Nature's Valley and the surrounding Coastline, was occupied by Old Stone Age or Paleolithic, 1 Million Years ago. Paleolithic man lived in the Area in caves and under overhangs, collecting food in the tidal zone and hunting for a rich variety of wildlife. Various glacial periods interrupted this coastal occupation, San hunter-gatherers lived in this Area from about 10,000 years ago until they were displaced by Khoikhoi herders from the interior about 400 years ago the Qua and later the Outeniqua (Strandloper) peoples lived here. After the completion of the Groot River Pass by Thomas Bain in the 1880’s, three families settled in the Valley. Later, Hendrik Barnardo became the sole owner of all the Land, which he then farmed. He allowed the first holiday shack to be erected in 1918 and in 1936 sold about 250,000 square metres to a syndicate of nine families. A Township was declared in 1953. Electricity was connected only in 1986. Today the Village comprises the original 426 erven with 397 houses, the majority being wooden structures. The nearest other small Community is in Covie, on the beautiful fynbos covered Plateau 8 km to the East, where about one hundred live. Natures Valley is flanked by an escarpment on one side and the Indian ocean on the other side and it forms part of the Tsitsikamma National Park and the Mouth of the Groot River at the bottom of the Groot River Pass.
The Otter Trail is a five (5) day hiking trail which starts at the Storms River Mouth Rest Camp and ends at the small resort village of Natures Valley in the de Vasselot section of the Park.
Possibly the best part about staying in Nature's Valley is that, despite its being on the Garden Route and in spite of its overwhelming beauty, it has managed to remain relatively ‘undiscovered'. The peaceful valley, some 29 kilometres from Plettenberg Bay, lies virtually in the heart of the Tsitsikamma Forest, the site of monkey ropes, old man's beard dangling from trees, a beautiful lagoon surrounded by mountains and forest, and miles of unspoilt white beaches - arguably the most beautiful part of this coastline.
In Nature's Valley lies a small village, a little hamlet of 50 houses, permanently occupied by its residents who have managed to minimise any development that might spoil the area. The village lies virtually at the mouth of the Groot River at the bottom of the Groot River pass on a lagoon, and one speculates that it is the road that wends its way through the pass in an impressive example of multiple hairpin bends that may account for the lower numbers of visitors to this part of the world. There is only a convenience store to hinder your nature experience!
Nature's Valley forms part of the Tsitsikamma National Park. Here the mountains are densely overgrown, and forests and deep river ravines making it virtually impassable to travel by ox wagon in the old days - hence the road. It is also the end of the Otter Trail, one of South Africa's flagship hikes that navigates 42 kilometres of craggy coastline from Storms River before stopping here.
Nature's Valley has only one shop, no banks, and definitely no shopping malls. There are scenic walks and hikes in the area through rainforest, along cliffs and through dry river beds, and if you haven't got your boots with you, then canoeing down the river or simply sitting and drinking in the beauty, are other mandatory activities.
