Coastal Hiking Adventure on the Tsitsikamma Trail

What good is an emergency number when it is not answered. This time it was fortunately not an injury but food not delivered as promised to Keurboshut. Not easy when reception is poor, hikers have to backtrac to get family to phone re their supplies! Delano not available on his phone or on the emergency.

Great destination! Enjoyed the open trail and peaceful outdoor atmosphere.

We did an overnight stay at Heuningbos hut. We used the emergency escape route up and back for a quick and relatively easy hike. Lots of fire wood and clean facilities. The hut was full of others hikers but it was good to have some privacy by the smaller teepee style hut. There are three of these huts and you can choose them if you arrive earlier than the other hikers.

We booked, paid in advance, and traveled from Cape Town to hike. The indemnity form was sent the day prior to hike commencing (Whilst we were driving - not possible to print) on day of arrival at Natures Valley rest camp to park our vehicle we had still not recieved a 5day hiking map. The MTO offices were closed on arrival, and when we departed with no one having the decency or professionalism to be on site to welcome or thank us for the support. The boom operater scrambled scratching through draws to find us an old MTO map (Seriously poor service MTO). The morning of starting, I was called with a no. to access key safe on 4 night to get into locked huts. There were no visitors books on any hut only day 2 to sign in and acknowledge your arrival (SAFETY CHECK) Day 2 hike and trail well signed White footprint and maintained. Day 3-4-5 the poor signage, no distance markers, switchbacks 180 degrees, timberfelling on trail, and poor trail maintenance were UNSAFE, UNPROFESSIONAL OHS DISASTER. Day 2-3-4-5 & 6 trails were cosmetically cleared a km entering and 1 km exiting camp but in between poor trail maintenance many fallen full trees over trail not cut to clamber over or completely having to walk around, NO distance markers AT ALL except a 3km to go. The new double accomodation huts are comfortable and the donkey for heating water and gas welcome. Sadly the older huts are dark and dingy indoors due to small windows. The kettles are badly rusted inside (All camps) and would be a welcome replacement periodically. gutters poor, doors and damaged windows. Rusted nails exposed and poor water management from tanks above huts down slopes to hut mushy and poor all huts. Here a simple cross cut french drain well above would work perfectly to prevent mudy slipping and sliding between bungalos Kitchen and restrooms on every camp site, the entire 5 days.Wood was generous and cooking areas spacious. The benefit of overlooking safety and comparing to other national hikes is important as we hike a 5 day monthly and really I urge management to leave their vehicles, to walk the trails (Paid for by visitors) repair, clean and mark benchmark distances so critical to motivating non experienced hikers and to hold maintenance staff accountable. Sadly, other than the views, i cannot recommend the trail as it is current of the worst maintained conditions of all the hikes we have done in the country over the last 2 years. Sadly, hikers and tourists, in our opinion, are being begyled by the Name of the Tzitzikama hike, and standards have to be improved. A day walk that should be 5 hours that ends up being 7 due to poor trail visibility is wreckless and unsafe. I am willing to walk this trail in 6 months again, and I shall be the first to amend my comments, but now I have difficulty even scoring it a 1 / 5 8h00.

An experience!! Forest trails differ and have their own identities. This one is really good. You could complete around 70km over the 5 days which could range from 3km a day to 22km. Basecamps are decent with some having donkey boilers for hot water, more then adequate sleeping and resting areas. It is the forest. Views are amazing, weather ranges so prepare for multi season days. While shorts are fine try to have high socks or gaiters during some passes. River crossing range pending rainfall from ankle to waist high with one or two having a strong flow. Amazing forest, valley and peak experiences. A good group makes a huge difference to the experience. A very good one so go Enjoy it 🤠🦶