Hiking in Featherbed Nature Reserve at the Knysna Heads – South Africa

Knysna is surrounded by beautiful and impressive nature. So what better thing to do during your visit to Knysna than take a nice walk. From my hotel I looked out over the area of ​​the famous Knysna Heads and the Featherbed Nature Reserve. I booked a trip to go hiking in Featherbed at the Knysna Heads.

Hiking in Featherbed at the Knysna Heads – South Africa

I found a really nice bed & breakfast in Knysna. I had the view below and was staying in the house of super nice people. They called it Paradise Found and I can see why!

Where is Knysna located?

Knysna is a municipality in the Western Cape province of South Africa on the Indian Ocean. It is located at the mouth of the Knysna River where a lagoon has been created. Knysna is located 60 km east of the town of George. Knysna is also located on the famous garden route in South Africa.

Why is Knysna so famous?

Knysna is on the Garden Route, a scenic region on the southern coast of South Africa. But Knysna is also famous for its versatile flora & fauna at the ocean, coastline and nature reserves.

You see the Knysna Heads on the right of the picture and of course we went to that area to hike in Featherbed.

One of the tours recommended to me included a 2 km hike in the area near the Knysna heads. It’s not far but it gave me a wonderful afternoon in nature and on the coast so I booked this trip.

That morning I enjoyed a delicious breakfast and of course this view over the Knysna Lagoon from my bed & breakfast Paradise Found.

Hiking in Featherbed Nature Reserve – Knysna

Around 10 o’clock in the morning I took the boat across the Knysna lagoon to the west side of the Heads. The lagoon inland was filled with salt and fresh water. As a result, it contained a unique variety of life. The woman who led the tour told us that a unique seahorse lived in this Knysna lagoon. Throughout South Africa, this seahorse had 3 places where it mated and this is one of them.

After arriving by boat at the Featherbed Nature Reserve we were taken up so that we could start our walk on top of the Western Head. While we went up we received some explanation about the versatile flora that grows here. And we saw a tortoise walking around here!

Driving up the Head where the hike down would start!

The big Turtoise next to the road 🙂

Background Featherbed Nature Reserve

The Featherbed Nature Reserve is privately owned. Featherbed was founded in the mid-1980s by legendary South African teacher and television personality William Smith. He was known for his televised math and physics lessons

Featherbed is secured with a large fence, so that also means that if you want to take a walk there, you have to do it the way I did. Ultimately, this walk does give you great views and I can recommend it for a relaxing afternoon in nature!

When we started hiking in Featherbed on the path that would take us down, we were immediately treated to an amazing view! We had previously been told that in the past it was almost impossible for ships to enter the lagoon. We now also saw that it was very narrow and that the water was very rough. A lot of ships have perished who tried anyway!

Hiking the Featherbed Nature Reserve – Knysna

What a beautiful area, huh? Amazing coastline!

The Famous Knysna Heads

Featherbed Nature Reserve

South Africa

While I was walking down I saw some animals… they were the lizards that just weren’t fast enough to run away! They also did their utmost not to be seen, but unfortunately… sometimes I do have an eye for details.

Hiking the Famous Knysna Heads in Featherbed Nature Reserve

I also saw this seal lying comfortably on its back.
Enjoying the sun that breaks through every now and then!

At one point I was able to follow a path into a cave. I took my time making my way down slowly and thoroughly enjoying the trail and the views.

Path that leads you down to the cave

At the cave there was a beautiful passage to the sea and that gave it a great view. The wind was blowing very hard through the passage. I thought it was very chilly there. Fortunately the sun had still come through. This morning it was quite chilly, but now it was still warming up nicely.

The cave gave us some great views. Completely different feeling than a few minutes earlier when I was still standing among the greenery! When I walked further I came across many flowers, beautiful trees and plants along the path. I can imagine that if you come a little later it will all be in full bloom. I was there in October and spring is only just starting.

Nature @ Knysna Heads

The  flower is called Strandblommetje

I can translate that easily as a Dutch person as it is Afrikaans, for you it is translated into Beach Flower

The Famous Knysna Heads

Featherbed Nature Reserve

After the walk we got some nice food!! It was a buffet so you could fill up your plate as often as you wanted. The food was of a good quality!

I really enjoyed a half day on the Knysna heads!

• I booked this trip with John Benn company.
• The trip is called the Featherbed Eco Experience. And costs R1,320, about €70.00. Without lunch it costs more than €50.00

Will you go whale watching in front of the coast at Knysna?
Or will you book a trip to go into the forest with a quad near Knysna

Knysna accommodation

Would you also like to stay in Paradise Found when you are in Knysna? I totally get it!
Book your overnight stay at Paradise Found Knysna

Would you rather be in the center and near the many restaurants nearby? Then take a look at the Protea Hotel by Marriot with a lovely swimming pool!

Hiking the Famous Knysna Heads

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Go to my Africa page to see more on  my South Africa travel