The Tsitsikamma Trail is a southern Cape hiking paradise, journeying through lush indigenous afromontane forest and mountain fynbos. Ancient river gorges and abundant rivers and streams provide plentiful swimming opportunities.

Beginning in Nature’s Valley and ending 60-km further at either the Storms River Bridge or Village, this six-day, unidirectional trail takes hikers through the heart of the Tsitsikamma Mountains. Shorter variations (2,3,4 or 5 days) are possible as each of the five overnight huts has its own unique access route with safe parking at the start.

Optional equipment porterage (slackpacking) now provides hikers with the chance of having all their equipment transported between overnight huts, allowing the luxury of carrying only daypacks on each day’s journey. This makes the trail accessible to a wider range of people and provides all with more time for swimming, photography, birding and other activities usually limited by time or weight constraints.

It also means fresh food and drinks each night at the overnight huts, allowing hikers to bring a variety of goods not normally going into the backpacks. Field guides and binoculars are definitely recommended along this exciting and unpredictable journey. Many of the forest giants are labeled with their tree names and hikers can have much fun with guessing and identification games along the route.

The Tsitsikamma Trail was South Africa’s first officially accredited hiking trail and has recently been allocated the Green Flag Certificate for a trail under excellent management.

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