SANPARKS Trail – Paid permit / entrance required
The trail starts and finishes at the Ebb & Flow Rest Camp. This trail is a great trail for bird watching. It is a flat circular route which takes you through the Serpentine floodplains. It is an open trail with no shade. When you reach the rail/road bridge, you can head back to camp or continue on the path where it is signposted just after the bridge.
As you reach the outskirts of Wilderness follow Melkhout Road and at the cul-de-sac follow the path between the houses until you reach Freezia Street. Continue on to Waterside Road. Be sure not to walk on Waterside Road itself, but walk on the beautiful boardwalk hugging the banks of the Touw River just below the road. This boardwalk meanders along the river’s edge. There are numerous wooden benches along the way.
Keep next to the Touw River and go underneath the N2 and railway bridge next to the Touw River and follow the beach for 2km on the sand in an easterly direction. Climb up the dune and cross the N2 into Dumbelton Road. Walk along the paved road back to Ebb & Flow.
Depending on the weather, the route can be done in reverse, starting early in the morning along the two-kilometre sandy beach section.
Permits / Costs: Conservation fee payable at Ebb & Flow rest camp. Free for Wild Card members.
- Day visitors are allowed until 17h30.
- No dogs allowed.
SanParks contact information: Tel +27 (0) 44 877 1197
The trail passes through part of the Wilderness section of the Garden Route National Park, known for a variety of forest and edge bird species, including the Knysna Turaco and Cape Parrot.
| Species (Common Name) | Scientific Name | Status in Forest Area |
|---|---|---|
| Pied Kingfisher | Ceryle rudis | Resident; along rivers and floodplains, open wet habitats |
| Giant Kingfisher | Megaceryle maxima | Resident; riverine forests and rocky areas near water |
| African Fish Eagle | Haliaeetus vocifer | Resident raptor species overhead; near water bodies |
| Little Egret | Egretta garzetta | Resident; open water and wetland areas |
| Malachite Kingfisher | Corythornis cristatus | Forest edge and patches near water |
| African Jacana | Actophilornis africanus | Resident; wetlands and lakes |
Sources:
Alex Aitkenhead: Garden Route National Park (Wildernes, Knysna, Tsitsikamma) – alexaitkenhead.co.za
Visit Knysna: Birding in the Greater Knysna area – www.visitknysna.co.za
GoBirding – Wilderness.
| Start Coordinates: (DD) | -33.993203, 22.606802 |
| Start/Finish | Ebb & Flow Rest Camp, Ebb & Flow Drive, Hoekwil, Garden Route Nat. Park |
| Distance | 10 km |
| Route Type | Loop / Circular |
| Elevation Gain | ± 86 m |
| Perceived Exertion | Moderate |
| Trail System | Wilderness |
| Surface | Hiking trail Jeep track |
| Route Markers | Some |
| GPX Map | Download GPX file for self-navigation on your GPS device or smart phone. |
ESTIMATED TIME
| Hiking | ± 4 h – 5 h |
FACILITIES AT THE START
- Parking
- Water / tap
- Restroom
- Shop
LAND OWNERS & MANAGERS
Links & More Info
SANPARKS Ebb & Flow Rest camp.
GPS Waypoints: 33°59’25.32″ S 22°36’30.05″E
Day Hiking Permits *
- You do not have to prebook/prepay for day hike permits.
- If and when you do need to pay for permits, please note that the Garden Route National Park is cashless. Permits must be paid for by card.
- At Ebb & Flow the Half-collared Kingfisher trailhead/start is from the public road, with a hut just inside the entrance where one would buy the permit.
- Where trails appear to start/end within a rest camp, one would pay for entrance to the park at the entrance gate.
- It is only the overnight trails that must be booked via the reservations system.
* This information was correct at the time of writing.
SANParks – Wilderness – Rates & Fees
| 1 November 2025 – 31 October 2026 | Adults (12+ years) | Children (2 – 11 years) |
|---|---|---|
| South African Citizens and Residents | R61 | R30 |
| SADC Nationals | R124 | R62 |
| International (non-South African) Citizens | R235 | R118 |
