MARCH 2004 – A hiker refreshes in the clear water of the Tsitsikamma Waterfall in the Tsitsikamma National Park in South Africa. © Mark Zanzig/zanzig.com
The story behind the image
Tsitsikamma National Park is one of the small National Parks in South Africa. The masses of tourists who intend to see ‘The Big Five’ (Elephant, Lion, Rhino, Buffalo, and Leopard) usually pass this park, because none of these animals can be found here. 🙂 They head to Addo Elephant Park instead or just skip the Garden Route altogether and travel directly to Kruger National Park.
However, we wanted to experience the beauty and tranquility of a National Park that is situated at the seaside. Tsitsikamma offers several on-site attractions (like the Suspension Bridge or the restaurant) and beautiful hikes.
Another attraction, the so-called Otter Trail, extends from the base camp towards west. It is a five-day hike that closely follows the coastline. At the time of writing, you needed a special permit to access and hike the entire trail. But you may have a glimpse at the wonders of the trail by hiking up to the waterfall. This trail is a free public trail that belongs to the Tsitsikamma National Park and does not require a permit.
At the waterfall, you can take a refreshing swim in the cold and clear water, just like this hiker did.
By the way, the guidebook said “just follow the yellow painted footprints”. This was good advice, but easier said than done: once we completely lost the trail and could be seen scanning the area for the footprints. But, hey, it was fun anyway. So, it’s a good idea to plan about 45 to 60 minutes (one way) for the Waterfall Hike.
Once you’ve reached the waterfall, you may not proceed further west without the Otter Trail permit.
Design ideas
The high resolution image
| Capture Date | 12-MAR-2004 |
| Location | Tsitsikamma National Park, South Africa |
| Camera | Canon AE-1 Program |
| Image Source | Fuji Slide Film |
| Digital Image Source | EPSON Perfection 4870 Photo |
| Digital Image Source Format | TIFF, 48 bits/pixel, sRGB |
| Edited Image Format | JPEG, 24 bits/pixel, sRGB |
| Edited Image Dimensions | 4275 x 6572 Pixels |
| Copyright | © by Mark Zanzig/zanzig.com |
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