Activity Description

The Tsitsikamma Trail is a southern Cape hiking paradise, journeying through extensive indigenous afromontane forest and mountain fynbos. This slightly shorter variation of the full 6 Day hike lets us enjoy just enough of the enchanted mountain landscape.

The Kalander hut is situate only a stone’s throw from the Natures Valley beach. The first day hike is a brief 3.4km from the Nature’s Valley rest camp.

The following day begins with a climb up the escarpment. Panoramic views and changing vegetation herald the arrival of the plateau and its wealth of fynbos. Most of the day’s hike, however, will take you through indigenous afromontane forest as you venture inland towards the foothills of the Tsitsikamma Mountains. The Bloukrans hut is situated on the verge of a cliff and offers incredible views of the river gorges below and Peak Formosa and the Tsitsikamma Mountains to the north. A couple of hundred metres beneath the balcony a coca-cola coloured waterfall tumbles away.

The third day takes one deep into the Tsitsikamma Mountains and forest. This is a wetter and more remote world where a true sense of isolation begins to take hold. He trails weaves through a selection of fynbos over the ridges and enchanted patches of indigenous forest as the trail begins its eastward course through the mountains. The crossing of the Bloukrans River at Waterwitelsgat is always exciting and provides a wonderful swimming and resting place. The rest of the day follows predominantly flat terrain through flower-rich fynbos and relic forest. Shortly before reaching Keurbos hut there are rockpools resembling natural Jacuzzis at the twintubs. The hut is situated in the wetter Keurbos forest.

The hike then exits towards the Lottering plantation office on a winding road between the Elandskop and Grenadier’s Cap peak 11,5km away.

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