Things to do in Storms River
Storms River (aka Stormsrivier) is a cute village by one of the Garden Route National Park entrances, Tsitsikamma Section. There are plenty of things to do in Storms River. The entrance here is close to the Suspension Bridge hike, the Waterfall hike, and paths connecting to the Otter Trail in the national park. Additionally, there are several trails in and around the village to keep you busy.
We spent two nights at Storms River and it was my favorite spot along the Garden Route!
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This post contains affiliate links.
Garden Route Itinerary suggestion:
From Plettenberg Bay, plan to spend 2 nights in Storms River. Upon arrival, check out the town and just relax.
On your full day in Storms River, go on the Waterfall hike and the Suspension Bridge walk at Tsitsikamma. Go kayaking if you’re into that or spend some extra time at the beaches along the suspension bridge hike. Have late lunch/dinner in the village or at your lodging if you brought groceries with you.
The next day on your way out of town, do the short Big Tree Hike and then visit the Bloukrans Bungee Bridge to watch people jump off. Get back on the road and drive to Hermanus—the road trip is almost done!
Things to do in Storms River
Garden Route National Park, Tsitsikamma Section
Hiking
My top suggestion for things to do in Storms River is to go hiking!
Think about if you want to do several small hikes in one day or a couple each day. Consider getting a Wild Card if you plan to do more than one day of hiking. We did the Waterfall Hike (6km, 3 hours, moderate hike) and loved it! Read the full blog post about it.
Combo the Waterfall Hike with the short Suspension Bridge walk. This 2km loop is accessible for most—there are some stairs and people with a fear of walking over swaying bridges may not be as amused though. I saw the young and old (even with a cane!) do the hike.
The Big Tree Hike is a short walk to see an old, big tree. We did this trail as we were leaving town.
Water Activities
You can kayak and “lilo” in the water at Garden Route National Park, Tsitsikamma Section with Untouched Adventures. The kayaking and lilo is a combo 2.5-hour adventure and costs R650/pp. At the end of the trip, you’ll have the opportunity to jump into the water from a cliff!
Or, go Blackwater tubing or paddle boarding in the park!
Visit the art shop and wander the village
Say hi to artist Israel and look through his paintings to purchase one for yourself at the Arts shop. We bought a zebra painting for Sitara since she became obsessed with them on our Gondwana Safari. If you don’t have cash, share your internet with Israel so he can use his yoco machine. He didn’t have data when we visited.
Walk up and down the streets of the village. You may run into some horses!
Be Adventurous
Go Bungee Jumping— Test your bravery at the top of Africa’s biggest bridge: Bloukrans. After you zipline to the middle of the bridge, you’ll be 216 meters above the Bloukrans River. Book your tickets online in advance for the bungee jumping. The jump is on many people’s bucket list. I haven’t done it because I’m too scared but my husband did it several years ago!
Ziplining/ canopy tours— Go on a treetop adventure with ziplining!
If you’re around Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) go on this epic tour to experience the park without anything to organize or to drive yourself!
Drive around on offroad scooters around Storms River for a really unique experience. This is definitely fun for the whole family! Or, level up and go on quadbikes
Scotter/Segway tours— Probably the most unusual of things to do in Storms River is going on a segway tour. I was shocked when we saw a group roll by while we were puttering around the village in what seemed like the middle of nowhere. Go on a 1-hour (R500/pp) or 2-hour (R750/pp) tour in the village and nearby forest.
Where to eat in Storms River
As this was one of our last stops along the Garden Route, we were getting a little tired of eating out and so we didn’t explore any of the restaurants in town. I’m sharing what I had hoped we would go to. Additionally, we passed by these places when we wandered Storms River and the vibe seemed good.
Taste Restaurant and Farmstall— You’ll find this spot right as you turn into the village. Stop in the adjoining visitors center for maps of the area as well.
Woodfired Pizza—Pizza is always a good idea in my opinion.
Tsitsikamma Micro Brewery— The brewery was lively when we visited and seems like a cool spot.
Marilyn’s 60’s Diner— This retro diner in Storms River looks like an institution. Don’t miss out.
Bismillah Cafe— If you’re craving Indian food, Bismillah Cafe, near the supermarket, has a range of dishes. We stopped in to buy some water and Jafar got a chicken samosa. He really enjoyed it and hoped we would go back for more (but we didn’t have the time).
Groceries
You can buy some simple groceries in the village at the “supermarket”. Don’t expect to have a fresh selection of fruits and veggies. Rice, spices, beans, and canned goods are easy to find here.
Note: I bought veggies in Plettenberg Bay at Checkers before making the hour-long drive to Storms River.
Where to stay in Storms River
There are several cute lodging options in Storms River from BnBs, to cabins, and hostels.
Boutique Forest Cabin
We chose to stay in the “Boutique Forest Cabin.” Available on both Booking.com and Airbnb, the cabin was handmade by owner Robert over the course of 2 years. Our host’s mother started a truly spectacular veggie garden and the cabin sits right at the back of their property.
Visitors can forage for berries and salad leaves (like arugula and a lemony flavored leaf). I absolutely loved this.
The cabin can comfortably fit 4 adults. There is a queen-sized bed with a mosquito net (that I was very grateful for), and two single beds. The bathroom has a compostable toilet (meaning we added sawdust every time we used the toilet) and there is also an outdoor shower (though I didn’t want to be naked and afraid).
There is a gas stove and mini-fridge, which was perfect for cooking our breakfasts and dinner.
Tips for visiting Storms River
The ATM in Storms River may not work—we were warned of this by our host before we arrived. Just make note of this in case you need some emergency cash on your trip. I visited the Plettenberg Mall to get some extra cash just in case. We didn’t really need it though except to buy a samosa…