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Walking in South Africa
Whether it’s the solitude of the mountains you’re after, the silence of a forest
track or the joy of heading down to an inviting golden beach from a coastal trail,
South Africa is a wonderful country for walking – a
country of staggering natural beauty yet varied in terrain, and with a climate
conducive to outdoor pursuits.
This article outlines various ways that you can enjoy walking in South Africa.
1) Walking areas
2) When to take a tour & when to go it alone
3) Climate
4) Hiking Trails
5) Walking Accommodation
6) Walking Safaris |
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WALKING AREAS
South Africa offers very varied walking, from classic mountain hikes, to coastal trails and even desert hikes. Unlike most of Africa, many of the South African areas visited by holidays-makers are quite mountainous. The country divides into two distinct regions: the vast interior highveld plateau, and the narrow coastal and 'lowveld' plain. Between the two lies a necklace of rugged mountains. In the northern part of the country, the Savannah grasslands are separated from the sub-tropical bushveld of Mpumalanga and KwaZulu Natal by the awesome Drakensberg mountains. In the southern part of the country, the Cape, the coastal fynbos vegetation is separated from the Karoo semi-desert by the Outeniqua, Tsitsikamma and Cedarberg mountain ranges to name but a few.
Some of our favourites
• The dramatically coloured and weathered mountain rocks of the Cedarberg
Wilderness area are only two hours from Cape Town and are ideal for the cooler months of April to October. This is mountain country with the added attractions of pristine mountain fynbos and ancient San (Bushmen) rock art. The largely dry and sunny climate of the Cedarberg make is ideal for visitors all year round but don’t plan a serious walking tour for mid December to February. It is simply too hot! Why not combine some walking in the Cedarberg with the wild flower season from mid August to mid September?
• The Drakensberg Mountains offers superb mountain scenery, lush green in summer with spectacular waterfalls, woodland and crystal clear streams. There’s a range of walking trails from easy riverside walks to challenging mountain peaks, and it’s easy to combine with the cultural, wildlife and historical sights in KwaZulu Natal. If you are keen on walking we recommend staying at least 3 nights and preferably 4 at one of the Mountain Hotels such as Cathedral Peak, Montusi Mountain Lodge or The Cavern.
• For coastal walking - the Garden
Route offers superb coastal trails as does Hermanus, and also Cape Point on the Cape Peninsula. All of these areas are easy to combine with more general sight-seeing and have a temperate Mediterranean climate. Cape
Town also offers superb mountain walking on and around Table Mountain itself, with wide variety of trails to suit all tastes.
• Further to the east is the magnificent Wild
Coast with its lush vegetation and African cultures. The Garden Route and Wild Coast offer a number of organised walking trails where guests walk
• For something different - try the Richtersveld or Augrabies National Parks in the Northern Cape for dramatic desert scenery and rock formations.
A Note on Wilderness Areas
South Africa has a number of officially designtated wilderness areas, which are not National Parks but which are protected. Some examples are the Wolkberg (`Cloud Mountain') near Tzaneen in the Limpopo province, the Cedarberg mountains north of Cape Town, the Drakensberg mountains in KwaZulu Natal and Malolotja in Swaziland. Nothing is supplied by the land-owner, except access to the land. These areas are usually vast tracks of unspoiled wilderness with game paths or old jeep tracks that are followed and usually require map-reading skills. Accommodation is often available nearby and some of the shorter trails are accessible to day visitors. But if you are planning to stay overnight, you will need to be very experienced hikers in a party of four or more. The criterion for this type of hiking is ‘what you carry is what you have’. Some of the National Hiking Trails are in such areas, for example the Cathedral Peak Two Passes Trail.
WHEN TO TAKE A TOUR AND WHEN TO DO IT UNDER YOUR OWN STEAM
To some degree this is a matter of personal taste. Some people enjoy the extra knowledge that a guide brings to the hike and the camaraderie of walking with others, whilst others enjoy doing their own thing at their own pace.
Our clients certainly reflect that variety. Some opt to take one of our walking tours, others hire a private guide whilst a number simply incorporate some walking into their holiday itinerary. However there are some general points to make:
• Some areas are well documented for walking with walking books easily available at most South African bookshops such as Exclusive Books. The Cape Peninsula and the Garden Route are probably the two most accessible areas followed by the Drakensberg. You can buy one of these paperback books that describe a number of popular walks - the terrain, length and any special requirements. Unlike in Europe you won’t find ‘ordinance survey’ type maps readily available, (except for Table Mountain), but the books do describe the routes in some detail which somewhat compensates. The most popular routes are well marked and well maintained. Other areas may have a number of excellent walking trails but getting decent information as a holiday maker is more difficult.
• If you know you want to walk with a guide, but don’t want to be in an organised group, then staying at one of the Drakensberg Mountain Hotels is a good option. Here you can join the hotel guide on one of their daily walks. These walks have to cater for the variety of people staying at the hotel and so vary in distance and difficulty. One day an easy stroll might be on offer and the next day a strenuous full day hike.
• The Wilderness areas such as the Drakensberg and Cedarberg are remote areas. Overnight hikes, where you are camping out, should be undertaken by very experienced hikers only, and in a party of 4 or more. You would need to provide all your own equipment. It’s worth considering taking a private guide along to provide additional expertise and also to assist with equipment requirements.
Excellent reference guides:
• Mike Lundy’s Best Walks in the Cape Peninsula
• Weekend Trails in the Western Cape by Mike Lundy
• Easy Walks in the Cape Peninsula by Mike Lundy
• Best Walks of the Drakensberg by David Bristow
• Best Hikes in South Africa by David Bristow
• Hiking Trails of South Africa by Sandra and Willie Olivier
CLIMATE
One aspect of walking in South Africa that oftens catches out our clients is the climate – usually the extreme temperatures. The Cedarberg in summer can easily reach the high 30’s and walking up a mountain in such temperatures can become a real ordeal, with the danger of heatstroke, unless you are well prepared. At the other extreme you could be hiking in snow if you are walking in the Drakensberg in June or July. (This is not always the case as I was walking in shorts in the Drakensberg last winter but you never know in mountainous areas.)
The Western Cape has distinct seasons with hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters. If you are interested in full day walks, try to avoid the high summer months of December, January and February. However if you don’t mind starting early, walking is still very enjoyable throughout the summer on the Garden Route and Cape Peninsula. September to November and March to May are perfect walking months whilst June to August can have cold fronts bringing rain.
The Cedarberg broadly shares the same climate but it is much hotter in summer so avoid December to February if you can. Again September to November and March to May are perfect walking months. The winters can bring rain but much less so than in Cape Town so many people enjoy walking throughout the winter but the nights are cold.
The eastern regions of the country have humid, hot summers, especially in the subtropical areas of KwaZulu Natal and Mpumalanga, whilst winters are sunny and dry with cold evenings. You can expect some rain and mist in the summer months but this is usually short-lived. Ideal walking months are April to November.
The Natal Drakensberg is high mountain country and thus is cooler than the rest
of Natal. It can be cold (snow) in June and July.
HIKING TRAILS
In the early 1970s, South Africa started to set aside land for a series of Hiking Trails of anything from two to ten days duration. These have proved extremely popular and most are regularly maintained with hiking huts, clearly marked trails and trail maps provided at registration. The vast majority of the trails are self-guided and there is a limit on the number of people on the trail at any one point. Thus some of the most popular trails can be booked up months in advance. However this does mean that the walks are quiet and unpolluted.
The Otter Trail near Knysna, is one of the most popular and the Amatola trail in the Eastern Cape is the ‘perfect hike’, according to those who have conquered it. There are many other `official' trails all over southern Africa from easy to extremely difficult and everything in between. It is not advisable to embark on a trail alone, and a minimum group size of three people is recommended.
When choosing a trail, consider the following factors in addition to the scenic appeal of the area:
• Degree of difficulty - You are responsible for ascertaining the competence and fitness of your party. The walks can be deceptive – for example the Otter Trail is quite tough because you are constantly heading up or down steep headlands.
• Facilities - These range from none on wilderness trails to huts with electricity and hot and cold running water. Please ensure that you know what to expect.
• Seasonality - You should take into account rain, wind, cold and heat. This will obviously influence your selection of trail and clothing for that trail.
• Circularity - Only a few of the Hiking Trails are circular, most are linear. For some of the linear trails, marked below with a T, transport can be arranged back to your vehicle. For the more remote trails, you will need to have two vehicles, one at each end of the trail.
Accommodation
The accommodation is usually in walking huts equipped with bunk beds and mattresses, sometimes cooking utensils and sometimes a cooker. The toilets may be ‘long drops’. They are pretty basic! Occasionally lesser facilities are provided, such as a cave, and occasionally superior accommodation is on offer. The Trail Outline will prepare you for what to expect.
Availability
The really popular trails such as the Otter Trail and the Wilderness Trails in the Game parks usually require booking one year ahead. The other trails e.g. Tsitsikamma, Outeniqua are also popular, but you can often squeeze in if you are a little flexible about dates and which trail to book.
Trail Information
On booking, you are sent the trail information that includes a map. The hiking trails are very well marked and so it is highly unlikely that you would get lost but on coastal trails you will need to be very aware of tides.
Download our List of Favourite Hiking Trails - Click
Here [Microsoft Word Format]
WALKING ACCOMMODATION
Our website lists some of the best hotels for walking in South and Southern Africa. Each hotel has been given a walking rating. Three walking star indicates that hotels/lodges are in the middle of good walking areas such as the Drakensberg or Cedarberg mountains where you can walk right from the lodge if you want. Hotels with two walking stars are also in a good walking area, though not necessarily known only for its walking, and usually with 1 or 2 marked walks from the lodge. Hotels and lodges with one walking star are located in areas with walking trails on offer but you’d have to drive to the start of most of them. For example a lodge in some parts of the Garden Route would fit in this category.
This is a hyperlink to our website walking accommodation page
WALKING SAFARIS
For any adventurous adult, a walking safari has to be the ultimate wildlife experience!
The ‘walking safari’ is a concept unique to Africa, as it is a walk in the company of a game ranger, usually armed, through big game country. Even the vantage point of an open landrover can sometimes seem a barrier between you and a true experience of the African Bush. There is nothing to compare with the exhilaration of walking through the Veld, while your ranger explains the way in which the bark of one tree may be used as a toothbrush, and the leaves of another can be distilled to make a formidable alcoholic drink! This is primarily a way of getting more closely acquainted with the smaller game and animals of the bush, to gain a deeper understanding of the whole ecosystem rather than a strenuous walking experience, thus you do not need to be in top physical condition though general fitness will add to your enjoyment. However, it is always possible to come upon a herd of buffalo or rhino, so a walking safari can be an exhilarating adventure as well as a relaxing way of spending a few days!
There are a number of private walking safaris available both in South Africa and in neighbouring countries of Botswana, Zimbabwe and particularly Zambia. Let us know your requirements and we’ll make a recommendation.
The National Parks Board and Natal Parks Board offer several guided safari walks in the Kruger Park and in the Hluhluwe-Umfolozi National Park. These walks typically take from 3 to 4 days and are led by armed rangers. You are sleeping in rustic bush camps every night and all food and sleeping equipment is provided. The Kruger Park trails are exceptionally popular and bookings are often booked out 12 months in advance, however the KwaZulu Natal trails are usually more accessible.
Download our List of Guided Trails - Click
Here [Microsoft Word Format]
In the Kruger National Park
The Kruger National Park offers seven trails, conducted in the most spectacular wilderness area of the Park and offer walkers a never-to-be-forgotten experience.
Bushman Trail
The Bushman Trail camp is situated close to Berg-en-Dal in a secluded valley, where the landscape is characterised by awe-inspiring granite mountains and hills. Bushman paintings and sites reflecting evidence of past habitation, are features of this trail. White rhino, elephant and buffalo are among the animals frequently sighted.
MetsiMetsi Trail
The trail camp nestles against the eastern foot of the Nwarmuriwa Mountain near Tshokwane in a landscape of undulating savanna, rocky gorges and ravines. The Nwaswitsontso River is one of the few permanent sources of water during the dry winter months and therefore attracts an abundance of wildlife - especially elephant. This is in the southern central section of the Park.
Napi Trail
The Napi Trail runs through the area midway between Skukuza and Pretoriuskop in mixed bushveld. The trail camp lies sheltered in the lush riverine bush on the banks of the confluence of the Napi and Mbyamiti spruits. The undulating terrain, granite hills and high resident white rhino population typify the area. Black rhino, lion, leopard, cheetah, wild dog, buffalo and elephant are also frequently sighted.
Nyalaland Trail
The Nyalaland Trail winds its way through one of the prime wilderness areas of southern Africa, with its fever trees, baobab forests, prolific birdlife and spectacular views. The trail camp has been erected on the banks of the Madzaringwe Spruit north of Punda Maria, close to the Luvuvhu River that is in the far northern section of the Park. Hippo, crocodile, elephant, buffalo, fishing owls and nyala abound.
Olifants Trail
The Olifants Trail camp is located on the southern bank of the Olifants River and affords a magnificent view of a beautiful stretch of this perennial river which ultimately flows through Mozambique into the sea. The landscape varies from riverine bush and gorges to the foothills of the Lebombos. Lion, buffalo, elephant, crocodile, hippo and many bird species are often sighted. Central section of the Park.
Sweni Trail
The Sweni Trail introduces trailists to the wilderness area near Nwanetsi. The trail camp overlooks the Sweni Spruit and provides a view of the surrounding grass plains with marula and knobthorn trees. This area is well-known for its large herds of zebra, wildebeest and buffalo, which, in turn, attract predators such as lion and spotted hyaena.
Wolhuter Trail
The trail camp is situated midway between the Berg-en-Dal and Pretoriuskop restcamps
in the southern section of the park - the heart of white rhino country. Features
of the area are the gently undulating bushveld plains with their distinctive
rocky outcrops such as the sentinel-like Mangakekop. Walks along some of the
riverbanks such as the Mlambane Spruit, frequently result in good sightings of
elephant, black- and white rhino, buffalo, lion, leopard and zebra.
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