Distance from Cape Town: 3.5 hours

This adventure is for when the need arises to experience solitude and “nothingness”. The Tankwa Karoo is in a very remote part of South Africa and one where very little survive, even humans. Only the toughest animals hide out in the riverbeds where some form of water can be found. The Tankwa National Park only averages around 15mm of rainfall annually. Here is some more information from the SANPARKS website.

The Tankwa Karoo National Park is situated within the Succulent Karoo Biome. The Succulent Karoo Biodiversity Hotspot covers some 116,000km2 of desert stretching along the Atlantic coast of Africa, from south-western South Africa into southern Namibia. It is one of the 25 richest and most threatened reservoirs of plant and animal life on earth and the only arid region recognised as a biodiversity hotspot. Biodiversity hotspots cover only 1.4% of the planet, yet contain 60% of all terrestrial species diversity.

The duration and temperature of the growing season separates the Succulent Karoo from other biomes. The Tankwa Karoo (Region) is one of the most arid sections of the Karoo. Isohyets of mean annual rainfall (mm) for the Karoo indicate that the Tankwa-Karoo National Park falls into the 0-100mm range (Venter et al. 1986), with 25% of the mean annual precipitation in summer. In contrast, the higher lying regions within the Roggeveld Escarpment, receive up to five times more rain annually.

The mean July minimum temperature is 6°C (lowest measured -1°C), and the mean January maximum temperature is 38°C (highest measured 50°C). The highest average maximum temperatures occur from November to March with the hottest months being January and February. The highest wind speeds occur from October to March.

Scuttle Tip – This outing is perfect to switch off. No phone reception so one can really experience the peace and quiet of nature. The campsites have great amenities in the form of a private bathroom and a small kitchen (no appliances, just a basin with hot water and counter tops to work on). Apart from that, there is a braai facility at each site. There isn’t any big wildlife to speak of so don’t expect to see lots of animals.

More information here.

Tankwa Karoo National Park

Immerse yourself in Nature on a Primitive Trail with Lowveld Trails Co.

Led by professional Wilderness Trails Guides, with thousands of trails hours experience, you will spend three self-sufficient nights (four days) in the wild. By carrying all your equipment on your back, you’ll enter a world accessible to a privileged few. There are no demarcated campsites or routes for these Trails. You set your own pace and explore according to your interests and capabilities, sleeping at a pristine site under the stars each night (no tents) and packing up in the morning to leave no trace.

The Lowveld Trails Co. team has extensive experience and the highest qualifications in their field, ensuring that they are able to safely and confidently lead Trails in wild and unpredictable environments.⁠

Furthermore, they act as trainers, mentors and assessors within the Trails Guide industry and are passionate about sharing their experience and expertise with others.

These Primitive Trails take place across exclusive properties in the Greater Kruger National Park, including the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve and the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve.

Everything Lowveld Trails Co. do comes from a place of principle to maintain the integrity of the natural world. They endeavour to leave no trace when in wild places, value all wildlife equally and engage with animals in a calm and non-confrontational way. It’s about acknowledging our responsibility to the world around us, and our impact on those who come after us.⁠

Primitive Trails offer an alternative model with which to explore and conserve. It’s a shift from the spectatorship of the traditional safari and encourages direct interaction with wild places. ⁠

There are Trail options available for group and individual bookings:

• ‘Primitive Trails’ are for group bookings of up to 8 participants.

• ‘Mentorship Trails’ are for individual bookings, for both qualified guide and guest participants. There are 5 ‘observer’ spots, on each scheduled Mentorship Trail, open to guest participants, offering them the opportunity to go behind the scenes and observe first-hand how Trails Guides are trained and mentored. ⁠

Why this is a Scuttle favourite:

The Greater Kruger National Park is one of the most important wilderness areas in Southern Africa. To be able to experience it in it’s rawest form with skilled and experienced guides is an absolute must and enormous opportunity. Adventure awaits!

Scuttle tip:

Rent all your gear from Scuttle and we will deliver it to your door.

For bookings, availability, tariffs and more visit the Lowveld Trails Co. website

Lowveld Trails Company

The Leopard Trail is a 4 day, 3 night slack pack hike in the magical Baviaanskloof. The trail is beautifully diverse and well laid out, winding through the unique and ancient landscape of the Baviaanskloof Nature Reserve. Hikers will enjoy incredible views of the Kouga and Baviaans mountains, many rockpools to cool off in, be surrounded by magnificent flora along the way, and bask in the silence of the region.

Why this is a Scuttle favourite:

The Leopard Trail is very accessible and due to the slack pack nature, not as challenging as other self-supporting trails. Every overnight location is well equipped with comfortable cabins and a small pool to cool off in. Upon request, the transfer crew will also bring along food for the night from the central freezer. Leopards do wander around but are rarely spotted. Look out for their spoor.

Scuttle tip:

Book the Hikers Hut at the Go Baviaans Basecamp for the night before and the night after the hike. Make sure you visit the Ceder Falls, an absolute highlight.

The Route:

Start point: Go Baviaans Base Camp

End Point: Go Baviaans Base Camp

The Leopard Trail is a circular hike staring from, and returning to, the Cedar Falls Base Camp where vehicles are left. The route is moderately difficult, with the longest day being 22km. It is designed for people of good hiking fitness. There are many opportunities in the first 3 days to cool off in one of the many mountain pools.

Day 1: 9.75km (3-5 Hours)

The hike starts with a pretty decent uphill and makes one wonder what lies ahead. The rest of the day’s trail takes one past a lovely kloof which is an ideal lunch spot and further down the valley to the overnight huts.

Day 2 : 18km (5-8 Hours)

The second day is a mix of easy flat sections with a few up-and-overs after halfway. Take the optional detour into the kloof before the first climb of the day. It is worth it.

Day 3: 22km (6-9 Hours)

Day 3 is the longest and a 6am start is a good idea. The halfway point at Wegdraai is a good lunch spot and running water can be found upstream. From there the trail follows the kloof all the way down to the overnight huts through the most amazing rock cliffs and unexpected forests.

Day 4: 13km (5 Hours)

The last day follows the kloof upstream untill a steep exit. At the top there are beautiful views of the Baviaans. From there it descends into a few up-and-overs to the finish. Look out for leopard tracks down the final kloof.(pic above)

Total: 63km

For bookings, availability, tariffs and more visit the Afri-Trails website

The mountains in the Western Cape are not comparable in height to say the Alps or Rockies, but they do get snowfall a few times during the winter. It melts away rather quickly but before that happens, the adventurous and outdoorsy locals rush to the closest or most accessible mountain with snow on it. And that is exactly what we did this year. The timing of the snow was unkind so we had to go during the week with an early start before work. Our mountain of choice was Mont Rochelle Nature Reserve just outside Franschhoek, with its entrance at the top of the Franschhoek Pass at roughly 750m above sea level. We started in the dark and was greeted by the first snow at around 950m above sea level. We took the Perdekop trail for about 5km and our round trip took us around 3 hours with lots of photo opportunities. The lookout point at around 3,2km (1:30) has breathtaking views into the Wemmershoek valley. It was a freezing morning but we decided to throw some trail running into the mix to keep us warm. Don’t forget gloves to recover from building a snowman with bear hands.

Why is this is Scuttle favourite: The start is high up so the snow is easily accessible. Afterward the quaint town of Franschhoek awaits to cater for hungry stomachs.

Why this a Scuttle favourite: 

Escape the crowds. Experience both the pipe track and the top of table mountain. Spectacular lookout points with some of the best photo opportunities.

Starting point and suggestions:

Start at the parking lot on the corner of Kloof Nek and Tafelberg Road. Head along the Pipe Track toward Camps Bay until you reach the Kasteelspoort sign up the mountain. Hike back toward the cable-way upper station and head down Platteklip Gorge or take the cable-way down the mountain.

Duration – 4 to 6 hours

Distance – 9.25km (from parking lot to top of cable-way station)

Elevation – gain 600m

Best time to go – early morning

Scuttle – Take something to eat and plenty of water. More information about the cable-way here.

Emergency contact information – Mountain Rescue +27 21 937 0300

Pipe Track (Table Mountain)

Why this is a Scuttle favourite:

A short 1.5 hour drive from Cape Town you will find the Hottentots Holland Mountain range.  We love this hike for its close proximity to Cape Town and the fantastic views of the mountain range.  From here you will get the best exposure to the area and beautiful views of the Theewaterskloof Dam

The Route:

Day 1: Hike from Nuweberg to Boesmanskloof Hut (Pofaddernek and Noordekloof).  The 17km route is strenuous and will take you about 7hrs.

Day 2: Hike from the Boesmanskloof Hut to Nuweberg (also known as the Orchard Route).  On the second day enjoy the moderate 14km which will take you around 4-5 hours.

The Orchard Route can be done throughout the year but recommended in the summer (November – March) to enjoy swimming in the cold mountain stream pools.

Inside Info:

The Boesmanskloof hut sleeps 30 people with 4 rooms that can be booked separately.  Bunk beds, mattresses, wood and water are provided.  There is no electricity and you have to take your own bedding.

For more information visit the Cape Nature page here

Orchard Route

Why this is a Scuttle favourite:

This incredible hike is the oldest official hiking trail in South Africa and is located along the Garden Route, renowned for its astonishing fauna and flora.  The route is physically challenging but the sights will leave you stunned and the changing scenery will not disappoint.  The overnight cabins are all located in the most spectacular locations.

The Route:

The 5 day hike starts at the Storms River Mouth Rest Camp (about 570km from Cape Town) and ends in Nature’s Valley.  Each day’s hiking takes between 2 and 6 hours and distances vary from 5km to 14km per day.  The Otter Trail can be done throughout the year but recommended in the summer (November – March).

Inside Info:

The trail is generally quite fully booked in the summer so you are more likely to find a spot during winter on shorter notice.  At each overnight spot there are 2 huts that sleeps 6 people so try and go in groups of 6 or 12 as others can book open spots.

For bookings, availability, tariffs and more visit the San Parks website here

Silvermine is a very accessible climbing area just outside of Cape Town. It is about a 30 min drive from the city centre and a quick walk from the parking area. It is within the Table Mountain National Park and a daily permit is required.  There are four different crags: the Lower Silvermine Crag has easy routes and is perfect for beginners, Blaze of Glory is a little harder, Silvermine Main Crag is a good all round crag and Fawlty Towers for some harder stuff. It has around 80 single pitch sport routes with grades ranging from 4 to 7b+.

What time of the year – It is an all year crag with sun in the morning (east facing) and shade in the afternoon.

Opening hours:

07:00 – 18:00 Summer (October – March) Exit at 19:00
08:00 – 17:00 Winter (April – September) Exit at 18:00

Get more information here. 

Silvermine

Montagu is a climbers paradise. The town is about 200km form Cape Town and it is worth every minute of the trip. There is a vast array of climbing areas and every climber will get their fill. Accommodation options for every budget and taste can also be found in Montagu. But back to the climbing. To give an idea of the paradise the following areas and number of routes can be found:

Bad Kloof (Bath kloof in English) – 20 crags, 130 routes

Bosch Kloof – 10 crags, 100 routes

The Farm – 6 crags, 35 routes

Cogmans Kloof – 8 crags, many, many routes

Donker Kloof (Dark kloof) – 2 crags, 20 routes

And many more…

For more information and detailed maps of the routes, visit climbing.co.za.

Montagu

Why this is a Scuttle favourite:

A short 1.5 hour drive from Cape Town you will find the Hottentots Holland Mountain range.  We love this trip for its close proximity to Cape Town and adrenalin pumping jumps into cool mountain water.  This trip is for the fit and brave and those who love water.  Be prepared to spend 9-10 hours enjoying nature in its most exhilarating form.

The Route:

The entrance is at Nuweberg, 11km from Grabouw on the R321.

The hike to the start of the kloof is about 8km long and will take you about 3 hours.  From here you will enter the kloof and start a series of exciting jumps ranging from 3 to 14m.  The hike back to the car is about 6km long and will take another 2 hours.

The route is only open between November and April each year.  There is good signage on the road, always hike in the direction of Suicide Gorge.

Inside Info:

You need to make a reservation (a month in advance for weekend trips).  Five groups of six people are allowed over weekends and groups of 12 to 15 allowed on weekdays.

For more information visit the Cape Nature page here

Suicide Gorge

Why this is a Scuttle favourite:

The Western Cape mountains offer a number of kloofing opportunities during the summer season. Another classic is Volstruiskloof which is a short drive from Cape Town, nestled in the Banhoek Conservancy. This kloof (gorge) is normally an overnight adventure with an overhang serving as the overnight spot. It is not for the faint hearted and day 2 is daunting to say the least and a head for heights is a definite requirement. It is strongly suggested that someone in the group should have previous experience of the kloof.

The Route:

After sorting out the logistics around safe parking for the cars, the adventure begins from a small settlement called Lanquedoc. Day 1 is a strenuous but breath-taking hike to just below the top of the mountain. There is lots of water and on a hot day the pools provide a welcome reprieve from the heat. The hike up the mountain can be done in around 4 – 6 hours so no need to rush day 1. Make sure you get water for cooking before you reach the overnight spot.

Day 2 is a long and full day, so start early. There are around 15 abseils to be navigated, two of them in short succession of around 50-60m each. In between these long abseils there is enough of a ledge for the whole party to accumulate before the next one is done. The one such accumulation spot is aptly known as the fridge as it is very cold, even in summer, and hardly ever sees any sun. Be prepared with a warm jacket for this section.

The route should only be attempted between December and March.

Inside Info:

The route should not be attempted during winter or after a downpour as a flash flood could occur which would put the safety of the group in serious doubt. A maximum group size of 8 people is advised.

Volstruis Kloof

Why this is a Scuttle favourite:

Perfect for larger groups, the King Cabin is an incredible getaway spot for 4 – 10 people. A mere hour and a half drive from Cape Town, Kol Kol Mountain Lodge is one of the most sought after getaway spots in the Western Cape.

Inside Info:

The cabins are booked months in advance. For bookings, availability, tariffs and more visit the Kol Kol site here.

Kleine Eike

Why this is a Scuttle favourite:

The Cederberg is like heaven for any outdoor enthusiast. This gem is close to all the action in the Cederberg and perfect if you feel like a bit of luxury. It sleeps 6 in three rooms with two double beds and two single beds. The really big plus is the underfloor heating for the cold winter nights and the huge fireplace/indoor braai area. It also has its own front lawn and stoep area. It is situated next to the gate leading to the Wolfburg Cracks and Arch.

Check availability and book here.

Mnweni Cultural Centre