HIKING
TOURS
South Africa is a hiker’s
paradise with many wildly beautiful and remote places only
accessible by donning a pair of hiking boots. Scenic mountain
ranges, dramatic coastlines, canyons and bushveld make for
some superb hiking vacations.
There are many fascinating hikes throughout South Africa,
of varying difficulty and duration.
The Otter Trail along the
Tsitsikamma coast is probably the most popular hike in the
country. It is therefore advisable to book well in advance.
Lush forests, rocky coastline, waterfalls, fynbos and cool
mountain streams make this a truly memorable hike. With lots
of hills and valleys, it is strenuous, but the distances aren't
too great. For a less strenuous but still scenic hike, the
Dolphin Trail traverses similar terrain joining up in places
with the Otter Trail, but instead of staying in hiking huts,
you are accommodated in guest houses offering lovely views
and good food. Packs are transported by vehicle, and hikers
carry only a day pack with water, lunch, camera and swimsuit.
The Cedarberg, near Cape Town,
offers spectacular scenery and hiking for the purist. Equipped
with a map and a permit, hikers set off into the wilderness,
sleeping under the stars or in a cave. There are no route
markers here.
 Another
such area is the rugged Drakensberg Mountain Range in KwaZulu-Natal,
providing some of the most spectacular hikes in the world,
such as the Giants Cup Hiking Trail.
In Mpumalanga there are hikes
that meander along the edge of the escarpment including the
trail through the Blyde River Canyon,
In Gauteng, the Magaliesberg
Mountains offer scenic hiking.
The Wild Coast of the Eastern
Cape offers miles of deserted beaches, rugged shores and tropical
forest. Accommodation is in coastal hotels instead of huts.
The norm is to carry your pack, but it can be driven around,
if arranged in advance.
In order to limit numbers
on trails and retain the feeling of solitude, it is necessary
to book the hiking trails.
Please see walking safaris
for hiking in game areas.
Birding
- Botanical - Conference
- Culture - Diving
- Elephant Back
- Geology - Golf
- Hiking - History
- Honeymoon - Incentives
- Shopping - Spa
- Trains - Walking
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