HELS RIVER HIKE
Heaven in the Hels River
“The stream water is clear and crisp, the vegetation is lush and vibrant, animals roam free, and cellphone signal is non-existent.”
The Hels River hike might be short on the Strava app, but it’s large on life! It’s a 10 km out-and-back route, absolutely bursting with adventure.
The Hels River is part of the Olifants River catchment, between Middelburg and Loskop Dam in Mpumalanga. This section of the catchment features dramatic gorges carved into the characteristic red sandstone. The hike is wild and rugged, a real offthe-beaten-track escapade. You can do it as a day trip, or spend the night camping on the banks of the Olifants River.
The hike starts at the Loskop Adventures office on the edge of a kloof – one of the tributaries of the Hels River. The first kilometre is along a gravel road that skirts the kloof edge, dropping about 130 m to a turning circle at the top of an abseil site. There’s always the more exhilarating option of ziplining down to this point – seven cables criss-cross the valley, spanning a total length of about 1,4 km. Along this short section you’ll be able to see two of South Africa’s rare and critically endangered cycad species: the Olifants River or woolly cycad ( Encephalartos lanatus) and the Middelburg cycad ( Encephalartos middelburgensis). Some individual plants in this kloof are estimated to be nearly 900 years old. Both varieties are endemic to the area – you won’t find them occurring naturally anywhere else in the world outside the Olifants River catchment at altitudes between 1 000 – 1 400 m above sea level. With such a restricted and threatened range, both species are protected and it’s illegal to even take seeds without a permit.
Whether you admired the valley on foot, or dangling from a harness, it’s now time to descend into it. From the turning circle, the route drops onto a steep trail that leads sharply down to the stream bed. This 400 m section of trail will see you descend
another 100 vertical metres. As you go down, you’ll be treated to views of the cliffs cascading to the river below.
Remember this descent – you’ll have to go back up when you return!
Finally the trail emerges onto the base of the gorge. I don’t know what might have happened to the person who named it, but it certainly doesn’t feel like hell to me. The stream water is clear and crisp, the vegetation is lush and vibrant, animals roam free, and cellphone signal is non-existent. The trail soon peters out and you have to pick your way across the rocky riverbed. The way-to-go frequently crosses over or through the stream. It’s best to wear shoes you don’t mind getting wet. As you move further downstream, the valley floor begins to narrow; aloes and euphorbias cling to the ever-steeper cliff walls. After about an hour, you’ll find yourself clambering down a boulder with the help of a strategically placed rope. Around the corner is the highlight of the kloof: A waterfall drops 2 m into a pool completely flanked by the now sheer cliffs. The pool is no more than 5 m wide, but its end is out of sight, obscured by rock as the cliffs gently bend to the right. This formidable but spectacular view will remain etched in your memory for a long time. So, now what? As the poet Robert Frost put it, “The best way out is always through.”
There’s a small rowing boat in the pool – think of the guys who carried that down the way you just came. You can use it to transport bags or people, or both. My recommendation depends on the time of day and the time of year. I’ve had to swim this pool after sunset in July when the sun doesn’t get high enough to get into the kloof at all, and I definitely wouldn’t advise doing the same – hypothermia is a real thing. I’ve also been all too glad to swim slowly through its refreshing water in the heat of a midday summer sun. If you use the boat, be sure to test its capacity. You don’t want to have to pull it and your bags from below the surface. I’ve seen this happen, too…
The pool is about 100 m long and the depth varies depending on the season. In the dry season, it’s possible to wade through the hip-high water. After summer rain there might be one or two spots where you can stand to rest, or you’ll have to tread water the whole way.
After the crossing, the going gets a bit easier. After an hour, you’ll reach the confluence of the Hels and Olifants rivers, and the campsite.
Welcome to heaven.
If you’re spending the night, you can take the rest of the day to settle into the campsite, explore the main river gorge or cast a line. Avid fishermen are welcome to bring their gear along; there are also some rods at the campsite but you’ll have to bring your own tackle. Yellowfish, bass and barbel can be found in these waters. As the day draws to a close, relax in the shadow of the cliff watching the sun dip out of sight. Venus shines with increasing brightness as it follows the sun into the mountains.
This spot is just a few kilometres from Loskop Dam and has many visitors from the reserve of the same name. Hippos and crocs frequently move upriver and occasionally rhinos do, too. Be aware of your surroundings and avoid swimming in the big pools; limit your dips to the rocky rapids where hippos and crocs don’t hang out. If you need to leave your tent at night, be careful and take a torch; this is when hippos are out grazing on the banks. There are also many little night visitors like mice, frogs and scorpions to keep an eye out for.
The beach sand campsite has one long drop but no other facilities. Drinking water is drawn from the Hels River. ( Yes, the one you swam through.) There are two large dome tents permanently erected at the site that you can use, or you can take your own along. If you hiked in with a guide, he or she will usually return to the centre, leaving you to enjoy your evening and find your own way back up the kloof the next morning. If you don’t fancy this idea, you can request that the guide stays with you until you return. The next morning brings a slight apprehension, knowing what’s in store: the rock hopping, the boulder-scrambling, the big swim and the even bigger climb. And although the route is the same, somehow it feels new. The morning sun lights the gorge differently; the rapids and waterfalls now face you, almost as if to greet you as you clamber past. It’s wonderful to be able to appreciate the beauty all over again.
The trail out of the kloof is a real quad-killer, but there’s a pleasant surprise at the turning circle: Oom Thys Taljaard, owner of Loskop Adventures, and his trusty whippet Bullet, waiting in a bakkie to take you back up the road to the centre. For those after a little more punishment, you can of course walk the last drag up to the office. It certainly burns, but it makes the ice-cold beverage at the top that much more satisfying.