Knysna Information and Accommodation

When you think of Knysna, the mind conjures up images of beautiful, tranquil lakes, wonderful sun drenched beaches and enchanting indigenous forests.

The word Paradise comes to mind! 

Nestled in the heart of the Garden Route, the town of Knysna was built around it’s well known lagoon.
 
Knysna has literally exploded into a vibrant town. It has become a magnet for arts & crafts and, due to a host of wonderful shops and malls it is nowadays also quite the shoppers paradise. Flea markets, coffee shops, café’s and craft shops are amongst the many shops found here, and all of them just beckons the traveler to explore. Throughout the boom period, Knysna has managed to hold on to it’s small town charm, so even though it becomes busy during peak holiday periods, you still feel that you are away from the busy city.
 
If you are the more outdoor type, Knysna offers breath taking beaches, rivers, mountains and forests that offers activities ranging from being totally lazy in the beach to something for even the most daring adventure seekers.
 
Knysna is well known for the quality of it’s furniture and timber products. Lovers of fine furniture are certain to lose their hearts on world class handcrafted ingenious timber furniture at the local furniture manufacturer showrooms.
 
The forests around Knysna is home to the only forest elephant in South Africa. The Knysna seahorse is found here as well as the Pansy Shell. Bird lovers will drool over the gorgeous Knysna Lourie. 

Knysna Oyster Festival

Knysna is of course famous for it’s world class home grown oysters and hosts a yearly Oyster Festival. If oysters are your thing – don’t miss the next one!
 
During early times travelers and settlers referred to the river as The Knysna, not the town per se. Knysna is a Khoi word and scholars are still arguing about the exact meaning, but generally lean towards the fact that it probably symbolizes water. The river opens onto the large tidal estuary and then mixes with the ocean’s salt water between two rocky promontories today known as The Heads.
 
With its moderate climate, indigenous forests, wonderful restaurants, a host of activities longer than the average man’s arm, lots of great accommodation and overall small town cozy feel, Knysna offers the perfect holiday destination to tourists and visitors.

Knysna History

During the 17th century early Dutch settles displaced the Khoisan people who inhabited the Garden Route from Stone Age times. A local river was named by the Hottentots, using a word that sounded like “Knysna” to the untrained ears of early European Settlers.
 
The vast forests surrounding Knysna offered a treasure trove of timber used in the ship building industry, as well as for wagons and buildings. The ancient indigenous forests whisper tales of ancient hunters and gatherers during times when Man’s most modern weapons were still roughly made bows and arrows and knives made from stone. 

Abbreviated Historical Overview of Knysna

 1804: A timber merchant and the founder of Knysna by the name of George Rex purchased the farm Melkhoutkraal, thereby effectively taking ownership of all the land surrounding the lagoon. 
 
1817: Knysna became a port for commercial and naval ships for supplying the area and during later years also for the transporting of timber to other countries.
 
1870: Arnt Leonard Thesen and his family moved from Norway to Knysna where they set up the first trading store and counting house. 
 
1876: James Hooper found a gold nugget weighing 17 penny-weight in a river bed on his farm Ruigtevlei. This prompted authorities to grant 100 Pounds towards further prospecting. 
 
1881: The settlements of Melville and Newhaven united to form the town of Knysna.  
 
 1880's: 3,400 hectares of pristine forest was purchased by an industrialist from Birmingham by the name of George Parkes to provide a source of wood for his factory which was producing edge tools. He established the first primitive sawmill in the forest and a mill conveniently situated in the centre of Knysna.
 
1885: The search for gold recommenced in the Karatara River after years of postponement and proved to be a successful venture. Many fortune seekers descended on the Millwood area over the next 10 years, until it ceased to be a lucrative operation. 
 
1904: Charles Wilhelm Thesen bought Paarden Island (part of the Melkhoutkraal Estate) and began processing timber on the island (now Thesen Island) in 1922.