AVAILABLE ACTIVITIES

A Town Worth Walking Into, and a Coast Worth Driving

Knysna gives you a lagoon, two headlands, a run of beaches and an indigenous forest, and Oaklands on the Knoll sits about 500 metres from the middle of it. Most days start with a short walk into town and end back at the braai.

Free Lagoon Boat Cruises

Guests at Oaklands on the Knoll can arrange free boat cruises on the Knysna Lagoon through a local operator. It is the easiest way to get out onto the water that the town is built around, and to see the Heads from below rather than from the road above.

Knysna Town and Waterfront

The centre of Knysna sits about 500 metres from the complex, with the waterfront a little beyond it. Trendy cafes, restaurants and boutiques line the quays, and the lagoon is the view from most of them. The closest restaurant is under a kilometre away.

Featherbed Nature Reserve

Featherbed is a privately owned reserve on the Western Head, reachable only by ferry across the lagoon. The eco-experience pairs the crossing with a 4x4 drive up the headland to the viewpoints, and an optional guided 2.2km walk down through coastal forest and fynbos into ancient sea caves.

Buffalo Bay

Buffalo Bay has one of the safest swimming beaches in the Knysna area, which is why families keep going back. Lifeguards patrol the main beach in season. The quieter Wild Side runs alongside the Goukamma Nature Reserve, and a 4.5km circular trail loops through the fynbos behind it.

Brenton-on-Sea

Brenton-on-Sea sits high above the crescent of Buffalo Bay, with five kilometres of uninterrupted beach running between the two. The sandstone Castle Rock anchors the western end, and the Fisherman's Walk gives the best vantage point for spotting dolphins offshore.

Knysna Forests and the Elephant Walks

The Diepwalle section of the Garden Route National Park carries three circular trails through indigenous forest, all starting at the forestry station. The Black route runs 9km and easy, the White 8km and moderate, the Red 7km and harder. Yellowwoods, streams and old woodcutter paths throughout.

Knysna Elephant Park

The park sits just off the N2 between Knysna and Plettenberg Bay and is home to rescued and rehomed elephants. Guided walks let visitors move alongside the herd and feed them, with the emphasis on education and responsible interaction rather than performance.

ARTS AND CULTURE

Inside One Of The World's Great Fossil Landscapes

Relics of a Romantic Past

The Spekboom Valley still bears relics of its romantic gold-rush days, and the reserve around Highland Run carries the hidden stories of that era among the antelope and the birdlife. Walkers and riders come across them without looking very hard.

ARTS AND CULTURE

Oaks, Gardens and a View of the Lagoon

Oaklands on the Knoll was created as a relaxed self-catering base a short stroll from the centre of Knysna, set among oak trees and landscaped gardens with views over the lagoon. The duplex apartments and the leafy setting have kept it a family favourite on the Garden Route.

Good to Know

FAQ

Oaklands on the Knoll sits about 500 metres from the centre of Knysna, which puts the waterfront, the lagoon and the town’s restaurants within easy reach. Beaches, forest trails and the Featherbed ferry are all short trips from the complex.

Oaklands on the Knoll has a games room with a pool table, darts and table-tennis, a clubhouse and a plunge pool. Beyond those shared facilities, the activities are in and around Knysna rather than on the property.

Featherbed sits on the Western Head of the Knysna Lagoon and is reachable only by ferry, which leaves from the town-side terminus at the waterfront. Excursions combine the crossing with a 4×4 drive to the viewpoints and an optional guided walk.

Buffalo Bay is generally considered one of the safest swimming beaches in the Knysna area and is a long-standing family favourite, with lifeguards on the main beach in season. It lies under ten kilometres from Oaklands on the Knoll.

Yes. The Diepwalle section of the Garden Route National Park has three circular trails starting at the forestry station, ranging from an easy nine-kilometre route to a harder seven-kilometre one. All three pass through indigenous forest and yellowwoods.

The Knysna Lagoon and nearby rivers sit within about two kilometres of Oaklands on the Knoll, and anglers fish there for species including grunter, cob and garrick. Conditions in the lagoon suit newcomers as well as experienced rods.

CONNECT

We would love to hear from you.

Please fill out all of the fields below and we will get back to you as soon as possible. All information will be kept confidential.