The Wilderness Hotel is centrally situated along the Garden Route and is about a 45-minute drive to both Mossel Bay (west) and Knysna (east), and a little less than an hour to Oudtshoorn, further inland, so it’s perfectly placed for tour groups and individuals who want a base from which to explore the region.

The city of George is about a 10-minute drive from our front door and the airport is another 10 minutes further on.

The Garden Route and Klein Karoo areas are two of the hotel’s greatest attractions and are a mecca for sport and adventure activities.
Wilderness itself is part of the unfenced Garden Route National Park and has some of its most popular walks and trails.

The Wilderness Hotel is centrally situated along the Garden Route and is about a 45-minute drive to both Mossel Bay (west) and Knysna (east), and a little less than an hour to Oudtshoorn, further inland, so it’s perfectly placed for tour groups and individuals who want a base from which to explore the region.

The city of George is about a 10-minute drive from our front door and the airport is another 10 minutes further on.

The Garden Route and Klein Karoo areas are two of the hotel’s greatest attractions and are a mecca for sport and adventure activities.
Wilderness itself is part of the unfenced Garden Route National Park and has some of its most popular walks and trails.

Wilderness has gained a reputation as an internationally sought after holiday destination. From as early as the 1800’s, Wilderness was renowned for its hospitality and incredible natural beauty.

At the time, a small stone farmhouse was the only structure in the area and through this, the legend of “Wilderness hospitality and goodwill” was created.

A boarding house was established in the old farmstead, which was upgraded to the Wilderness Hostel in 1924 and its reputation further developed from the 1930’s through to the end of the 1950’s.

Later came the Karos Wilderness Hotel until 2001 when it was operated by Protea Hotels and became known as the Protea Hotel Wilderness Resort.

Since 2008 the hotel has suffered a stormy period but has now come full circle and is once again known as The Wilderness Hotel.

During its time Wilderness has played host to many a celebrity and was a stop-over point for Princess Elizabeth during the Royal visit to South Africa in the 1940’s. In the late 1930’s, the Hotel was the location for the meetings of an organisation that today has become known as South African Tourism.

As a bastion of the South African hospitality industry, it is with great pleasure that the management and staff look forward to welcoming you to this historic location.