Activities
Wilderness packs a lot into a small stretch of the Garden Route. From Beach House you can walk to the beach in two minutes, be on a forest trail in ten, and be paragliding off the Map of Africa viewpoint inside half an hour. This page covers what you can actually do from the property, roughly in order of how far you have to travel to do it.
On the property
There is a pool table, a volleyball net and a deck that does most of the work at sunset. Live music plays every Sunday from 15:00 to 18:00, open mic runs on Thursday evenings from 18:00, and Friday is pool and darts from 18:00. The wood-fired oven runs from 11:00 daily. If you are here to work rather than play, there is free Wi-Fi and a communal kitchen.
The beach and the ocean
Wilderness Beach is about 100 metres away, a long open stretch of sand backed by dunes. Between roughly May and November you can often watch whales from the decks without leaving the property, and dolphins pass close to shore through much of the year. The surf here is powerful and the beach is not always the gentlest place to learn, which is why most people head slightly along the coast to do that. Read our guide to Wilderness Beach.
Surfing
Victoria Bay, about 15 minutes west, is the best-known beginner-friendly right-hand point break on this part of the coast. Buffelsbaai lies about half an hour east. Both are easy day trips and both are better suited to learning than the open beach directly below us. See our surfing guide for conditions and timing.
Hiking and forest trails
The Kingfisher and Giant Kingfisher trails run up the Touw River gorge through indigenous forest to a waterfall, with a section of ladders and boardwalk that makes it more interesting than a normal river walk. There is a good spread of shorter walks nearby as well. Our Wilderness hiking trails guide covers distances and difficulty.
The river, the lakes and kayaking
The Touw River runs behind the dunes and is calm enough to paddle, which makes canoeing and kayaking one of the easiest half-days here. The Kaaimans River gorge just west of Wilderness is the more dramatic paddle, under the old rail bridge and into a steep-sided gorge. Read the Kaaimans River guide.
Paragliding and the Map of Africa
The Map of Africa viewpoint, where the Kaaimans River loops into a shape that looks like the continent, is one of the main paragliding launch sites on the Garden Route, along with Sedgeview. Tandem flights run with local operators and no experience is needed. Our Map of Africa guide covers how to get there and when to go.
Yoga, wellness and slower days
Yoga and Pilates run in and around Wilderness village, and there are wellness and treatment options in the area. We do not run a spa or offer massage on site, so if that is what you are after, ask at the bar and we will point you at what is currently going and who is worth booking with. Plenty of guests simply use the deck, the hammocks and the beach for the same purpose.
Further along the Garden Route
George is roughly 15 km west and Sedgefield about 20 km east, with Knysna and Plettenberg Bay comfortably reachable as day trips. If you are building a longer trip, our Garden Route itinerary and our 20 best things to do in Wilderness go much deeper than this page. Travelling over the festive season? Read Wilderness in summer.
Base yourself here
Everything above is within reach of the property, and the bar is waiting when you get back. See rooms and rates, from dorm beds to en-suite rooms.
Frequently asked questions
What is there to do in Wilderness for a day?
A common first day is a morning walk on the Kingfisher trail up the Touw River gorge, an afternoon on Wilderness Beach or paddling the river, and sundowners on a deck. If the weather turns, the forest trails hold up better than the beach. Paragliding off Map of Africa is the one activity most people book ahead, because it depends on wind conditions rather than your schedule.
Do I need a car to enjoy Wilderness?
Not for the basics. The beach, the village, the Touw River and several trailheads are walkable from Beach House. You will want a car or a lift for Victoria Bay, Buffelsbaai, the Map of Africa viewpoint and day trips to Knysna or Plettenberg Bay. The N2 runs right past Wilderness, so getting a lift along the Garden Route is usually straightforward.
Can you learn to surf in Wilderness?
You can, but most people learn at Victoria Bay about 15 minutes west rather than on the open beach below us. Victoria Bay is a sheltered right-hand point break and is a far more forgiving place to start. Wilderness Beach itself has powerful surf and strong currents, which is excellent if you know what you are doing and unforgiving if you do not.
Does Beach House have a spa or offer massage?
No. We do not have a spa and we do not offer massage or treatments on site. Yoga and Pilates classes run in the Wilderness area and there are wellness options nearby, so ask at the bar and we will point you towards whatever is currently running. What we do have is a deck, an ocean view and a very short walk to the sand.
When is the best time to visit Wilderness?
Summer, roughly November to March, is warmest and busiest, and December books out well in advance. Whale watching is generally best from about May to November. The shoulder months either side of summer tend to give you the best combination of decent weather, quieter trails and lower rates. Wilderness gets rain year round, so pack for a wet afternoon whenever you come.