Up the Outeniqua Mountains and Along the Knysna Lagoon

This morning we took the George Power Van up into the Outeniqua Mountains, and what an amazing experience it was. The scenery was absolutely stunning, with the mountain passes being something else.

There was commentary throughout the journey, telling us about the history of the area as well as the flowers, trees and wildlife. The views were impressive as the Power Van climbed steeply through the wooded area and then onto the mountain passes.

We stopped for half an hour on the way back down for a picnic, and the whole trip took around two and a half hours. You could clearly see the old oxen path over the mountain range, giving us an idea of just how difficult travelling through these mountains must have been in the past.

We went through seven tunnels and saw waterfalls along the way. We also came across a road similar to the Swartberg Pass we travelled on earlier in the trip. Unfortunately, this one is currently closed due to damage, but it is hopefully going to reopen in a few months. It was a shame we could not take it, although by now we are becoming quite experienced at driving these mountain passes!

We then drove to Knysna for a trip on the lagoon. As we were the only ones booked on the trip, we were upgraded to a lovely little wooden speedboat. We enjoyed an hour and a half cruising around the lagoon, which is open to the Indian Ocean.

There was plenty to see, with seals playing in the water, people water skiing, kayaking and fishing. There were also some lovely homes around the lagoon. We were told that only those with houses are allowed on the eastern side.

A few years ago, the area suffered a devastating fire which killed several people and burnt down a lot of homes. Many of the properties have since been rebuilt. Our skipper gave us a very good commentary throughout the cruise, explaining more about the history of the lagoon and the surrounding area.

After the boat trip, it was another 30-minute drive to our stop for the night, Plettenberg Bay, which is a lovely seaside village.

We also met a lovely couple from Johannesburg on the Power Van. They are farmers and we had a good old chat about all sorts of things, including, of course, good old Donald Trump!

Another fantastic day exploring South Africa, taking in the mountains, waterfalls and lagoon before ending the day in Plettenberg Bay.