Nature's Valley
Discover Nature's Valley
Nature's Valley is a small village on the Garden Route along the southern Cape coast of South Africa, tucked between the Soutrivier, the foothills of the Tsitsikamma Mountains, the Indian Ocean and the Grootrivier lagoon. It has a balmy climate and the unusual status of being surrounded by the Tsitsikamma National Park, with the exception of Platbos Reserve, which is also conservation area, albeit privately owned. The Tsitsikamma Park is one of the most visited in South Africa, because of the pleasant climate, the beauty of the scenery, the wealth of things to do and see, and also because environmental travellers enjoy the wilderness and the biodiversity. The Cape flora found in and around Nature's Valley and on Platbos Reserve is designated a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Famous Beaches
Taste of Nature's Valley...
Not available
A Rich Past
Explore the historical roots that shaped Nature's Valley into what it is today.
The area has a very interesting political, social and environmental history. Palaeontological evidence abounds of the prehistoric hominins who peopled the coastline. Archeological digs at Plettenberg Bay's Robberg and rock art in the De Vasselot section of the Tsitsikamma National Park indicate that earlier people were what are called strandlopers in South Africa, or beachcombers. By the time European traders and colonisers arrived, in mid-1600s, the people of the Cape were mainly Khoisan and Bantu peoples. In the 18th century the port town of Knysna became a center of timber trade, which precipitated a woodcutter period of deforestation that saw some of the oldest trees in the forest, especially the yellowwoods, cut down. The forest suffered less damage than might be expected, since the woodcutters were selective about trees, leaving the forest canopy intact, and allowing the saplings to survive. As the area developed forested areas were occasionally cleared to make way for plantations of exotic trees like pine. Forested areas like Platbos Reserve, which were initially part of the wild Tsitsikamma forest, were privately owned at the time when South Africa proclaimed the area a protected National Park, and for several decades served as farmland for potatoes and pine plantations. The soil became degraded and the forested parts started to dwindle....
Climate
Although the forest is called a temperate rainforest, it manages to survive on very little rain. The rainfall is approximately 945 mm per annum. This is very low compared to other temperate rainforests, such as in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North America which has annual precipitation of 200-400 cm. The summer, especially January and December, is the rainy season. Rainy weather varies from persistent drizzle and misty days, to storms and cloudbreaks. The temperature ranges between 23°C/17°C in January and 17°C/10°C in July. The fact that the Reserve is on the coast of the warm Indian Ocean explains the balmy climate. At the foot of the Tsitsikamma Mountains there is a plateau on which Platbos Reserve is found, and after another sharp drop in the groundlevel, another narrow plateau houses Nature's Valley. 'Platbos' is an Afrikaans name, meaning 'Flat Bush / Forest'. This is a rather descriptive name, as the Reserve fits onto the plateau.
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple OptionsLocated on the R102, just off the N2, the village is easily accessible by car from Port Elizabeth (3hrs) and Cape Town (6hrs) as well as other towns along the Garden Route. The main companies pass along the N2 on their Cape Town to Port Elizabeth route. You can ask to be dropped at the R102 in The Crags and from there you can hitch down to Nature's Valley. If they do not want to drop you (if you travel for example with Intercape), the best is to stop in Plettenberg Bay and take a minibus (see below). From Plettenberg Bay, you can take a minibus/shared taxi (at the taxi rank) to the little township of Kurland (35 rands pp, november 2025). Ask the driver to be dropped at the Engen station at the entrance of Kurland. From there, walk to the road going to Nature's Valley (1 km) and hitch-hike, or continue walking. You can also ask the drive if he/she can drop you directly at Nature's Valley (ask before tanking the minibus and bargain the price....
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
The only way to get around Nature's Valley without your own car is to walk. Nature's Valley beach is one of the most spectacular along the Garden Route. The village is surrounded by the Tsitsikamma National Park. There is only one shop, restaurant and bar in Nature's Valley serving good food and beer at a reasonable price. Nearest cities are Plettenberg Bay to the west, 37km away, and Storms River to the east. The neighbouring area is called The Crags, a tourist destination full of things to do and see. They include:
Where to Stay
Nearest cities are Plettenberg Bay to the west, 37km away, and Storms River to the east. The neighbouring area is called The Crags, a tourist destination full of things to do and see. They include:
Money & Budget
There is only one shop, restaurant and bar in Nature's Valley serving good food and beer at a reasonable price. Nearest cities are Plettenberg Bay to the west, 37km away, and Storms River to the east. The neighbouring area is called The Crags, a tourist destination full of things to do and see. They include: