Top wildlife attractions near Plettenberg Bay

The Crags Elephant Sanctuary

The Crags Elephant Sanctuary located 25km from Plettenberg Bay, gives you a unique opportunity to interact with these gentle giants of Africa. The sanctuary offers close and personal educational tours and focuses on interaction, guests not only learn a lot about elephants, they also get to touch, feel, feed, walk trunk-in-hand and even ride these magnificent animals. A magical experience, not to be missed when passing through The Crags.

Monkeyland

"Monkeyland is the worlds first free roaming multi-specie primate sanctuary". This sanctuary offers safaris conducted tours by experienced rangers through a large indigenous forest that is now the home to some of the following primates: Black Lemur, Black & White Ruffed Lemur , Ringtail Lemur, White-handed Gibbon, Tufted or Brown Capuchin, Common Marmoset, Cottontop Tamarin, Golden-handed Tamarin, Douroucouli or Northern Grey-necked Owl Monkey, Spectacled Langur, Black-handed Spider Monkey, Common Squirrel Monkey, our indiginous Vervet Monkey's and Bushbabies.

Monkeyland has a great restaurant and curio shop, is situated 16km east of Plettenberg Bay and is a must see attraction.

Tips for visitors: Take warm clothing as the forest can sometimes be chili. Keep a tight hand on all loose items like camera, wallet, sunglasses and the likes, the monkey's are very nautghy and often scale things from visitors. When doing the guided tour, be sure to spray mosquito replant available at reception, or the mosquitoes will eat you alive.

Birds of Eden

Birds of Eden is the worlds largest free flight bird sanctuary. The unique two hectare dome spans a large section of indigenous forest adjacent to the ever popular Monkeyland primate sanctuary. "The dome incorporates the ability to synthesize thunder and create short spells of rain from an irrigation system in the dome structure."

Tips for travelers: You should be warmly dressed when visiting Birds of Eden as the forest can sometimes be rather chili, other items not to be forgotten are a good pair of binoculars and a camera.

Without a doubt Birds of Eden, situated 16km from Plettenberg Bay is a must see.

Lawnwood Snake Sanctuary

For those of you who are easily freaked out by slithery creatures, Lawnwood Snake Sanctuary might not be the best place to stop. This small family run snake sanctuary is equipped for large groups and offers the following. 1 hour guided tour consisting of an indigenous snake pit, a boomslang exhibit, a monitor lizard enclosure, a large dome housing South African & exotic snakes, followed by a huge python room, housing giant pythons. Lawnwood Snake Sanctuary is the perfect place to get rid of your mother inlaw ;-) Ok jokes aside, Lawnwood is a great attraction for the whole family and is very educational.

Tenikwa Wildlife Awareness Centre

Tenikwa is a wildlife awareness centre offering guests a unique wildcat experience. The centre is home to captive-bred Cheetah, Caracal, Serval, Meerkat, African Wild Cat and Black footed cats. Tenikwa also runs a Wildlife Rehabilitation Program for any injured and abandoned animals found and brought into the centre. If wild cats are your thing, then a trip to The Crags would not be complete without visiting Tenikwa.

Situated 16-18km from Plettenberg Bay.

Plettenberg Bay Game Reserve

The Plettenberg Bay Game reserve located a few kilometers outside Plett, is a Malaria free game reserve offering visitors the chance to see some of the the Big 5 up close and personal. This 2000 ha private game park has over 35 species of animals including, Lion, Leopard, Rhino, Buffalo, Hippo, Giraffe. This surely is a must do when visiting the Garden Route, especially if you will not be going to The Kruger National Park while you are in South Africa.

Buffalo Hills Game Reserve & Lodges

Buffalo Hills located along the Bitou River near Plettenberg Bay, South Africa, is a 800ha upmarket malaria free Game farm. The ranch has quite a few large mammal species including buffalo and rhino. The ranch offers luxury accommodation and this is a great place to visit when in Plett, giving you a little bit of both worlds.