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Timber township on the Garden Route
Khayalethu Township, Knysna
Barber shop in Khayalethu Township outside Knysna.
© Chris Marais
Did you know?
Khayalethu Township is also home to a Rastafarian community in a section called Judah Square.
Khayalethu Township nestles into the affluent Garden Route village of Knysna in a tumbled jumble of wooden shacks that are easy on the eye - but hard to live in.
That's why, as your guide takes you through this large and colourful settlement, you'll come across swathes of recently built, modern houses beginning to replace the higgledy-piggledy timber dwellings of old.
Looking down from your lookout point in Khayalethu at the upmarket Lagoon developments, you will see why they call Knysna the playground of the rich. And if you follow the journals of 18th Century naturalist Francois le Vaillant, you will know this is where adventurers sat around large fires and cooked exotic dishes like elephant foot for breakfast.
Today, Knysna is a hot tourist spot, with many seasons and festivals.
Penny Mainwaring and Ella Mhlalu are the people behind Emzini Tours. They met at the local Baptist church, hit it off as friends and then formed a business partnership. Penny markets, Ella guides and between them they are raising funds for a soup kitchen and a safe house for abused women and children.
Another accomplished Khayalethu guide is Mawande Kondlo, who runs a b&b and a restaurant called The Roosterkoek ('griddle cake') Shack. This young, enterprising Denzel Washington lookalike, will feed you chicken, chops and the local delicacies of pap and chakalaka before you embark on your drive to the schools and projects of this vibrant township.
One of the highlights of a Khayalethu township tour is a visit to a place called Nekkies ('Little Necks'), also known as Little America. Here you'll meet a Ghanaian gunsmith who now cuts hair for a living, a Malawian tailor who has dreams of being a big businessman, Somalian shopkeepers and a Nigerian restaurateur who married a South African woman 10 years ago - and adds a touch of Lagos magic to his lunches.
Travel tips & Planning info
Who to contact
Contacts:
Emzini Tours:
Tel: +27 (0) 44 382 1087
Mobile: +27 (0) 82 338 6289
Buyambo Tours:
Mobile: +27 (0) 82 294 4906
Email: buyambotours@yahoo.com
How to get here
Your guide will meet you at your accommodations in Knysna.
Around the area
The Garden Route and Tsitsikamma area is packed with adventure options and day drive choices - check with the local tourism offices.
Tours to do
See contacts below.
Get around
Either in your guide's vehicle or, if you prefer, in your own.
What will it cost
About R450pp negotiable, depending on how much time is spent.
Length of stay
Knysna is good for a whole week's holiday - Khayalethu is a half-day tour.
Where to stay
Knysna has many accommodation options. If you want to stay in the township, your guide will find you the best b&b.
What's happening
Knysna has a long festival and event calendar. Check with the local tourism office.