In the Crags, on the Garden Route of South Africa you will find 'The Elephant Sanctuary'. Founded by Chris Kruger, the Elephant Sanctuary is a sort of halfway house for elephants that have nowhere to go to.

The elephants all have different backgrounds. One of them was previously a pet for 11 years (believe it or not), some of them came out of Botswana, and still others were up for culling in the Kruger National Park. The idea is to re-introduce them to the wild, once they are older at private nature reserves.

Each elephant at the moment has its own handler, which it has formed a close relationship with.

Visitors can come on a one hour guided 'trunk in hand' elephant walk through the forest, where you'll get up close and personal with the elephants and even get to touch the elephans. This is followed by a feeding session where you get 'to thank' the elephants and feed them titbits like butternut.

You will also get  a 15 minute lecture on elephant anatomy and some interesting facts about these creatures.

Although there are arguments for and against close human contact, the Elephant Sanctuary maintains that nobody really knows for sure.

The Elephant sanctuary is open to the public every day of the week, weather permitting.

In 2001 founders Len and Mandy Freeman bought an undeveloped 46 ha piece of land in the Crags, on the Garden Route of South Africa. They started out with one little hut on the property, taking in their first injured and problem animals and nursing them back to health. Their ability to heal and rehabilitate animals quickly became known and before long they were receiving injured wild animals of all kinds.

This lead to Tenikwa registering as a fully fledged rehabilitation centre with Cape Nature Conservation. Subsequently more animals including birds, penguins, bats as well as wild cats started ending up at Tenikwa. One of these species, the cararcal is particularly persecuted in South Africa, with numbers declining at a rapid rate. Len explains that it is due to ignorance that these cats get killed and that there are in fact many alternatives to killing.

Hence, the awareness centre came into existence, with the objective of making people aware and educating them about the true nature of these animals and methods of conserving these species for future generations to see.

Nature's Way Farm stall is situated about 7 kilometers down the R102 to Natures Valley in the Crags on the Garden Route of South Africa.

Loredo is famous for its Jersey cows, and produces great quality milk and cheeses. Here you can buy fresh farm milk, provided you bring your own container.

A variety of cheeses are available for both tasting and purchase. Typical to farm stalls it is stocked with a variety of fresh produce from the area, including cold meats and deli, fresh bread and eggs, fruit and veg, preserves, olive oils jams bakes and much more.

In the late afternoon, you can come and watch the cows being milked, or just come for a light lunch and tea.

It is an excellent place to stock up for lunch, if you are planning to do one of the beautiful hikes in the area.

Location

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Founders Mike and Emily Caithness started Lawnwood Snake Sanctuary as a hobby due to their passion for snakes. People would call from all across the country when they find snakes on their property, and ask for it to be removed. Thats how it all started.

Today, Lawnwood boasts over 200 snakes and has been turned into a commercial venture, offering one hour guided tours to visitors.

The tour is designed to educate people about snakes, dispell irrational fears that people have about snakes. Visitors will also get the chance to touch a giant tame leguaan and see it feed on chicken pieces.

Mike and Emily have a wealth of knowledge about snakes, so that at the end of the tour you would be able to identify different species of snakes, understand the difference between the different types of venom (proteolytic, cytotoxic, neurotoxic and hemotoxic), and what to do if you get bitten by these snakes.

This is a relatively easy hike, which starts at the top of the valley and decends gradually down to the Saltriver estuary, along the coast and then up (more effort) past a beautiful viewpoint of Nature's Valley.

Driving from the N2 National road (coming from Plettenberg Bay side), take the first R102 turn-off towards Natures Valley.

Follow the road for 7.9 kms until you see a picnic spot with chairs and tables on the right of the road (You'll see a sign saying "Feeding of Baboons prohibited" on the left side of the road right opposite it) 

Park your car here, remove valuables, 

grab your gear and duck underneath the boom  (err chain) you'll see in front of you to get onto the path. After a short walk (10-15 mins) you'll reach a fork. Follow it to the left towards Saltriver. You'll pass by many species of Fynbos and have beautiful views of the Tsitsikamma mountains to your left.

This gives way to the forest with Keurboom, Candlewood and some Yellowwood trees. You'll notice many bird species and might see bushbuck or see evidence of bushpig.

Between the Tsitsikamma forest and Keurbooms river on the Garden Route, lies the community of the Crags.

The Crags is inhabited by a group of very artistic and creative individuals.

Here you’ll find lots of arts and craft markets, a monkey, elephant,  bird and snake sanctuary, as well as a rehabilitation center for wild cats. You can go on many pristine nature walks and indulge in the excellent cuisine on offer in the area.

Accommodation comes in all styles from top end hotels, bed and breakfasts, country lodges to backpackers and camping. You can get a variety of cheese, home produce and farm milk at the Nature’s Way farm stall or taste the local wines at the Bramon Wine Estate.

For adrenalin junkies there’s the world’s highest bungee jump at 216 meters and polo for the aristocrats. The Barnyard theatre has regular shows, with South Africa’s finest  showing off their talent on stage.

33º South Backpacers is situated smack bam in the middle of the suburb of Observatory in Cape Town. Observatory got its name from being the location of the first Royal Star Observatory by the British in 1820. Throughout apartheid years Observatory was always known as a very liberal 'grey' area with a mix of all colors and races as its inhabitants.

Today it is very popular with students and seems to attract a very creative bunch of individuals. You will find arts, music and culture to be the key idol in this area. It is laced with coffee shops, bars, rustic little restaurants and many art and antique stores.

33º South used to be an old student house in Obs (as locals refer to it) and got transformed in 2007 into a boutique backpackers, by founders Kim Whitaker and Cindy Taylor.

It is conveniently located within close walking distance to all the entertainment and nightlife Obs has to offer. The backpackers mirrors the artistic approach of so many things in Observatory and therefore also seems to attract those with artistic incline.

Serendipity comes in strange flavours. After a whole day of filming the release of a wild caracal, Martina and Paula Keane an amazing musical Irish Duo (without a name ), arrived at Wild Spirit Lodge. Therefore I shall name them by what they sing ... Gentle Hearts

This song, really touches the heart.. Its depth ponders on the blindness of us all as gentle beings...and hearing this change a teardrop into a crystal...

Besides for the Kruger National Park and Cape Town, the Garden Route is probably one of the most known and popular tourist destinations in South Africa. The Garden Route stretches for about 200 kilometres all the way along the Southern Cape Coast, from Mossel Bay in the West to Stormsriver in the East, although there is still dispute as to its exact borders. It includes towns such as Mossel Bay, George, Wilderness, Oudtshoorn (although this town is considered to be in the Klein Karoo), Sedgefield, Knysna, Plettenberg Bay, Natures Valley and Stormsriver Village.

 It is nestled between the Tistsikamma and Outeniqua mountains and bordered by the Indian Ocean. Many lakes, lush indigenous forests with yellowwood trees (some thousands of years old),  beautiful fynbos, flowers, prestine beaches and abundance of wildlife give it its deserving name.