As the weather warms up and spring approaches, thoughts turn to outdoor activities and planning for summer holidays. But with the economy still under pressure, identifying a good value destination isn't always easy.

Storms River Village in the heart of the Tsitsikamma National Park along the Garden Route offers a wide range of reasonably-priced accommodation and a vast array of things to do in the area.

The main attraction in the village is Storms River Adventures, an ideal spot for the active or inactive traveller. Best known perhaps for its tree-top canopy tour, it has recently extended its offering to include a range of fascinating guided forest trails and, for the more laid back, the perfect ‘slow travel’ experience, a tractor driven vehicle that ambles its way through the forest along the old ‘Storms River’ pass with a tasty picnic or snacks on offer at the top.

The new triple adventure — or Eco Combo — ticket is aimed at inspiring visitors to book in advance for the privilege of completing all three of the activities.

At R775 per adult the package offers good value, but if you don’t feel up to doing all three activities, you can select two at a cost of R675 — one of which will be the tree canopy tour.

The Tsitsikamma forest was given its name by the San people. It means the 'place of abundant water' and the high level of moisture is evident in the deep green shades of the forest floor, and in its fascinating ferns.

Storms River Adventures was one of the first companies to be accredited by Fair Trade Tourism South Africa (FTTSA), and in 2008 was recognised in the World Responsible Tourism Awards for the work it has done in community development and poverty alleviation.

This scenically spectacular area is a double-edged sword. While it attracts visitors eager to share its nature, the unspoilt, rural setting means that little or no industry exists to employ local people. It was this that inspired Ashley Wentworth and the Storms River Adventures team to create a viable business model that would use tourism as a platform to provide jobs and generate income, as well as to open up opportunities for skills development. In the long term this will help to make the area more sustainable.

For more details see www.stormsriver.com.


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