Steenbras River Gorge
4 January 2023
Permits, yay!!
Mubeen managed to secure a booking for one of the most sought-after hikes in Cape Town.
The Crystal Pools trail in the Kogelberg Nature Reserve, despite making 50 permits available per day is near-impossible to book over a weekend.
The hike is accessed from the R44, past Gordons Bay, but before Rooiels and is under the administration of the City of Cape Town.
This is one of the few hikes where you need to pay for a day permit (besides Kromrivier in Worcester).
We paid R80.00 (Eighty Rand) per person.
Bookings can only be done online, and the permits have to be paid in advance.
Not-So-Secret-Rendezvous
The last time I rendezvoused at a garage on my way to a hike, this happened!
We were 30 pax, that’s a lot of cars, so we met up at the Engen garage on the N2 to carpool. Reducing our carbon footprint.
We drove in convoy to the parking area outside the Steenbras Nature Reserve which allowed us access to the Steenbras River Gorge and the Crystal Pools Hiking Trail.
Rare Fruit
There’s something about human nature that makes us want what we can’t have or chase what is hard to get.
It’s hard-wired into our brains.
Maybe some clever anthropologist dude/tte can explain to me how we evolved from Neanderthals to want the fastest, most expensive deer in the herd. Unlike the cheetah, lion, and leopard, who target the weakest in the herd for an easier catch and thus a less expensive meal.
The fact that the permits are available from 1 November to 31 March each year is one factor making this a sought-after hike.
Another is that they sell out quickly, especially over weekends. Which is why when we secured 30/50 permits for a weekday in early January, we grabbed them.
A Spanner In The Weather
The name of the trail, Crystal Pools, is derived from a series of 5 rock pools of varying sizes and depths that get bigger and better the higher up the trail you hike.
There is also a charming waterfall to follow up and or down, depending on your mood. So, you can start at the lower levels and work your way up or you can start at the top and work your way down. We wanted to start at the top.
Unfortunately, rain had been predicted for that day, but we didn’t let that deter us. We had waited a long time for permits to do this hike and we would be doing it, come rain or shine.
Baboon Alert
I last did this hike in late summer (Feb-March) 2013.
We had easily been 40 pax that day. We were blessed with gorgeous weather, not a cloud in the sky, and the heat made the idea of jumping into an ice cold rockpool delicious, even to me. (I hate swimming in freezing water).
Once we reached the highest pool, the group broke for breakfast. Suddenly a big alpha male baboon loomed several feet away from us and snatched an unattended lunchbox.
He was so close; we could touch the tag around his neck. Baboons are extremely intelligent creatures. They have long learned to associate humans with food.
Of course, it is always scary to be up close and personal with a wild animal. Nobody attempted to retrieve the lunch box or confront the animal. It was gone in a flash anyway, before any of us ‘bigger brained’ mammals could so much as blink.
The mugging of the lunchbox unnerved us, but we laughed about it, especially since the box was empty and the baboon would surely be disappointed once he was able to open it.
However, after a couple of minutes, we noticed an entire troop had taken position at the top of the ridge above us, watching us. That was unnerving. I felt like the cowboys in those old Hollywood westerns who look up and suddenly see a tribe of Indian warriors watching them with no good intent.
The hike leader advised us to pack up. Something was up with those baboons.
We packed in such a hurry; one lady left her underwear behind. For years we joked that if anyone ever saw a baboon wearing silk underwear, we knew to whom it belonged!
On our way back we encountered several more baboons. One stood vigil behind a rock as we turned a corner. One lady (you know who you are) got such a fright, she almost tumbled into a rock pool, taking the hike leader with her, and sacrificing a water bottle to the hiking gods!
The baboons were not overtly threatening or aggressive towards us, but it seemed as if they were ushering us out of the reserve. You know when visitors overstay their welcome and you try to get them out of your house so you can get stuff done? We were those visitors.
We heard, rather than saw more baboons barking in the distance. Later we learned that two troops in the area were having some kind of turf war; and we were caught in the middle.
People were scared. The baboons were on the trail, waiting behind rocks. But they were not targeting us, rather, they were targeting the other troop (we found out later).
Our hike leader, Dr. Salie, told us to knock rocks together. As a deterrent, it worked beautifully. The baboons were intimidated by the noise.
It’s a tactic I employ to this day.
Eventually we were all safely off the reserve, some people were understandably traumatised. But we were lucky. Nobody had been hurt.
So I was a little wary of the baboons going into our hike.
Would we see one in 10-year-old underwear?
Crystal Pools: Class of 2023
We started in high spirits and not even a short drizzle and a mad dash to don raingear could dampen our enthusiasm.
Of course, I remembered nothing of the trail, but I did notice a few areas had been cordoned off with rope. We were not allowed to walk on those paths.
Parts of the trail were being rehabilitated. This is a popular hike that would understandably require regular maintenance.
We passed the first few pools on a long, leisurely walk that was not too taxing.
Except for Mambi who walked slap-bang into a tree branch hard enough to rattle her fillings and give herself a unicorn horn on her forehead.
After we determined it was tree sap and not brains, she left on the branch, we marched on.
We took a break above the fourth (I think) pool while B Cassiem and some of the adventurous youngsters with us went to see how accessible the last pool was.
The trail up was rather steep, with many loose rocks and stones. B Cassiem determined the now (well-marked) trail had been changed since our last visit, due to the vegetation rehabilitation efforts, and the path would be too tricky with loose stones and sand for us to continue further, safely.
As a group we decided to park off where we were and camp at that pool. Nobody objected. We were in a chilled and relaxed mood and quite frankly, too lazy to continue.
After negotiating some boulders, we managed to find a relatively flattish group of rocks to have breakfast.
Breakfast Time
Within minutes, food appeared from backpacks, coffee flowed from flasks and snacks were passed around.
We had planned on at least a half day hike, so of course had packed enough food to feed several small armies.
In the meantime, the warm-blooded youngsters and the Prof went for a dip in the icy water.
No baboons invited themselves for breakfast.
Apart from a juvenile rummaging through a lidless formerly-baboon-proofed bin in the parking area, we did not see or hear our primate cousins.
Earlier that morning we heard two loud rifle shots.
Apparently, (I have not been able to confirm or deny this) the rangers fire shots in the air to deter the animals.
I was secretly disappointed not to be ambushed by baboons again.
Smiling After An Impromptu Dip
Bashir & Fareed To The Rescue
If we can’t laugh at ourselves, what is the point, hey? Excellent recovery, Wasielah….
Children please take note… when you fall down, it’s how you get up that matters!
Litter
I don’t understand why people come to the bush and discard their rubbish there.
Who do they think is supposed to pick it up? The baboons?
They should stay home and expire like the anti-social, disgusting creatures they are, and mess in their own spaces.
Why mess up the environment for those of us who like to enjoy it?
People who litter indiscriminately are the worst amongst us.
These water bottles were heedlessly discarded. They still had water in them.
Was it so hard to carry them 2kms to the end of the trail and dispose of them in the many bins outside the reserve? Or take them home… you know, like civilised, educated people?
To whoever did this: May you die in your own filth and may your creditors find your rotting and decomposing corpse several weeks later swarming with black flies.
/rant off
Don’t worry eco-warriors, we removed and discarded the rubbish we picked up once we left the reserve.
Hike Rating
Terrain: Easy – Moderate
Elevation: Easy – Moderate (bearing in mind we did not go to the highest pool)
Highlights: The pools are cool and refreshing
Lowlights: Litter
Crystal Pools is a hike you must add to your to-do list.
The drive to Gordon’s Bay is not too long and the hike starts close to the ocean which is always a bonus.
The total package makes for a wonderful day out.
Epilogue
It is a well-known fact that if you have Pacha Mama and Wasielah in a car, no road trip is a short road trip.
The Prof and the youngsters were not done swimming yet. We decided to go to Bikini Beach down the road in Gordons Bay for a final dip.
The weather was overcast so the beach was almost empty.
But the water was divine. I couldn’t resist. I was the first one in. I much prefer the ocean to freezing tea-stained eel-infested rock pools.
After a rinse in the beach showers and a change of clothes we squatted on the pavement and devoured the rest of our snacks!
Squatting Like Bosses
But we had one more stop to make before heading back to Cape Town.
One cannot go to Gordons Bay without stopping for ice cream at Uncle Barry’s on the beachfront.
No pics were taken because we were too busy eating ice cream!
Not a bad way to spend the first Wednesday of 2023.
Hike Booking Information
To book the hike, which can now only be done online, please mail:
For more information you can call:
+27(0)21 444 6927
Their operating hours are Mon-Fri (excluding holidays) from 8.30am – 2.30pm
Enjoy your hike!
A very good read as usual Gabieba. Thank you for taking the time to pen your thoughts.
Butchuchos & I were so happy to trail along with you Mubeen & the others. I definitely want to do Crystal pools again. May your blogs go from strength to strength in 2023
I’m sorry that I missed this hike. I hope you arrange another one soon
Thanks for an enjoyable read🙌🏽