Multi-day hikes
GARDEN ROUTE PARKS
Slack pack trails offer full bed and board in nice accommodations, a portaging service and a local guide. Self catering trails are typically bare bones, requiring you to carry everything in and out. Overnighting is done in very basic hikers huts. Want to turn a backbreaking slog into a slackpack trail? There are companies that can do that for you.
GO TREKKING AFRICA gotrekkingafrica.com
GO VERTICAL MOUNTAINEERING AND TREKKING
goverticalmountaineering.com
GARDEN ROUTE TRAIL (SLACKPACK)
Local biologists Mark and Amanda Dixon will regale you with countless fascinating facts as they guide you through some of the region’s most beautiful coastal wilderness on this five-day, fully catered trail. Prices start at R8 400 Mark is also available to lead day walks with or without specific themes (from birding through to mushroom identification).
gardenroutetrail.co.za
OUTENIQUA TRAIL (NON SLACKPACK)
Head off on a seven-day, eight-night 108km trek through the stunning Outeniqua Mountains. Sections of this trail can be done as day walks, or a twoday option exists on the Millwood overnight trail. The trail costs from about R200 pp pn and can be booked through SANParks.
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OTTER TRAIL (NON SLACKPACK)
Probably one of the most famous hikes on Earth, this five-day, four-night 45km coastal walk starts at Storms River and ends in Nature’s Valley and includes awesome scenery, coastal forests and a hair-raising estuary crossing. The trail costs R1 450 pp and can be booked through SANParks.
DOLPHIN TRAIL (SLACKPACK)
This three-night trail is basically an upmarket slackpack version of the Otter Trail. It has similar scenery and also departs from Storms River. Accommodation is in luxurious lodges, and meals are top notch. Prices start at around R8 000 pp.
dolphintrail.co.za
TSITSIKAMMA TRAIL (NON SLACKPACK)
This six-day, five-night trail starts where the Otter Trail ends (in Nature’s Valley). It is 62km long and encompasses forests and fynbos scenery on the Tsitsikamma Mountains. The trail costs from about R200 pp pn and can be booked through mto.group. mto.group