| Wilderness | |
| Native Name: | Wildernis |
| Pushpin Map: | South Africa Western Cape#South Africa |
| Coordinates: | -33.9833°N 57°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | South Africa |
| Subdivision Type1: | Province |
| Subdivision Name1: | Western Cape |
| Subdivision Type2: | District |
| Subdivision Name2: | Garden Route |
| Subdivision Type3: | Municipality |
| Subdivision Name3: | George |
| Subdivision Type4: | Main Place |
| Established Title: | Established |
| Leader Title: | Councillor |
| Area Footnotes: | [1] |
| Area Total Km2: | 36.97 |
| Population Total: | 6164 |
| Population As Of: | 2011 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Demographics Type1: | Racial makeup (2011) |
| Demographics1 Title1: | Black African |
| Demographics1 Info1: | 12.0% |
| Demographics1 Title2: | Coloured |
| Demographics1 Info2: | 47.2% |
| Demographics1 Title3: | Indian/Asian |
| Demographics1 Info3: | 0.6% |
| Demographics1 Title4: | White |
| Demographics1 Info4: | 38.5% |
| Demographics1 Title5: | Other |
| Demographics1 Info5: | 1.8% |
| Demographics Type2: | First languages (2011) |
| Demographics2 Title1: | Afrikaans |
| Demographics2 Info1: | 68.5% |
| Demographics2 Title2: | English |
| Demographics2 Info2: | 23.7% |
| Demographics2 Title3: | Xhosa |
| Demographics2 Info3: | 4.9% |
| Demographics2 Title5: | Other |
| Demographics2 Info5: | 2.9% |
| Timezone1: | SAST |
| Utc Offset1: | +2 |
| Postal Code Type: | Postal code (street) |
| Postal Code: | 6560 |
| Postal2 Code Type: | PO box |
| Postal2 Code: | 6560 |
| Area Code Type: | Area code |
Wilderness is a seaside town on the Garden Route of the southern Cape in South Africa. It is situated a short distance to the east from the city of George, on the N2 down the Kaaiman's River Pass.
The area around Wilderness has yielded significant palaeoclimatological data on the prehistoric climate of South Africa. Sediment core data from the nearby coastal lake Eilandvlei indicate higher aridity relative to the present day during the intervals spanning ~8,900-7,900 years BP and ~6,400-3,000 years BP, whereas the interval from 7,900 to 6,400 years BP was relatively moist and similar to the present day. Wilderness is known for being the death place of former South African Prime Minister P.W. Botha.[2]