Hiking The Tsitsikamma Trail

Experience the Beauty of the Tsitsikamma Trail

The Tsitsikamma Trail is an Eastern Cape hiking paradise, journeying through extensive indigenous afromontane forest and mountain fynbos. Ancient river gorge's and abundant rivers and streams remind us of the creative power of water and the origins of the word Tsitsikamma. This is an enchanted world where echoes of past giants such as elephant and buffalo can still be felt. Some of the finest specimens of South Africa’s national tree, the Outeniqua yellow-wood, keep sentinel over the forest canopy while hikers clamber over their enormous roots beneath.

Beginning in Nature’s Valley and ending 62.3km further at either the Storms River Bridge or Village, this six day, unidirectional trail takes hikers through the heart of the Tsitsikamma Mountains. Shorter variations (2,3,4 or 5 days) are possible as each of the five overnight huts has its own unique access route with safe parking at the start.
An adventure with breathtaking scenery, birdlife and photograph-worthy streams and natural freshwater pools to swim in.Field guides and binoculars are definitely recommended along this exciting and unpredictable journey. Many of the forest giants are labelled with their tree names and hikers can have much fun with guessing and identification games along the route.
The Tsitsikamma Trail was South Africa’s first officially accredited hiking trail and has recently been allocated the Green Flag Certificate for a trail under excellent management.

Some suggested gear:

Backpack:

Comfortable, well-fitting daypack with enough space for all your essentials.
Like theVango Contour 60:70, Speciallydesigned for backpackers and explorers on multi-night expeditions. Its brilliantly designed Quick Adjust back system, this rucksack allows the user to customise for a perfect fit on a wide range of back lengths.Hydration Compatible – Compatible with most hydration reservoirs.
Water Bottle or Hydration Pack:

Stay hydrated with at least 2-3 liters of water.
A Hydration Vest along side a Hydration Reservoir
A great vest is theBlack Diamond Distance 4 Hydration Vest
Drinking water is always a challenge during the heat of summer, especially as many of the fresh water streams may not be running.
Headlamp or Flashlight:

For early morning starts or in case you’re delayed.
It can get very dark very quickly depending on the weather. Choosing a good quality torch or headlamp will ensure you find your way safely on the sometimes treacherous terrain.
Lighting and headlamps
First Aid Kit:

Include blister treatment, bandages, antiseptic, painkillers, and any personal medication.
A pack like the Lifesystems-solo-traveller-first-aid-kitdesigned with the adventurous, independent traveller in mind and is ideal for extended trips to remote locations by one person. This kit combines all the basics for treating minor and some more serious injuries with a full set of sterile medical equipment. With enough space for you to add your medication.
Trekking Poles:

Helpful for stability on rough or steep terrain.
Great and compact trekking poles will be the Black Diamond Z-poles but another great option isBlack Diamond ALPINE CARBON CORK POLES Tundra
Multi-tool or Knife:
Useful for various tasks.
Emergency Whistle:
In case you need to signal for help. Like the
Good Quality Hiking boot or sturdy shoe:
Ensure that you have shoes with great ankle support, ensure they are well broken-in to avoid blisters. Great shoes to consider is something like La Sportiva Hiking Ultra Raptor II Mid Leather Wide GTX or even the SCARPA ZG TREK GTX

Some great flasks and cooking systems that's light weight and practical would be something like the Jetboil Zip cooking system that is compact.

Some amazing flasks that have an extremely long time that your liquids can stay warm or cold is the GSI range 

It is always a great idea to insure you take along some good insect repellent and Sunscreen. There are Amazing rock pools to swim in so swimwear and a towel an absolute must. 

Remember that Tsitsikamma falls under part Natural Rain forest so surprize drizzle can be expected so a dry set of clothes and rain covering would be a great idea.

As outdoor enthusiasts we know most of us love good quality coffee when we go out so having some coffee gear or possibly some single serving coffee filter bags might just do the trick. With a choice of medium and dark roast Rhino Orphanage Coffeeyou can't go wrong. Available in amazing 10 packs to ensure you have at least one or two coffees to last the hike. 

 

These are just a few suggestions and it all depends on if you are doing the longer or shorter trails to know how much of what you might need. 

I hope this guideline assists you in your TSITSIKAMMA ADVENTURE.