One of the best-known attractions in the Tsitsikamma is The Big Tree, one of the giants of the forest and thought to be up to 1000 years old. The Garden Route from the Tsitsikamma through Knysna to Wilderness is famous for its indigenous forests and precious trees, amongst them the Yellowwood. The Outeniqua Yellowwood tree is also South Africa's national tree which makes this particular Outeniqua Yellowwood even more special.
Getting to the Big Tree is very easy. First of all there is a big parking area right next to the N2 highway where you can leave your car. From here its an easy 10 minute walk into the forest on a boardwalk. The walk is only a couple hundred meters each way and a great way to get away from the rush of the main road and get closer to nature. Walking along you get to see what the forest looks like inside and plaques name some of the trees you pass along the way. Suddenly the queen of the forest looms up in front of and over you. A magnificent tree that was spared the woodcutters' axes during the late 19th and early 20th century.
This tree stands 36,6 m tall and has a trunk circumference of 9m. An information board next to the tree gives all the relevant stats. The Big Tree may not be as tall as American Redwood trees or as wide as a Baobab, but she is magestic. I really enjoy seeing people crawl around on the path to find the best angle to try and show her size. I kinda had to do that to take this picture above. From the tree there are two additional trails covering 2,6 km and 4,2 km for those who would like to get in touch with the forest a little bit more. So next time you fly along the N2 through the Tsitsikamma, why not pull over, go and pay homage and grab yourself a Virtual cache while doing so?
As the Big Tree is located within a National Park, an entrance fee is payable.
TO CLAIM THIS VIRTUAL CACHE, THE FOLLOWING ARE REQUIRED:
1: A photo of yourself standing by the Tsitsikamma Big Tree and posted along with your log.
2: Send a message to the CO and tell me how many people according to the sign by the tree, will need to link hands to form a chain around the Big Tree
If either the photo isn't posted or the answer now received within a reasonable time, the log will be deleted.
Virtual Rewards 2.0 - 2019/2020
This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between June 4, 2019 and June 4, 2020. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards 2.0 on the Geocaching Blog.