The Big 5 Orienteering week is a 5-day international orienteering (cross-country running/ walking and navigation with map and compass finding checkpoints using a specially drawn map) sports competition that takes place every two years in South Africa, attracting approximately 300 – 400 people.

Event dates: 29 Dec, 30 Dec, 31 Dec 2023, 2 Jan 2024, 3 Jan 2024
Venues: Various over the 5-day event: Clarkson, Harkerville, Cairnbrogie, The Crags, George
Start time: 09:00 AM
End time: 02:00 PM
Ticket price (adults): various options for pre-entry and entry on the day available at www.orienter.co.za

The event not only attracts participants from all over South Africa, but also relies on foreign competitors from Australia, North America as well as Western and Eastern Europe who make up almost 50% of the entry field.

In 2023/4, we will be organizing the 6th Big 5 O-Week in the Garden Route and around Plettenberg Bay, after previous competitions in Dullstroom, Sabie and Kaapsehoop, Mpumalanga and Haenertsburg, Limpopo.

The event is also open to newcomers and locals who also want to experience the Garden Route forests in a brand new way and can enter on our Novice courses for one or more, or all five days.