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Pezula Resort Hotel & Spa offers a host of sporting and recreational activities

Located on the Eastern Head of Knysna on the exquisite Garden Route coast of South Africa's Western Cape and just a 40-minute flight from Cape Town, Pezula Resort Hotel & Spa is surrounded by rugged cliffs, ancient forests and sheltered beaches. With sweeping views of the Pezula Championship Golf Course, Indian Ocean and Knysna Lagoon, it is a haven of privacy and luxury.

With its superb location, the hotel has taken advantage of its proximity to the sea, indigenous forests and the pristine Noetzie River, to provide guests with a number of exhilarating outdoor activities and opportunities to discover the beauty of the area's natural environment.

From guided nature trails through the rehabilitated landscape of the adjacent Pezula Private Estate, to bird watching, horse-riding, canoeing, tennis or golf, there is something for everyone, regardless of age and fitness levels.

The Bushpig hike and canoe excursion is designed so that guests can enjoy the exquisite natural beauty of Pezula. The trail combines a 3km downhill hike through indigenous forest, followed by a breathtaking canoe along the Noetzie River and finishing at the secluded Noetzie beach. This is a two hour trip and on request, the hotel will arrange a picnic to enjoy on the beach afterwards. The cost of the excursion is R200 per person (approx. £15), excluding the cost of the picnic.

The Boma (South African term for a purpose built traditional hut in the bush) hike is a similar excursion, involving a circular route. The hike starts at the Stables & Barnyard and proceeds past the Boma into the valley towards the north eastern corner of Pezula Private Estate. The trail is 4.5km long and takes, on average, two hours to complete. The scenery is breathtaking, with spectacular vistas from the lookout platform near the Boma and along the Noetzie River. Shorter guided hikes can also be arranged.

Guests also have the option of exploring the estate on horse-back, on one of Pezula's Cape Riding Horses. Placid and well-schooled, the horses offer an enjoyable and comfortable ride for riders of all levels, even those with little or no previous experience. The cost for a 1½ hour outride is R250 (approx. £19) per adult and R150 (approx. £11) per child aged 7-12.

One of Pezula's most exciting projects, the Field of Dreams, is progressing on schedule. The Field of Dreams will bring world-class coaching in tennis and cricket to Pezula, as well as superb recreational facilities for hotel guests. The international sized cricket oval, with seating embankments surrounding it, can be used for a variety of sports, including soft ball, Ultimate Frisbee and soccer.

The tennis complex has four world-class all-weather courts. Tennis coaching is provided by Gary Muller, Sports Director for the Field of Dreams and South Africa's former No 1 tennis player, who has coached a number of professional players, including Jonas Bjorkman, winner of three Wimbledon titles. Coaching starts at R250 (approx. £19.50) per hour for individual coaching and R300 (approx. £23.50) for groups of up to three people.

The 300m golf driving range with target greens includes a bunker and chipping area. Proposed for the near future is the Academy Course (par 3 holes), a putting green and the computer based programme, "Flightscope", which uses sensors to capture your ball's flight path, compares the average results of each club to determine which performs better for you and produces graphical representations of each shot's characteristics and printouts of your sessions.

Other activities at Field of Dreams include archery and pétanque.

For sand and wave lovers, Noetzie beach is a haven of bird and sea life. Take a leisurely stroll along the shore, spot the protected Black Oystercatcher and, for the lucky, a school of jumping dolphins or a pod of frolicking whales. For the sporty there is beach bat and ball and Frisbee or a lazy canoe trip up the Noetzie River.

Complimentary transfers from the hotel are available to all of these activities.

Children are also catered for at the resort. Sport based obstacle courses and games designed to teach hand-eye coordination and ball skills can be organised at the Field of Dreams. The animal touch farm at the Stables & Barnyard offers children the opportunity to interact with a whole variety of furry friends.

Weather permitting, the hotel will arrange an outdoor picnic or barbeque for guests at the Boma or on the beach.

The 18-hole Pezula Championship Course, with its spectacular views of the Indian Ocean and Knysna Lagoon, offers a golf experience that is both rewarding and challenging. Its sweeping fairways and greens roll through the pristine southern Cape landscape, the succession of forest, cliff and sea locations delighting golfers as much as the challenges of the course and calling for the full range of shots. Some holes are built right on the breach of the cliffs.

Golf carts are essential in the undulating terrain and on arrival, players will find their name on their golf cart and locker. The course recently became the first South African golf course to install a Global Positioning System (GPS) and each golf cart is fitted with a colour GPS screen which provides players with complete rate of play management and professional tips specific to every hole.

The stylishly appointed Pezula Clubhouse has a terrace, a top-class restaurant, a bar and half way restaurant. A well-stocked golf shop and a short game practice area complete the facilities available. The Shareholders' Lounge incorporates a plush private lounge with library.

After a day's hiking and sporting action, indulge yourself at the award-winning Pezula Spa & Gym. Named Best Resort Hotel Spa in South Africa in 2005 by Les Nouvelles Esthetiques, it boasts a 12m heated indoor pool, sauna, steam room, outdoor Jacuzzi, state of the art gymnasium, nine therapy rooms, a nail bar, hair salon and post-treatment room with heated water beds that massage the body into a final state of relaxation. The superb facilities and hi-tech equipment are complimented by a team of highly trained professionals.

Pezula Signature Treatments harness age-old remedies of nature and offer a unique fusion of therapies. Scrubs, wraps, massages, steam baths, milk baths, and hydrotherapy are orchestrated to take you through a sensory experience that creates a feeling of total relaxation and serenity .

Products used for signature treatments form part of the Maruwa collection, a uniquely African range of body treatment products incorporating ingredients and essential essences garnered from the indigenous fynbos of the Western Cape.