"Mountains, Forest, Lakes, & Beach at... " a Wilderness Travel Page by Rasta_Rob

In 1997, my wife and I took a classic steam train trip from Cape Town to Knysna, passing through a small town and lake district known as Wilderness. Eight years later, we returned to Africa with our 3-year old son on a family vacation, and spent a week relaxing in this natural paradise. If Cape Town is Africa's answer to San Francisco, then Wilderness is its Carmel-by-the-Sea. The mountains, lush forests, walking trails and boardwalks, and spectacular beaches make Wilderness a "must see" stop on any trip to the Western Cape.

One of the most memorable day trips one can make in the Western Cape is to ride the Outeniqua Tjoe-Choo train from George to Knysna. The three-hour trip takes you through some of the most spectacular scenery on the entire African continent, and the journey ends at the new and very luxurious Knysna Waterfront, where the seafood restaurants serve some of the freshest oysters on the planet.