Hiking the Wild Coast

The Wild Coast, located in the Eastern Cape region of South Africa, is a truly magical place. Extending from the Umtamvuma river in the north to the Kei River in the south it encompasses a landscape of green, hut-dotted hills interspersed with forested and deeply incised river valleys rolling down to a breath-takingly beautiful coastline of precipitous cliffs, long sandy beaches, secluded bays and rich, fertile estuaries.

Because of historical neglect as well as terrain and access problems from the interior there has been little or no infrastructural development or access points for 'fly-in' tourists. Most of the extensive coastline of over 200km can only be visited by those prepared to hike along it! You will see little evidence of anyone else having been on on the beaches, just footprints and the occasional small boy herding cattle. The rural scenes have remained this way for ages so that you feel that you have stepped back in time.

Although a hutted trail exists along the entire coastline, it has (for a variety of reasons) not been adequately managed and maintained over the years and very little of the original infrastructure remains. This is compounded by communication and logistic problems along this 'wild' and sparsely inhabited coastline. It is strongly recommended that you do not attempt to hike the Wild Coast on your own, particularly if you are a tourist and unfamiliar with the region. Rather be guided by one of the independent tour operators who arrange hikes and other adventure activities along various sections of the coastline. Their network of local knowledge and connections and many years of experience will ensure that overnight stopovers, meals, guides, transfers and other matters are arranged that would be difficult or impossible for private parties to organize.

SA Adventure Trails has been running guided hiking trails along the lower half of the Wild Coast for a number of years and is well placed to advise and arrange trails for hikers and nature lovers with differing abilities and requirements.

Lower Wild Coast Trail

The trail extends southwards from Qora Mouth (Kob Inn) in the north to the small town of Cintsa in the south. The first 3-4 days of the trail lies to the north of the Kei River in what was formerly known as the Transkei, while the last section extends along the eastern Cape holiday coast north of East London. The hike takes in some of the most unspoilt and picturesque sections of our coastline and can be walked by anyone who is reasonably fit and enjoys rambling as there are no serious challenges other than the odd river which must be waded. When river levels are up after heavy rains, a ferry will be arranged. The Kei river marks the border between the Transkei and the eastern Cape and you will cross this broad river by means of one of the last operating ponts in the country.

The full Mazeppa Bay to Cintsa trail route can be customised to your own requirements depending on the number of days you have available and your own hiking preferrences. The standard 5 day "hotel hopping" trail package is described here.

Please discuss your travel arrangements and requirements with your agent when making your booking to develop an itinerary to suit your needs.

Maximum Number of Hikers :
Group sizes of 6-12 hikers are preferred

Duration and Distance :

The full trail is 86 km long, which would normally require 6 days to complete. The trail is not marked in the Transkei section and a guide is required for first time hikers. It is important that you time your day's walk to co-incide with the tides so that you walk on the hard sand with a receding tide and reach the river mouths at low tide to make the crossing easier. Your guide will assist you with this and show you the best place to cross over.

Distances and features of each day's hiking are :

Leg 1.   Kob Inn to Mazeppa  6km -  the shortest stretch accross the Qora river walking beneath huge dunes

Leg 2.   Mazeppa Bay to Wavecrest   21 km    - the longest stretch but easy walking along sandy beaches.

Leg 3.  Wavecrest to Seagulls/Trennery  14km    - rocky headlands, ship wrecks and river crossings.

Leg 4.  Seagulls to Morgan Bay 12km    - crossing the Kei river and a walk through coastal forest.

Leg 5.  Morgan Bay to Haga Haga  16 km    - spectacular cliffs and shelly beaches.

Leg 6.   Haga Haga to Cintsa   17km   - a rocky wavecut platform and a long beach walk

Hotel-Hopping Trail

This trail option has been designed for those who want to walk the trail in style and in comfort without the inconveniance of carrying a heavy back-pack. You will have the freedom to focus on the magnificent scenery that you will pass through with the knowledge that the end of the day you will arrive at a comfortable hotel to spend the night.

The overnight stops are:

The trail package covers full board accommodation so that you sleep in en-suite bungalows and dine in style - dinners often consisting of fresh line fish and seafoods, a cooked breakfast to start your day and a packed lunch to take with you.

The standard "hotel-hopping" trail is for 4 days and 5 nights, usually starting at Mazeppa Bay hotel and walking south to complete the trail at Haga Haga resort.

Distances between hotels should allow one to have the time and comfort to soak in the atmosphere and enjoy the pleasures of the day's walk. With a reasonably early start and allowing for a leisurely lunch break you should reach your next destination by mid-afternoon.

Hikers normally drive their cars to the first hotel in the chain the night before they start hiking and leave from the last hotel the day after they arrive. Mini-bus or coach transfers are included in the package to take you back to your start point to collect your car and drive home the same day.

Please avoid travel bookings during the peak holiday seasons (Xmas, Easter and long weekends) as the hotels are reluctant to accept hikers for one night stays. The best time to hike the Wild Coast is generally March to June or September/October.

Spoil yourself after your hike and spend your last evening at Inkwenkwezi, a private game reserve close to Chintsa West. Inkwenkwezi encompasses 4000 hectares of rare and exquisite bushveld, grasslands and coastal forest. Inkwenkwezi is home to all of the famous Big Five as well as an abundance of other animals from Rhino , Wildebeest , Giraffe, Warthog, and Zebra to Springbok , Impala , Gemsbok and the unique Eastern Cape Kudu.

Luxury accommodation is provided at the Bush Camp, which offers accommodation for twelve guests in six en-suite safari tents.
The en-suite bathrooms feature a shower which is crafted to resemble a cave and blends with the natural rock and bush of this area. From its hilltop site the camp overlooks a valley & each safari tent is positioned on a raised timber deck offering you your own private game viewing.

Activities on the Reserve include game drives, bird watching, guided tours, abseiling and canoeing. All activities are done in the company of a professional guide who will share their knowledge and passion of the African bush with you. The reserve boasts a recorded 276 bird species including the rare Stanley Bustard as well as Loeries, Crested cranes, Secretary birds, Ground hornbills etc

Hikers will be picked up from the beach at Chintsa and transported by landrover to nearby Inkwenkwezi where they will first relax at their Bush Camp safari camp, maybe enjoy a swim in the pool and later join an evening game drive around the reserve. A la carte dinner is served at the magnificent thatched lapa overlooking a forested gorge or at the traditional boma where you will enjoy a true African experience cooked on an open fire. A truly memorable way to conclude your hike along the beautiful Eastern Cape Wild Coast

In the Transkei section of the hike, you will be accompanied by a local guide who is a member of the community and well acquainted with the route. Once you cross over the Kei river the guide will direct you to the start of the well-marked Strandloper trail which you can follow to Morgan Bay, and therafter onto Haga Haga and Cintsa for those going the whole distance.

Please note that, unless otherwise arranged in your trail package, you will be required to carry your own personal items between the hotels. Some hikers are happy to walk with a light pack (not exceeding 10-12 kgs in weight), but for those who wish to walk unhindered, it is possible to hire porters at the hotels. Please organise this with the hotels in advance or the evening before (not on the morning of the hike), and pay the porter in cash at the end of the day's hike. In the Eastern Cape sections, the hotels can arrange for a vehicle to transport your packs onto the next hotel in line. Please ask for this when you organise your trail itinerary.

Groups mainly organise their own transport to the start of the hike. For those commencing in the Transkei, the 'hotel hopping' trail normally begins at either Kob Inn or Mazeppa, both of which are some 60km along a gravel district road from the N2 turnoff at either Butterworth (Mazeppa) or Idutywa (Kob Inn). For those starting at Wavecrest or Seagulls/Trennery's the detour from the N2 is at Butterworth. Suggest check with the hotel about the state of the road before you leave, especially during the rainy season.

The full trail ends at Cintsa village which is just north of East London and is reached by tar road from the N2.

Hikers will be collected from their end point by mini bus to return to their cars which will be safely parked at the start of the hike. People flying into East London can be collected from the airport and transported to their first night's hotel.

Google Earth Placemarker   Click this link if you have Google Earth installed to see a 'birds-eye' view of the places you will be visiting.

Paul Colvin of SA Adventure Trails will make arrangements for group bookings.
Use the online booking form or phone him on 082-3234022 for further enquiries and quotations.

Quote will depend on :

• hotels or B&B's used
• rooming arrangements of people in your party
• whether children (under 12yrs) are included
• your start and end points (no of trail days)
• airport transfers
• special requests (luggage transfers, catering etc)
• optional side tours
• seasonal dates

Hikers may decide to increase or shorten the trail, or take a rest day and spend two nights at any of the hotels along the route.

2010 Rates Packages

We offer a number of trail packages depending on group size and preferrences.

The standard 'hotel hopper' package is from Mazeppa Bay to Haga Haga and includes :

• 5 nights dinner, bed and breakfast
• Community guide service
• Shuttle transfer back to start point
• Maps GPS points and tide tables

Other packages are available on request to upgrade the hike eg by including more options such hotel selection, side tours and porterage options.

More affordable 'budget' packages are also on offer for those prepared to stay in B&B's and carry their own packs etc.

Please email us to receive our special Rates Packages for 2010.

Dates

Please note that hotels will not accept one night bookings from hikers during their high season.

Use this handy utility to work out your trail dates :

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Disclaimer (www.trails.co.za) :   Information provided on this website  is supplied by the trail owner or agent and is not validated.
We do not hold ourselves responsible for any inaccuracies or mis-representation for information provided in good faith. 
Please check with trail owner at time of booking.

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