rush — the beauty lies in taking it slow and enjoying the surroundings. Diepwalle Forest is ideal for short walks and picnics, with clearly marked trails and informative signage about the forest’s ecology and logging history. It is family-friendly and a great place to stretch your legs while enjoying the cool forest air. Birdlife is abundant, and the area is particularly peaceful during the week. Facilities are basic but adequate, and the area is well looked after. This is a destination for nature lovers rather than thrill seekers. If you enjoy scenic drives, historical routes, and tranquil forest settings, Diepwalle Forest and Prince Alfred Pass are highly recommended and offer a memorable experience that showcases the natural beauty of the region.

We recently stayed at the SANParks Knysna Tented Camps for our Anniversary and the natural setting is without a doubt the standout feature. The camp is surrounded by rich indigenous forest, with enormous trees and beautiful trails that make every walk feel special. The forest atmosphere is peaceful, cool, and truly unique to this part of the Garden Route. If you enjoy nature, birdsong, and quiet paths, this place delivers an unforgettable experience. The tented accommodation itself is neat, well kept, and comfortable. The tented option that we stayed in came with a bar fridge, which was convenient for storing food and drinks. There is electricity both inside and outside the tent, camp chairs are provided, and each unit has its own braai area. The setup is practical and makes it easy to settle in and enjoy the forest around you. There are, however, a few small areas where the experience could be tightened up. There is no kettle, and although the cutlery supplied was usable, a few items were missing. Inside the tent, lighting is limited to a small battery-powered LED light no built-in lamp or overhead light, which makes evenings a bit dim. The wash-up area behind the bathrooms is useful, but there’s no hot-water urn or communal fridge/freezer like the setup at Nature’s Valley Rest Camp to help campers with making tea/coffee or keeping added items cold or frozen being on the beaten track. The bathrooms are clean and offer reliable hot water, but the locks on both the toilet and shower doors were not working during our visit. Staff were friendly and polite, adding warmth to the stay. The only disappointment was one evening of loud music and shouting coming from the rangers’ houses. It didn’t last very long, but it did disturb the otherwise serene atmosphere and felt out of place in such a tranquil environment. Overall, Knysna Tented Camps offer a stunning forest getaway with incredible trails and scenery. With a few small improvements, it could easily become one of the top tented camp experiences on the Garden Route.

Authentic knysna forest experience. Three great forest trails and a quaint camp site. To get there, you need to drive through a piece of the township, but it's been fine each time we've driven through.

A little off the beaten path. 15 minutes on a dirt road. Small museum with the history of the forest fire, logging, conservation and the park. The last elephant skeleton some history. We did the white loop, which was well marked, limited in tree identification. The big yellow tree was good.

The experience of being surrounded by nature, barely touched by civilization, is truly unmatched. Walking along natural game trails, spotting fascinating invertebrates like millipedes and pill bugs, and listening to the rich variety of birdlife brings a sense of peace that words can hardly capture. Standing before the majestic ‘Groot Boom,’ touching its ancient bark, offers a humbling perspective on life itself. And to think that all of this beauty is freely accessible, practically in our own backyard, is simply phenomenal.

Wonderfull camping and really friendly people. This is more for being close to nature and defenitely not for luxury. Forest is a fairytail setting!

Beautiful, tranquil and efficiently staffed. Enjoyed the drive through Kom se Pad, beautiful! The museum was also very good and informative. So sad to see the rapid decline of the elephant population in the late 1800s