Wilderness is a place that you can go to at any time of the year and find the sun shining and the beaches welcoming. Its mild climate, seldom below 10 degrees Celsius and above 28 degrees Celsius, and no particular rainy season, make it the ideal place for a holiday in the waves or on the lagoons and rivers.
For many years Wilderness has offered friendly hospitality to holiday-makers. It all began in the later 1800’s with a little stone farmhouse offering boarding facilities. From there, Wilderness grew into the peaceful town it is today, catering mainly for those looking for some time away from the busier cities of South Africa; however, it has even become internationally recognised as a wonderful seaside, Garden Route town.
Wilderness is found approximately 15km east of George, and alongside the warm, Indian Ocean. The sea is tranquil and ideal for swimming and many other water activities, but Wilderness is also surrounded by several rivers, natural lakes and lagoons. With an 18km coastline and approximately 10 lakes and rivers, it is an amazing place for fun in the water.
Situated on the Wilderness beachfront, central to the best Garden Route villages, Xanadu Guest Villa is the perfect accommodation to explore the gorgeous Wilderness and Garden Route from. This 5-star resort consists of 10 lavish suites with amazing ocean views. Each suite is individually decorated and fully equipped ensuring ultimate luxury and comfort, perfecting your Garden Route holiday.
The Wilderness Hotel is a beautiful accommodation set in the Wilderness, a coastal area along the renowned Garden Route. The hotel is expansive with 150 stylishly decorated rooms and facilities such as two tennis courts, two sparkling swimming pools, a beauty spa, a bowling green as well as excellent banquet and conference rooms. The hotel is often used as a unique and stunning wedding venue.
Situated on the outskirts of Wilderness along the Garden Route, this luxurious guest house offers large, tastefully decorated rooms all with balconies boasting spectacular views of the African landscape and facilities to ensure that guests have a comfortable stay. The secluded guest house has a number of activities on offer including canoeing, hiking, beach walks and bird watching.
Per Room
This charming beach side 4-star luxury lodge is the perfect place to enjoy a relaxing Wilderness holiday. Surrounded by lush gardens and overlooking the beautiful Indian Ocean, Dolphin Dunes offers not only the best comfort but also the most breathtaking views. There are 8 luxury suites to choose from, including a very swanky honeymoon suite and all rooms come fully equipped and stylishly decorated.
A four-star guest lodge set in the Wilderness offers a unique scenic experience amongst dense flora and walking distance from the beach. Secluded and private, this lodge is popular for weddings, conferences and honeymoons. The self-catering chalets are spacious and fully equipped, lavishly decorated but with a homely atmosphere – the rooms are raised and have staircases leading up providing an excellent view.
Situated near the beautiful beaches of Wilderness, Hildesheim Guest House offers a peaceful location perfect for a relaxing holiday. Guests can stay in the stunningly decorated bed and breakfast rooms or the self-catering cottages with exquisite views of the Outeniqua Mountains and large pool in the garden. Beautiful birds in the area can be seen along the many hiking trails.
Situated near Wilderness, Haus am Strand offers guests the perfect excuse to sit by the sea and relax. Fully equipped accommodation is available including a beautifully decorated Beach-House with bungalows and holiday apartments, en-suite bathrooms, luxurious bedrooms and a terrace with a lovely garden. Guests can stay in a number of wonderful suites and cottages and a beach-bungalow is also available.
Pack your binoculars and some snacks and spend a couple of hours watching the magnificent birds of the area from the Malachite Bird Hide. In the gorgeous, watery surrounds, grey herons, cormorants, yellow-billed duck, kingfishers, waterfowl and numerous other bird species are plentiful. The hide is located in the Wilderness National Park, and alongside the Langvlei Lake.
The Wilderness Beach is a fantastic place to spend a couple of lazy days in the sun. Its endless stretches of sandy shores offer lots of open space, and the gentle waves are wonderful for swimming. The beach is pet-friendly and a great spot for watching out for whales and dolphins.
Enjoy the view of gorgeous lakes and forests from up in the trees while you zip line, cross bridges and tackle other obstacles with Acrobranch Tree Top Adventures. Adults and children are welcome, and all the different adventures are safe and well-organised. They start from the Timberlake Organic Village and you will spend about two and a half hours amongst the trees.
In Wilderness, you can also go paragliding and abseiling. There are lots of nearby locations for paragliding and abseiling is done at the beautiful Kaaimans Gorge, right next to two fantastic waterfalls. There are two abseils, one easier than the other. At the bottom you will land right into a canoe for a paddle up the river.
For snorkelers and fishermen, this is the ideal location. The water of the Touw River is wonderfully clear and only about 3 metres deep, which makes it perfect for some snorkelling action. There are both fresh water fish and salt water fish here, such as Mullet, Cape Moonies and Grunter. Canoeing around the lake is great fun, and while you’re enjoying this you can look out for some extraordinary birdlife.
On a clear day a trip up to the Map of Africa lookout point is well worth the view. The way the river flows around the hills makes a picture that looks like a map of Africa, hence the name of the lookout. From up here you have lovely views of the Wilderness beach and the sea, and maybe you will spot some whales or dolphins.
With such beautiful surroundings Wilderness offers some lovely hiking/walking trails. On the Woodville Trail you can go see the ‘Big Tree’, a yellowwood approximately 850 years old, and have a picnic in a designated area. The trail is about 2km long (circular route) and is even wheelchair friendly. The Pied Kingfisher Trail is a bit longer (about 10km), and follows the Serpentine River floodplain. It features several information boards about the kingfishers that live in the region. Other trails include the Cape Dune Molerat Trail, the Half Collared Kingfisher Trail and the Giant Kingfisher Trial.
If you would rather give your legs a rest, why not try one of the horse-riding trails? No riding experience is necessary and you might encounter plenty of wildlife on your ride, such as bushbuck, monkeys, baboons and maybe even caracal.
Although you won’t find any multi-storey shopping centres in Wilderness, there are some lovely places to go that sell all sorts of treats. The Timberlake Organic Village is very popular with its unique cabin-style shops and plenty of kid’s facilities, such as a trampoline, a racetrack and the Fantasy Garden walk. At Timberlake you can buy cheese, wine, plants, health products and lots of sweet and spicy treats. There is also a coffee shop, a takeaways and a restaurant.
Nearby the Wilderness Train Station you will find Milkwood Village with a selection of shops. Here you can enjoy cafes and restaurants, side-walk shops and true South African friendliness.
Situated on the Wilderness beachfront, central to the best Garden Route villages, Xanadu Guest Villa is the perfect accommodation to explore the gorgeous Wilderness and Garden Route from. This 5-star resort consists of 10 lavish suites with amazing ocean views. Each suite is individually decorated and fully equipped ensuring ultimate luxury and comfort, perfecting your Garden Route holiday.
The Wilderness Hotel is a beautiful accommodation set in the Wilderness, a coastal area along the renowned Garden Route. The hotel is expansive with 150 stylishly decorated rooms and facilities such as two tennis courts, two sparkling swimming pools, a beauty spa, a bowling green as well as excellent banquet and conference rooms. The hotel is often used as a unique and stunning wedding venue.
Situated on the outskirts of Wilderness along the Garden Route, this luxurious guest house offers large, tastefully decorated rooms all with balconies boasting spectacular views of the African landscape and facilities to ensure that guests have a comfortable stay. The secluded guest house has a number of activities on offer including canoeing, hiking, beach walks and bird watching.
Per Room
This charming beach side 4-star luxury lodge is the perfect place to enjoy a relaxing Wilderness holiday. Surrounded by lush gardens and overlooking the beautiful Indian Ocean, Dolphin Dunes offers not only the best comfort but also the most breathtaking views. There are 8 luxury suites to choose from, including a very swanky honeymoon suite and all rooms come fully equipped and stylishly decorated.
A four-star guest lodge set in the Wilderness offers a unique scenic experience amongst dense flora and walking distance from the beach. Secluded and private, this lodge is popular for weddings, conferences and honeymoons. The self-catering chalets are spacious and fully equipped, lavishly decorated but with a homely atmosphere – the rooms are raised and have staircases leading up providing an excellent view.
Situated near the beautiful beaches of Wilderness, Hildesheim Guest House offers a peaceful location perfect for a relaxing holiday. Guests can stay in the stunningly decorated bed and breakfast rooms or the self-catering cottages with exquisite views of the Outeniqua Mountains and large pool in the garden. Beautiful birds in the area can be seen along the many hiking trails.
Situated near Wilderness, Haus am Strand offers guests the perfect excuse to sit by the sea and relax. Fully equipped accommodation is available including a beautifully decorated Beach-House with bungalows and holiday apartments, en-suite bathrooms, luxurious bedrooms and a terrace with a lovely garden. Guests can stay in a number of wonderful suites and cottages and a beach-bungalow is also available.
Pack your binoculars and some snacks and spend a couple of hours watching the magnificent birds of the area from the Malachite Bird Hide. In the gorgeous, watery surrounds, grey herons, cormorants, yellow-billed duck, kingfishers, waterfowl and numerous other bird species are plentiful. The hide is located in the Wilderness National Park, and alongside the Langvlei Lake.
The Wilderness Beach is a fantastic place to spend a couple of lazy days in the sun. Its endless stretches of sandy shores offer lots of open space, and the gentle waves are wonderful for swimming. The beach is pet-friendly and a great spot for watching out for whales and dolphins.
Enjoy the view of gorgeous lakes and forests from up in the trees while you zip line, cross bridges and tackle other obstacles with Acrobranch Tree Top Adventures. Adults and children are welcome, and all the different adventures are safe and well-organised. They start from the Timberlake Organic Village and you will spend about two and a half hours amongst the trees.
In Wilderness, you can also go paragliding and abseiling. There are lots of nearby locations for paragliding and abseiling is done at the beautiful Kaaimans Gorge, right next to two fantastic waterfalls. There are two abseils, one easier than the other. At the bottom you will land right into a canoe for a paddle up the river.
For snorkelers and fishermen, this is the ideal location. The water of the Touw River is wonderfully clear and only about 3 metres deep, which makes it perfect for some snorkelling action. There are both fresh water fish and salt water fish here, such as Mullet, Cape Moonies and Grunter. Canoeing around the lake is great fun, and while you’re enjoying this you can look out for some extraordinary birdlife.
On a clear day a trip up to the Map of Africa lookout point is well worth the view. The way the river flows around the hills makes a picture that looks like a map of Africa, hence the name of the lookout. From up here you have lovely views of the Wilderness beach and the sea, and maybe you will spot some whales or dolphins.
With such beautiful surroundings Wilderness offers some lovely hiking/walking trails. On the Woodville Trail you can go see the ‘Big Tree’, a yellowwood approximately 850 years old, and have a picnic in a designated area. The trail is about 2km long (circular route) and is even wheelchair friendly. The Pied Kingfisher Trail is a bit longer (about 10km), and follows the Serpentine River floodplain. It features several information boards about the kingfishers that live in the region. Other trails include the Cape Dune Molerat Trail, the Half Collared Kingfisher Trail and the Giant Kingfisher Trial.
If you would rather give your legs a rest, why not try one of the horse-riding trails? No riding experience is necessary and you might encounter plenty of wildlife on your ride, such as bushbuck, monkeys, baboons and maybe even caracal.
Although you won’t find any multi-storey shopping centres in Wilderness, there are some lovely places to go that sell all sorts of treats. The Timberlake Organic Village is very popular with its unique cabin-style shops and plenty of kid’s facilities, such as a trampoline, a racetrack and the Fantasy Garden walk. At Timberlake you can buy cheese, wine, plants, health products and lots of sweet and spicy treats. There is also a coffee shop, a takeaways and a restaurant.
Nearby the Wilderness Train Station you will find Milkwood Village with a selection of shops. Here you can enjoy cafes and restaurants, side-walk shops and true South African friendliness.
With wonderful places of accommodation and a boatload of attractions that allow the finest aspects of nature to be enjoyed, we have not yet met anyone who hasn’t loved their time spent in Wilderness.
The Garden Route is one of our specialties and we have personally explored it many times. We are therefore certainly the best when it comes to arranging accommodation and Garden Route itineraries. Let us know when you are ready to discover the joys of the Garden Route and let us make sure that Wilderness is on your list of places to go.
