The Bainskloof Pass has a certain drama to it. It’s the kind of road that feels like it was built for people who appreciate risk — narrow, carved into the rock, twisting like it’s been drinking. It clings to the mountainside as if afraid of heights, and yet it offers some of the most staggering scenery in the Western Cape. Long before you even step onto a hiking path, the drive itself whispers adventure.
At the top of the pass lies Eerste Tol, a name that feels like a checkpoint into another realm. It’s the start of several hiking trails, but the Bobbejaansrivier Trail is the one that locals speak of in that slightly conspiratorial tone — like a secret they’re not sure they should share. It’s short enough to fit into a lazy Sunday and beautiful enough to ruin you for all other river hikes.
Storms, Coffee, and Second Chances
Saturday night in Cape Town was chaos — sheets of rain and howling wind enough to shake the windows.
By midnight I’d written off the hike completely. There’s optimism, and then there’s madness, and slogging through Bainskloof in a downpour seemed closer to the latter.
But Sunday dawned crisp and clear, the air rinsed clean. The kind of morning that makes you forgive winter for overstaying its welcome. We regrouped with cautious optimism, rendezvousing at three different meeting points before finally winding our way up the pass.
The Bobbejaansrivier Trail sits inside the Limietberg Nature Reserve, under the watchful eye of CapeNature. We’d booked our permits weeks in advance (always worth doing, these trails fill up fast), and after parking at McBains Lodge at Eerste Tol, we keyed in the gate code and stepped into another world.
Negotiating the Witte River
The trail wastes no time reminding you that Bainskloof doesn’t mess around. The very first obstacle is the Witte River — the same one that cut short our aborted attempt at The Rockhopper hike one fateful Mothers Day in 2024.
Déjà vu, but this time we came prepared. Sort of.
We followed the faint yellow-painted footprints that guided us to the opposite bank, balancing on rocks and trying not to baptize our boots too early in the day.
Once across, the real climb began — a steady, bracing ascent that gains about 200 metres of elevation in the first stretch. It’s not difficult, but it gets the heart thumping and the legs talking.
By the time we reached a massive flat rock halfway up, we were properly warmed up, shedding layers and congratulating ourselves for surviving both the Cape Town storm and this mountain’s sense of humour.
The Long Walk to the Waterfall
From there, the trail winds through the folds of the mountain, hugging the contours and offering teasing glimpses of the Bobbejaans River below. The air was cool, clean, and carried that earthy scent that only comes after rain — fynbos, wet stone, and promise.
We walked a total of two hours, including the usual photo breaks, snack stops, and the occasional moment to just stare at the sheer beauty of it all. Eventually we reached the farthest point, a rocky amphitheatre where the waterfall tumbles down into a clear pool below.
The overnight rain had given the waterfall a bit more oomph.
It was in beautiful flow, but any idea of climbing to the top quickly became laughable. Without ropes, it would’ve been a fool’s errand — and none of us fancied adding “rescued by helicopter” to our Sunday plans.
That didn’t stop Eby, bless him, from attempting a partial ascent… and sacrificing his phone to the river gods in the process. He had to ‘go fish’ to retrieve it.
We broke for breakfast there — coffee, fruit, laughter echoing off the cliffs, and a fair amount of tomfoolery. Cameras clicked, jokes flew, and time slipped by unnoticed. There’s something about a good waterfall that freezes the world for a while.
The Return Journey and Crystal Pools
After about an hour of rest, snacks, and collective denial about having to leave, we began the slow journey back. The clouds had thinned by then, sunlight playing off the wet rocks, and everything sparkled — fynbos, faces, and spirits.
On the way down, we detoured to Crystal Pools, a spot that looked straight out of a travel brochure.
The water was heartbreakingly clear, and heartbreakingly cold. But cold water has never stopped the brave. Pacha Mama and our own Dancing Mar Might took one look, shrugged, and plunged in while the rest of us applauded from the safety of dry ground.
Their shrieks confirmed the temperature was sub-arctic. For me.
The rest of us stretched out like lizards on sun-warmed rocks.
We were sunburned, happy, and deeply, lazily content. Some dozed off, others stared at the sky, everyone quietly recharging after what had been, for most of us, a relentlessly stressful week.
It’s funny how mountains know exactly what medicine you need.
Homeward Bound
Eventually, we packed up our things, reluctantly retraced the path, and descended back toward the Witte River crossing.
The afternoon light turned everything to gold. By the time we reached McBains again, we were tired in that good way — the kind that seeps into your muscles but clears out your mind.
Boots off, snacks demolished, a few last glances at the pass that had tried (and failed) to scare us off.
We were already plotting a return trip in the height of summer, when the pools would be warm enough for proper swims and we could take full advantage of those waters without risking frostbite.
But not before we went boot-shopping…
It had been a fantastic day out — crisp air, laughter, a bit of mischief, and just enough adventure to make Monday feel a little less cruel.
A Note for Fellow Hikers
The Bobbejaansrivier Trail is part of the Limietberg Nature Reserve and requires a permit from CapeNature (book in advance via their website or a local office).
The trail is about 8 – 10 km return, with moderate difficulty — short bursts of steep climbing, a river crossing and some mud after the rains, and plenty of reward for the effort.
Allow at least 4–5 hours if you plan to swim or take long breaks, which you absolutely should.
Start early, pack snacks, bring extra dry socks, and keep your phone in a waterproof pouch unless you, too, wish to offer it to the river gods.
Why This Hike Matters
There are hikes that challenge you, and hikes that heal you. Bobbejaansrivier does both — in perfect proportion. It makes you work just hard enough to earn the stillness that follows. The rain-washed air, the sound of water over rock, the laughter of friends, the quiet that settles after the last hill… it all feels like a reset button for the soul.
For a trail so accessible, it’s wildly under-rated. And maybe that’s part of its charm. It doesn’t need to be famous — it just needs to be exactly what it is: a pocket of wilderness tucked behind a historic pass, ready to remind you how small your worries are and how big the world can be.
So yes — it stormed, it cleared, we climbed, we froze, we laughed, and we lived. And for that, it was perfect.
Thanks
Photo & Video credits remain as always the intellectual property of the original contributors:
Anni
Boeta Cassiem
Butch
Ellen
Eby
Mubeen
Rashaad
Saeed
Soraya
Wasielah
Lol….what a beautiful read and lotsa laughter as I relived our hike. 😂
Absolutely great souls together….
Fantastic hike together with great company. It was hilarious 😂
Thanks Bibs
Love ❤️ this
You missed out A Sharifa!