Storms close major South African national park

Severe weather conditions have heightened the risk of flooding across the Garden Route National Park region. The park’s catchment areas are already saturated thus the risk of rapid runoff, flash flooding and infrastructure impact is high.

As such, residents and visitors of the park are advised to remain on high alert.

Here are the visitor activities and facilities to be closed:

Wilderness section – All water-based recreational activities, including canoeing and boating, and hiking trail activities are temporarily closed. Accommodation and camping remain open at the Ebb and Flow Rest Camp.

Touw River and Swartvlei estuary – SANParks follows established estuary management protocols, which prioritise:

• Natural breaching where possible;

• Artificial breaching only when necessary; and

• Decisions guided by water levels, inflows, flood risk, and sea conditions.

Plant machinery is on standby for the duration of the expected severe weather conditions.

Knysna section – All hiking and cycling trails in the Knysna section of the Garden Route National Park are temporarily closed.

Tsitsikamma section – The Otter trail and Waterfall hiking trail are temporarily closed and all guests with Otter trail bookings have been contacted to arrange alternative dates, while accommodation and camping facilities remain open at Storms River Mouth and Nature’s Valley Camp. All water activities at Storms River Mouth rest camp are currently suspended.

The closures and suspension of activities remain in place to protect human life and reduce the risk of damage to infrastructure. The suspensions will only be lifted once the severe weather has passed and conditions are confirmed safe, with updates on reopening to be communicated.