The hiking thread!

We travel and hike all over the country so I prefer to use these

www.sportsmanswarehouse.co.za

Altra Men's Lone Peak 5.0 Trail Running Shoes

Shop the Altra Men's Lone Peak 5.0 Trail Running Shoes by Altra for only R 2 799,9
www.sportsmanswarehouse.co.za www.sportsmanswarehouse.co.za

Dont under estimate the water you consume - pack more rather than less and if you doing 10km hikes ensure you have some food.

GET TREKKING POLES AT LEAST 1 - Due to hiking around the country try get these to pack into your luggage (not carry on)

www.firstascent.co.za

Hyrax Trekking Pole

The Hyrax Trekking pole is a 3 section pole with slim foam grip handles and a padded wrist loop to ensure maximum comfort on your next outdoor trek. The convenient FastLock system for easy length adjustment means you can change the length of your pole as needed in an instant. The superlight...
www.firstascent.co.za www.firstascent.co.za

Use this to find trails has most listed and maps included (premium is worth it)

www.alltrails.com

AllTrails: Trail Guides & Maps for Hiking, Camping, and Running | AllTrails

Explore the outdoors with AllTrails, the best app for hiking, biking, and running. Discover curated guides, trail maps, photos, and reviews for over 500,000 trails worldwide.
www.alltrails.com www.alltrails.com

Hiking is addictive dont go crazy start with your 5km hikes and work from there.

We did Mont Rochelle (perdekop) last year one of the most intense 5.5 hours hikes I have ever been on but worth it!

The things you will see are incredible

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Nice trails on Mont Rochelle
Zero shade
Dont go on a very hot day
Also no place to fill up water bottles, take at least 2 litres with
 
Pineapple Smurf said:
Nice trails on Mont Rochelle
Zero shade
Dont go on a very hot day
Also no place to fill up water bottles, take at least 2 litres with
Click to expand...
Yeah an absolutely brutal hike - pack for all seasons. We got lucky and there was still snow at the peaks was one off the best hikes I have ever done

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1643885575752.png
 
Beautiful, yeah I saw buds in that snow last year, over a metre deep in most places at the top. So surreal
Looked like Switzerland
 
ChuckMeFarley said:
100%, this is why I am doing 5km a day around the neighborhood, picking the routes with the most elevation. One knee is a problem child after a past biking accident but it's getting much better and hardly an issue these days on the easy walks I do. Planning on upping the distance soon as the views are getting a bit mundane on my usual routes.
Click to expand...
I damaged my ankle in Action Cricket back in 2013.
It feels healed but my knee is taking the brunt of it all now.
I strap both my knees but I feel it on intense hikes, so I need to walk/jog more often.
 
For those South Africans with an ID card AND that live in Cape Town area (021) I highly suggest the Green Card

Ive had it a few times, now have the more expensive Wild Card.

But for those wanting to get started and hike for free at Cape Point, Silvermine, Boulders and 1 or 2 other places, can't remember. I used to use it just for Cape Point coz entry there is R85 per visit per South African. Tourists pay over R300
With the Green Card you get 12 entries per year, and you can put your friends on it, they just clip it like an old bus card, up to 6 people at a time, will cost 6 clips on the card though. And you cannot renew the card within 12 months of purchase. So one it is finished you must wait for the full year before getting another one.

The Green Card costs R175 for the year, if you went to Cape Point 12 times it would normally cost you R85 x 12 = R1020

So it is a no brainer, some really nice hikes down there, and they're all pretty flat, so a good beginner place to get into hiking.

www.sanparks.org

South African National Parks - SANParks - Official Website - Accommodation, Activities, Prices, Reservations

Official Website. Experience the beauty and diversity of South African National Parks, Travel and explore South Africa! Nature Conservation, Accommodation, Activities, Reservations
www.sanparks.org www.sanparks.org
 
The_MAC said:
I am going to try and revive this stale thread, here goes...

We are doing Fanie Botha month end, the 2 day (23km/14km) route. Anyone else do it, how was it, was there water along the route? (I guess since there are many options on this hike, I am asking water availability in general)

I have done the Drakensberg Northern Traverse and Otter, so this one has been on the list for some time, looking forward to it.

www.hikingsouthafrica.co.za

Fanie Botha Hiking Trail - Hiking South Africa

The Fanie Botha Trail is still considered by many to be one of the best trails in South Africa and should be high on every hiker’s to-do list.
www.hikingsouthafrica.co.za www.hikingsouthafrica.co.za

fanie-botha-sunrays-through-trees-kondensmelk-productions-678x381.jpg
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So, a quick review of the Fanie Botha Day 5 Trail.

Graskop 2 Night Trail (Day 5)
Distances: Graskop Hut – Pres. Burger Hut 23.1km
Pres. Burger Hut – Graskop Hut 13.6km

Even though it was an awesome adventure (even getting to the hut was pretty intense, car got stuck twice in the mud), the trail is unfortunately not ideal, at least not for first time hikers that are not ready for a complete "off-the-path" experience.

1) Poorly marked trails, very confusing, wasting a lot of time figuring out the direction (map is also not very clear) - we ended up free-styling many sections
2) This particular route (Day 5) is completely overgrown in many sections, trees lying in the middle of the path, thorn bushes everywhere - took us 3 hours to do a 1 hour stretch (a mechete would have been awesome). Getting through that with a 23kg bag was not easy.

We might do the full 5 days sometime in the future, but I would personally re-do the Drakensberg northern traverse or the Full-Traverse instead.

PS: The reason why the distances don't add up is that we did the last stretch via the forests, a shorter route. Due to the overgrowth, were were worried we would leave to late and arrive back in JHB in the night. It was a good call.

strava5251266856237190815.jpg
 
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Whale Trail last year was awesome
Every hut has electricity, fridges, hot water, you name it
Pots pans potjies braaigrids everything

Very good hike, loved it
Was shitfaced every night coz it is slackpacking
 
I did Chapman's Peak after a year of nothing. Daaaamn it was painful. I need to get more active.
 
CamiKaze said:
I know. The crappy thing about that hike is that the Sun is constantly on you and I ran out of water.
But... this just proves how unfit I am after not hiking for a year.
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True there is zero shade on that hike
I never hike those hikes in summer
Ever
For that exact reason
Same as Table Mountain

As a matter of fact I dont even hike in summer anymore
Except if it is at Cape Point
Coz the weather there is always 5 to 10 degrees cooler
And always a nice wind blowing
 
CamiKaze said:
I did Chapman's Peak after a year of nothing. Daaaamn it was painful. I need to get more active.
Click to expand...
My most killer hike to date was Mont Rochelle uitkyk via perdekop. 16km of extreme work but pure bliss from the views we had and managed to mess around in the snow only 8 ppl were up with us that day.

What a beautiful world you guys have that side. So many beautiful trails.
 
Pineapple Smurf said:
Whale Trail last year was awesome
Every hut has electricity, fridges, hot water, you name it
Pots pans potjies braaigrids everything

Very good hike, loved it
Was shitfaced every night coz it is slackpacking
Click to expand...
I'm doing the Whale Trail Ultra Trail Run in August this year, 50 odd km's in one day, gonna be a cracker..

Then I'll get shitfaced at the finish
 
saor said:
Helderberg as well. You don't start super early the sun just pummels you.
Click to expand...
Agree 100%
92% of Western Cape hikes have no trees
Furking South Easter doesn't allow trees to grow
 
The_MAC said:
I'm doing the Whale Trail Ultra Trail Run in August this year, 50 odd km's in one day, gonna be a cracker..

Then I'll get shitfaced at the finish
Click to expand...
Take @ShaunSA with you
He is your neighbour
Also runs 50km a day
Rumour has it he makes terrific pancakes afterwards
 
Lelando said:
My favourite hikes:

Lesotho up mount machace
Naukloof Namib
Fish river (The long fish if you dare and are able to get permission)
Oorlogskloof trail
Cederberg is fun if you hike up Algeria to crystal pools and up around sneeu berg and back down at small table mountain.

For day hikes jonkers hoek panorama trail and devils peak table mountain.
Click to expand...
Algeria to Crystal Pools.
Please share a link :thumbsup:
Ive been to Sneeu Berg and to "tankwa table mountain" :)
 
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