If you only have time for one stop on the Gardens Route, make it Storms River Mouth. Filled with dramatic landscapes, this ‘place of much water’ is where the Storms River pours into the Indian Ocean located within the Tsitsikamma parcel of Gardens Route National Park. Find a myriad of short trails, all worth your time – and the start of the famous multi-day hike called the Otter Trail. This is a busy park, get there early to find quieter trails, and a parking spot.
+The Mouth Trail is 1.25 miles roundtrip and starts at the end of the parks eastern most road. This is an easier trail with some minimal elevation gain. Right from the lot you will have gorgeous coastal views and wildlife sightings.
Dassies (also known as hyraxes) are a strange and adorable creature that are extremely prevalent in the area.
They don’t regulate temperature well, so you can often see them huddling in adorable clusters.
Fun fact: the dassies closest living relative is the elephant! Setting off on the trail across a small swimming beach and onto a boardwalk, mountainous coastal views abound.
A thrilling element of this trail are the bouncy suspension bridges that cross the river.
From there is a rocky cove that was littered with whale bones and baleen.
Climb up to the viewpoint, and take the loop back to where you started.
+The Waterfall Trail is 3.75 miles roundtrip which leads to the beginning of the Otter Trail (hikers cannot go past this point without a permit). This is a moderate trail with some scrambling, appropriate footwear is recommended. The coastal brush was in a magnificent bloom.
It was such a pleasure to spot the various species of colorful wildflowers along the trail.
Locust were dispersed among the plants, slowly going about their day.
Soon the greenery switches to a rocky shore with a new bright colors: orange lichen contrasts against the bright blue of the Indian Ocean.
Rugged coastal views dominate for the remainder of the hike, a truly stunning show.
Take some time to explore a cave along the way, and keep climbing. Gaining a bit of elevation some tide pools begin to appear.
If you examine them, you might discover some exciting life happening, from tadpole to frog.
The end of the line is the Tweeriviere River falls cascading 164 feet all the way down into the sea.
It is the perfect place for a picnic, or a dip in the pool beneath the falls on a warm day. You can create a loop back through the woods, or return the way you came.
+The Loerie and Blue Duiker Trails combined are 3 miles roundtrip, but can be taken in just one direction to create a loop with the Waterfall Trail. You’ll find the coastal forest much quieter than the two aforementioned trails, so if you are looking for a peaceful hike this is it.
Wildlife is abundant and though I was lucky enough to see the striking Knysna Loerie (namesake of the trail), I was unable to snap a picture of the elusive bird.
Image taken from Google
Keep your eyes peeled for the other namesake animal, a miniature antelop called the Blue Dukier. Sad but still beautiful, a dead chameleon was another wildlife sighting.
A small and lovely waterfall sits in the middle of the woods breaking up the dense trees.
Note: Admission fee or Wildcard required to enter Storms River Mouth Restcamp.
+Natures Way Farm Stall is a great place to grab a meal, stock up on gourmet supplies, or spend the night! We stayed at their accommodations available on airbnb which made for a very comfortable night, get a discount using my referral code on your first stay. Walking around the garden and visiting with their sweet cows was such a pleasure.
The pesto grilled cheese was delicious, obvious farm fresh ingredients were shining through. Don’t miss out on the chocolate cake which was something to remember, absolutely decadent!
Eating under the canopy in the company of the sweetest farm cats was so relaxing after a busy day of hiking and sightseeing.
Of course on a road trip you need a lot of snacks, we didn’t have to hit the grocery store this night because the shop had everything you could want – and more! 
Classic South African bites such as biltong and milk tarts, plus you can find homemade quiches or yogurt for breakfast the next morning.
This is the Guide to Day 1 of Gardens Route National Park, click the link to help plan the rest of your road trip.