A 500-metre wooden boardwalk through the indigenous forest near Storms River led us to one of the area’s most famous natural landmarks: The Big Tree, an ancient Outeniqua yellowwood (Podocarpus falcatus), South Africa’s national tree. Located in the Tsitsikamma Forest along the spectacular Garden Route, this impressive giant is estimated to be between 800 and 1,000 years old. Standing approximately 36.6 metres tall, with a trunk circumference of around 9 metres, it is a remarkable living testament to the region’s ancient forests.
The Big Tree is also the starting point for the Ratel Nature Walk, a network of colour-coded trails offering several options for exploring the surrounding forest. The shortest is a 1-kilometre green boardwalk route, while the yellow trail extends for 2.6 kilometres and the red trail for 4.2 kilometres. Beneath the dense forest canopy, visitors may encounter wildlife such as vervet monkeys, baboons and bushpigs, while lucky birdwatchers might spot the colourful Knysna turaco.
However, one thing caught us by surprise: even this short walk to see the tree requires passing through an entrance gate, where we were charged a rather steep 96 ZAR per person. While the ancient yellowwood is undoubtedly impressive, we couldn’t help feeling the price was a little excessive for such a brief, straightforward visit.
Parking location – Tsitsikamma: 33.9814624S 24.0082903E (🅿️100 ZAR)