The Damara Trail in De Mond Nature Reserve is a rare kind of hike—wild, quiet, beautifully curated, and rooted in ancient Khoi footpaths. I spent a weekend walking its dunes and coastline, slept under the wind on a wooden deck, and ended with an 11 km beach stretch into Arniston. It’s wild camping with a luxurious twist, and I already know I’ll be back.
The Damara Trail: Wild Luxury on an Ancient Footpath Read More »
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
Bobbejaansrivier Trail – Bainskloof’s Hidden Paradise Read More »
A Christmas Journey Along South Africa’s Wild Coast On Christmas morning 2016, nine of us left Cape Town in a heavily loaded van, buzzing with excitement, oblivious to the distance ahead of us. We had signed up for four days on the Strandloper Hiking Trail, a 57-kilometre coastal hike between Kei Mouth and Gonubie
The Strandloper Trail – A Throwback Read More »
Heritage Day in South Africa is meant for braais, family, and remembering where we come from. This year, we decided to celebrate it a little differently — by finishing something that had consumed us for months: the 13 Peaks Challenge. Peaks 12 and 13, Devils Peak and Signal Hill, stood between us and the
13 Peaks Finale: Devils Peak & Signal Hill — Peaks 12 and 13 on Heritage Day Read More »
Date: Saturday, 30 AugustStart Time: 7:10 AMRoute: Constantia Nek → Bel Ombre → Klaassenskop → Bridle Path → Rooikat → Kirstenbosch → Newlands Forest Constantia Peak from Bel Ombre On Saturday, 30 August, and by 7:10 AM we were at Constantia Nek, ready for our next adventure on the 13 Peaks Challenge. The day promised
13 Peaks Challenge – Peak 11: Klaassenskop Read More »
The Dilemma By now you’ll know the 13 Peaks Challenge is less of a trail and more of a negotiation between weather, wildfire, and SANParks gate closures. The plan was simple: tick off Constantia Peak from Silvermine Gate 1. Only one problem — Silvermine Gate 1 has been locked tight since April’s devastating wildfire,
13 Peaks Challenge: Peak 10 (Constantia Peak via Blackburn Ravine) Read More »
13 Peaks Challenge Cape Town Hiking Peak 6 and 7 of the 13 Peaks Challenge, 21–22 June 2025 Peak 5 Behind; Peak 6 Ahead When you sign up for Cape Town’s legendary 13 Peaks Challenge, you sign up for everything: dazzling views (even if obscured by thick fog and mist),
Su(ff)ther Peak and Chapman’s Peak: Wet Bums and a Whole Lot of Adventure Read More »
The Best-Laid Plans (Drenched in Reality) Monday 16 June dawned grey and moody—typical Cape Town winter weather. It was meant to be leg 3 of our 13 Peaks Challenge. For Peaks 1-4 go here. The goal: two peaks—Little Lion’s Head (Klein Leeukoppie) and Suther Peak—from the spot we’d ended on
Drenched on Little Lion’s Head: When Rain and Wrong Turns Rule Your 13 Peaks Adventure Read More »
We began our 13 Peaks Challenge on Friday the 13th at 15:31 under a windless Cape Town sky. With mysterious coincidences, brutal wind, and an unexpected rescue, here’s how our first two days unfolded on one of SA’s most iconic trail adventures.
Chased by Wind, Guided by Numbers: The first 4 peaks of the 13 Peaks Challenge Read More »
The Swart Tobie Trail is a rare find in South Africa’s hiking landscape — a 5-day wilderness slackpacking trail that traces sea, sand, and soul through the private farmlands of the West Coast.
The Ultimate Guide to the Swart Tobie Trail Read More »
