Wilderness, Western Cape

Wilderness
Wilderness Location in the Western Cape
Wilderness
Coordinates: 33°59′S 22°35′E
Country	South Africa
Province	Western Cape
District	Eden
Municipality	George
Area
• Total	2.58 km2 (1.00 sq mi)
Population (2001)
• Total	371
• Density	144/km2 (370/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2001)
• Black African	4%
• Coloured	2.4%
• White	93.5%
First languages (2001)
• Afrikaans	50.7%
• English	46.1%
• Xhosa	2.4%
• Other	0.8%
Time zone	SAST (UTC+2)

The Outeniqua Choo Tjoe crossing the Kaaimans River into Wilderness

Wilderness (Afrikaans: Wildernis) is a seaside town on the Garden Route of the southern Cape in South Africa.

It is situated a short distance east from the city of George, on the N2 down the Kaaiman's River Pass. It is known for its long white sand beach and lagoons. The town caters mostly to holiday-makers and is situated directly on the Touw River Lagoon.

The town experiences an extremely mild climate, typical of the Garden Route and has little temperature variation, seldom dropping below 10 °C and above 28 °C, with year-round rainfall. The flora type is Afromontane gallery forest.

The Outeniqua Choo Tjoe steam train originally ran through the town en route between George and Knysna during its years of operation.

Wilderness was the home of the former State President of South Africa, P.W. Botha, until his death in 2006.

The town of Wilderness from the Kaaiman's River Pass incline