Tag: #ocean
Anaga Mountains

Anaga Mountains

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Anaga Mountains

The forgotten part of Tenerife, yet a place of extreme beauty and serenity. The Anaga mountains are located at the far northern corner of the island, a world away from the bustling cities and beach resorts. It is a landscape that you won’t find something similar in the entirety of the Canary Islands. Unlike the volcanic nature of these islands, the Anaga mountains are lush green mountains up in the clouds with forests and wild beaches dotting the entire region. In this region, you’ll truly experience the local life of these islands with small villages nestled up in the mountains and shepherds and herds of sheep roaming freely on its slopes. Venturing into this region will satisfy your adventurous soul and is well worth the effort to at least do a day hike in this off-the-beaten path region.

Although there is an extensive network of trails in these mountains, it is really hard to get a good map of the entire trail network. However, the website of the natural preserve has detailed maps and descriptions of each individual trail and it is up to you to combine these trails together to enjoy a magnificent day hike On Your Own in this serene region (click to request info).

I did a day hike in the Anaga mountains totally independently through using public buses to connect to and from the start and ending points of my planned hike. I combined a number of trails together to enjoy an amazing hiking day of approximately 17 kms which took around 5-6 hours to complete, passing through several local and stunningly beautiful mountain villages and wild beaches…So lets start the adventure!

This is a rough sketch of my hiking tour in the Anaga mountains and in the following sections, I’ll take you through a detailed journey on each of these trails.

I started my hike at the Mirrador Cruz del Carmen which I reached using a public bus from Santa Cruz (click to request info). I got off the bus and hit the ground running from the excitement. The first trail I hiked on was a 3.7km hike from Cruz del Carmen till Las Carboneras via trails #10 and 10.1. The entire trail is a downhill, so it’ll be a nice warmup for the day. The trail starts from the bus stop at Cruz del Carmen and immediately you’ll enter into the lush green forest and you’ll be forgiven if you forgot that you are in the Canary Islands:)

This trail is so surreal and after around 2.5km on trail #10, you’ll reach a junction with trail #10.1 on which you’ll continue hiking for around 1.2km. This trail should take you around an hour to complete, but don’t be in a hurry and just enjoy the sounds of the forest:)

When reaching the village of Las Carboneras, its now time to switch to another trail. The next trail you’ll hike on will be the longest section of the day (6km). This leg will take you from Las Carboneras to the village of Afor via trail #9. The first section of this trail is mostly downhill again that will take you around a small mountain gorge. One tip here, look back while hiking for magnificent views of Las Carboneras.

The landscape here gets wilder as you are now in the middle of towering mountains and surrounded by forests from all angles…Stunning!

The next section of this trail is one of two uphill sections in the entire day; and although, it is only 1km in length, it is moderately tough and would require some effort to tackle it. Reaching this high point stunning views will start to unveil in all directions. So take a rest and enjoy the views as now you’ll start feeling the true Anaga experience.

From this point the trail will almost be flat for 1.5km, allowing you to soak in the views while hiking and you’ll start passing some local houses with domestic animals playing around:). The next 2km will be a steep downhill to the village of Afor…Facing the ocean while hiking this section, you can’t ask for better views and you’ll reach Afor after almost 1.5 hours on this trail.

Afor is at the mouth of river running from the mountains to the ocean, so the next trail will be hiking along the river till you reach the wild beach of Playa de Tamadite on trail #8. This trail is 2.5km in length, but it is an easy trail and should take you around 30-45 minutes to complete. Along the way you’ll pass several small bridges that cross the river and hiking this trail will feel like you are in a playground:) and it is your own playground as from now on, you’ll hardly meet anyone till you finish this day hike.

Playa de Tamadite is a very wild beach with high waves smashing into the rocks, you can swim there, but it is not easy, so be careful…I personally didn’t:)

Have a good rest here as you’ll start the next big uphill section after this point. The next trail is trail #8 that will take you all the way to the village of Taganana. It is a 4.5km wild hike up the cliffs above the ocean with no one around you…and its amazing! First, you’ll have to navigate the 0.7km uphill section till you reach the top of the trail…its tough but well worth it! At this point, the views are unbelievable… it is beautiful, wild and very surreal. From here to Taganana, you’ll hike on almost a flat trail with the ocean to your left, the mountains to your right, and the beautiful horizon in front of you.

It is a narrow trail that hugs the edge of the cliff which will keep your adrenaline pumping all the way. With every turn, stunning views and rock formations will unveil in front of you…so enjoy:)

Finally, you’ll reach the top of the village of Taganana and you’ll hike down between its white houses till you reach the main square and the bus stop from which you’ll catch your bus back to Santa Cruz. One final tip, Taganana is famous for its locally produced wine, so treat yourself with a glass of tasty wine before you head back and enjoy a magnificent sunset:)
El-Teide

El-Teide

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El-Teide

The mighty El-Teide, the dominant volcano that rises in the middle of Tenerife. This is an active volcano that rises proudly above the clouds and you are going to hike it all the way to the top; but before we start, there are some logistical stuff that you need to take care of first.

Yes, there is a cable car that takes you up the mountain, but it does not reach the summit, as it is no place for tourists… and that is what you are aiming for! Being an active volcano, the summit of El-Teide is a protected area and there is a limit on the number of people who can go up at any given time, so you got two options to be able to hike all the way to the top of this majestic volcano. First, if you want to hike up and down in one day, no camping allowed up there, then you’ll need to get a free permit for your planned day (click to request info) and chose from the multiple trails that reaches the top, but be aware…this will be a very long and demanding hiking day. I personally don’t recommend this option as it does not allow you to enjoy the full experience of being up this mighty volcano, and you’ll know why when you see the other option. The second option is the true El-Teide experience, it is a 2-day hike with a sunrise ascent to the summit, and believe me…there is nothing that beats the views that you’ll see:)

So where to spend the night when no camping is allowed?! No worries, there is a mountain refuge at an elevation of +3,260m called Altavista Refuge. This is a mountain hut type of refuge with shared dorms and fully equipped kitchen that you need to book in advance via their website (click to request info) as it gets full quickly.

The next logistical issue that you need to take care of is to plan your hiking route and chose the hiking trails that you want to hike up and down. So, armed with the hiking trails’ map of Parque Nacional Del Teide, you have two options to chose from when going up.

First, you can park your car at El-Portillo and hike all the way up to the refuge via trails # 6 & 7. If you have enough time, I recommend this trail as it traverses a lesser known part of the national park and not as steep as the other trails, although its much longer. The other option, the one I did, is to park your car at Montana Blanca car park and hike up via the Montana Blanca trail # 7 till you reach the refuge. This is a shorter, yet steeper trail, but an equally beautiful one that will take you to the refuge in less time. This will be your first day hike, then the next day you’ll do the sunrise hike to the top of El-Teide from the refuge.

So what about going down? You’ll find that most hikers who spent the night at the refuge will opt to go down via the cable car. Yes, you’ll be tired and beaten, but I strongly don’t recommend this option unless you are in a hurry or have other plans in the island. Honestly, it’s a shame to come up all this way and not to explore the other beauties of the national park; and believe me, the adrenaline will be pumping in your body from your earlier summit achievement and you’ll want to continue your hiking adventure. So, what I did, is I took trail # 12 from the cable car station to Pico Viejo, another perfect conically-shaped volcano that is further downhill at an elevation of +3,134, and then go down to El Parador car park via the long trail # 23. Obviously, the only way to do this hiking trip is to park at one of the car parks at Montana Balance or El Parador and hitch a ride to the other, which is perfectly doable. All set…enough with the logistics and lets start the real fun:)

The first day hike starts at Montana Balance parking; however, the drive to this parking lot is itself an amazing experience as you get closer and closer to this mighty volcano and you’ll say to yourself “no way that this is the mountain that I’m going to hike up”…but…it is:) The trail up to the refuge is 6.5km in length, with an elevation gain of +912m. The first 4km of this trail are not so steep and the trail is easy to follow. You’ll be hiking in a landscape that resembles Mars more than the earth, a total contrast from the lush green beaches that are allover the island. I can’t describe the views and the landscape enough, but they are simply stunning, beautiful, and wild.

After these 4km, you’ll reach a junction with trail #6 and the real ascent will begin. This last 2.5km are a series of switchbacks that go steeply up…forever. So, take your time in this part as you are now close to +3,000m of elevation and your breathing will get more difficult.

Drink lots of water and take as many breaks as you want and soon you’ll be at the refuge, and the feeling when you catch the first sight of the refuge will be one of total relief:) 

At this point, you’ll be done with day one after around 3:30 hours of tough hiking, so simply relax and enjoy the stunning views from up there.

At the refuge itself, they’ll assign you a bed in a 15-20 bed dorm room and there is a fully-equipped kitchen and wifi, so prepare your dinner, relax, and go to be d early to get ready for the big day. P.S. there is no drinking water at the refuge so take your water with you or better…(click to request info) 

It’s the big day now!! you’ll reach the very top of the mighty El-Teide at +3,718m high for a magnificent and an unforgettable sunrise. It will take you around 2 hours to reach the top from the refuge, so time your sleep accordingly to give yourself time to have a good breakfast and a cup of coffee because you’ll need every bit of energy on this day, and DON’T FORGET your headlamp and warm clothing:)

During these 2 hours, you’ll hike in complete darkness, but this adventure has very surreal feelings! Take a picture before you start hiking to commemorate this exciting moment.

The first part of the hike is as steep as the switchbacks from the previous day, but you can do it! With every step, El-Teide will start revealing itself to you in its full force and you’ll think that it is impossible to go up that mighty volcano, but keep believing in yourself:) After this part, there is a part that is half a kilometer away from the cable car station that is almost flat which is a nice reprieve. From the cable car station, the big uphill starts!! This part is around 0.7km, but they are grueling and the trail will start getting exposed as, by now, you are above anything that exists on this island. And as the dawn starts cracking the views and the feelings are simply unbelievable.

 You did it!! You are now at the top, you’ll be ecstatic, awed, and proud of yourself. I can’t describe how is it up this mighty volcano and how stunning this sunrise is, I’ll leave you with this collection of pictures and they’ll do the talking…BTW, these are the clouds, not the ocean:) 

After watching this magnificent sunrise, its time to head back down to the cable car station. Take a good rest here, have a picnic and recharge, as the day didn’t end yet:)

From here, take trail # 12 to Pico Viejo, which is a downhill, and well-marked trail. While on this trail, you’ll have Pico Viejo in front of you and El-Teide in your background…what more to ask for:)

The trail till the view point of Pico Viejo is easy and finally downhill:) then from this point it’ll get tougher as you’ll hike on a lava field till you reach Pico Viejo after around 1:30 hours. 

Have a good rest and lunch as from here you’ll almost be alone till you reach El Parador. It is a 5km hike, all on tough lava field and it’ll be very tiring after this long amazing day. Take your time admiring the magnificent views around you, you are almost there:) 

It will take around 2:30 hours till you reach the parking lot and along the way you’ll pass by the rock formations of Roques de Garcia with lots of tourists around you…what a different world:)
Canary Islands

Canary Islands

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Canary Islands

When most people think about the canary islands, they think of beaches and a relaxing vacation unaware that these islands boosts some of the best hiking that you’ll ever find.

Being volcanic islands in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, there are no shortage of wild and breathtaking hikes here that will satisfy the adventurer in you, but you need to fight the temptation of laying on the beach first:)

I did a trip to two of these beautiful islands, Tenerife and La Gomera, and combined both adventurous hikes and wild beach adventures that truly satisfied the adventurous spirit in me. In the next blog posts, I’ll take you through a journey to three hikes in these two magnificent islands that will blow your mind away and test your physical ability to the limit; as well as, venturing to some of the most wild, beautiful and off-the-beaten path beaches in Tenerife, that you can visit them all On Your Own…so lets begin:)

Tenerife:

Hike 1: El-Teide

Hike 2: Anaga Mountains

Hike 3: Wild Beaches

La Gomera:

Hike 1: Vallehermoso – Las Rosas

Otter Trail (Day 5)

Otter Trail (Day 5)

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[Andre Hut → Nature Valley] (10.8 km)

The final day of this amazing adventure; the day you’ll be back in civilization:) Depending on your transport arrangements and timing, plan your start for this day bearing in mind that this is an easy short day that will take you only 3 hours to finish, with stops.

The first section will be along the pebble beach you spent the previous night on and it’ll involve some challenging boulder hopping.

Then the final uphill of this entire trail will start immediately after you hike along the beach for less than a kilometer. The uphill will be inside the forest and by now you’ll be expert in this terrain so it won’t be tough for you.

After this last uphill you’ll reach the top of the plateau with amazing final views of the towering cliffs above the ocean. You’ll continue hiking on the top and will have this amazing feeling that you almost finished this thrilling adventure.

It is all flat from here, so take your time, enjoy, take your last pictures, and keep going till you reach the metal gate marking the end of the trail!! CONGRATULATIONS YOU DID IT

From this point you’ll have an amazing view of Nature Valley beach 

and the trail will take you down all the way to the beach and civilization.

Now you’ll start meeting people: day trippers and beach goers and they’ll all congratulate you:) so enjoy your glory moment and don’t forget to stop by the rest camp to sign-out from the trail and collect your Otter Trail Certificate…YOU ARE OFFICIALLY AN ADVENTURER!!

 
Otter Trail (Day 4)

Otter Trail (Day 4)

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[Oakhurst Hut → Andre Hut] (13.8 km)

This is the longest, toughest, and most dangerous day of the entire trail! But don’t be discouraged as, since you reached this point already, then you are fit enough to do it, and the rewards along the entire trail are stunning!    

This is the day when the tidal chart you got at the reception on day 1 becomes very very important. Check the low tide and try to plan to reach the Balkrans river half an hour before that for the easiest of crossings, yet you’ll be able to cross at other times but it’ll be more difficult!

The river, itself, is after 10 km from the hut you slept in and 4 km from your next hut, so accordingly plan to start your day which might, sometimes, be at dawn. However, the trail is well-marked and has km markers every 1 km so it’ll be easy to follow even in the dark. Done with all the planning, then let’s start the adventure:)

The first part of the trail will be along the ocean with stunning views and nice sea breeze. This section is fairly easy, so you should be able to hike at a faster pace.

After km 6, the trail will get wilder and tougher. From km 6 to 8, it will be the toughest section before the crossing. In addition to rock scrambling and boulder hopping, it will involve lots of uphills and downhills and you’ll be amazed by the mere fact that such a trail was even built!

The trail will continue inside the forest, and if the weather is hot, beware of where you put your feet because there might be snakes on the trail!

At this point you have done almost 3 hours of hiking today, so take a break and recharge. The final part before the crossing is fairly easy inside the forest and should take you around 1 hour (you’ll be tired by now, so you’ll hike at a much slower pace).

Then the mighty Balkrans river will come into view!!! This is, maybe, the moment you mostly anticipated when you decided to hike the Otter trail…so take a deep breath and enjoy the view.

When you arrive at the river mouth there will be a map showing the crossing routes based on the tide situation. Since we reached the river at low tide, we chose route “A” which is the easiest, yet the longest in which you’ll have to walk in the water.

If you timed it right and had time before the low tide, then this will be an ideal spot for lunch before you cross. In our case, we arrived an hour before the low tide, so we rested, swam and enjoyed the stunning views around us.

Again since we had time, I put on my aqua shoes and decided to test the crossing without the bags and it was really easy as the water was waist level at max.

So when the time came, we decided to cross with our bags on our backs with the rain covers on as we didn’t need neither survival bags nor ropes (didn’t have them anyways since we knew we are going to cross at low tide and had the much cheaper alternative…garbage bags and small dry bags for our valuables… in case we needed them). We crossed 15 minutes before low tide and only the bottom of our bags got a bit wet…nothing more!

The feeling that you crossed and passed the most dangerous part is very refreshing, and since we had time, we celebrated by swimming again; but it is also advisable to relax a bit because the next 4 kilometers are the toughest in terms of hiking.

Immediately after the crossing, you will walk on a very narrow ledge which can be a bit scary, but there are fixed ropes to hold on to if you needed

In this section the adrenaline will be pumping in your veins and you’ll feel like a conqueror who was able to conquer the famous Otter trail, almost:)

After this ledge-walking section, you’ll reach a pebble beach which is very wild and remote.

Then, the first of the two big uphills will start. It wasn’t as bad as previously thought, but after all your effort, the trail will take you down again to another pebble beach:) so take a break here because the next uphill is really grueling. It is the toughest uphill in the entire 5-day trek, so take it slowly and keep going as you know you are almost there.

Finally, you’ll reach the top of the plateau with stunning views and it’ll be all flat and downhills from here to the huts:) 

These last 2 kilometers are really fun and the final steep downhill will take you right to Andre huts which are located on a wild pebble beach 
Otter Trail (Day 3)

Otter Trail (Day 3)

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[Scott Hut → Oakhurst Hut] (7.7 km)

This is the first day when you’ll start encountering the famous river crossings of the Otter trail and you’ll have to plan your hike according to the tide chart to be able to cross these rivers at low tide. The third day of the Otter trail is relatively short, yet it has some challenging uphills. The total distance between the two huts is 7.7 km which will take you around 4 hours, with rests, so you’ve time. However, your start time will depend on the low tide time as the second river that you’ll have to cross, the Lottering River, is after 7 km.    

In this day, you’ll hike on a terrain that, most probably, you never hiked before and you’ll go to places you won’t believe your eyes for their beauty, so get ready and prepare for an amazing adventure:)

The first part of the hike will be, the now familiar, uphill from the hut inside the thick forest. Shortly after that the terrain will completely change and you’ll hike close to the ocean shore.

 

It is an unbelievable background for a hike, what more can an adventurer want other than a blue ocean, green forest, and beautiful sunshine:) You’ll stop a lot here for the perfect ocean picture.

The trail here will involve some boulder hopping and uphills, but every few kilometers you can find hidden pools where you can swim…amazing! 

After 2.5 km, you’ll reach the first of the two river mouths…the Elandsbos river…and it is out of this world.

Crossing this river is very easy, at maximum you’ll only have to take-off your shoes, but the views and the feeling of exclusivity here will make you cross this river back and forth from the excitement.

 

The next section of the trail is the toughest. From here it’ll be an uphill after an uphill and all exposed to the sun without the shelter of the forest trees, but I personally, didn’t realize how tough it was because I was owed by the beauty surrounding me (pic).

After around 4 kilometers, the trail will reach the top of a cliff and start to flatten, to much of your relief. Then in 2 kilometers you’ll start seeing the Lottering river mouth and the huts on the opposite side. At first sight you’ll be scared of the crossing as the huts are directly situated above the river mouth which is deep and wild.

But don’t be as when you start going downhill towards the river, the trail will take you away from the ocean and the crossing will be at a very shallow area. The dissent from here is very steep, so be cautious; and if you reach the river at low tide, you’ll only need to take-off your shoes and cross.

You are now almost at the huts, only 20 minutes left, so secure your bags after you cross the river and go for an amazing swim, but don’t let the fun distract you as the high tide will come. From here to the huts it’ll be a slight uphill and when you reach the huts, you’ll realize that they are situated at an unbelievably amazing spot…so enjoy!

And remember, if you want to check the difference in the water levels between low and high tides, you can go back to the crossing area and try your luck:) and don’t miss the amazing sunset over the ocean.
Otter Trail (Day 2)

Otter Trail (Day 2)

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[Ngubu Hut → Scott Hut] (7.9 km)

Having slept your first night in the wilderness of Tsitsikamma forest and tasted your first experience of the Otter trail beauty, you’ll be all enthusiastic to start your proper Otter trail adventure.   

In day 2, the Otter trail will take you to untouched wilderness beauty that is beyond belief, but you’ll also start your experience with the famous Otter trail steps:) This is fairly tough day but full of diverse rewards. In this day you’ll hike 7.9 km that should take you around 4 hours of hiking, but plan for double of that time because you’ll spend a lot of time enjoying the natural beauties of this day! So have a good breakfast and start early to give yourself plenty of time to enjoy the highlights of this day.

The first section of the trail will be a big uphill in the forest from the Ngubu hut to the top of the plateau. You’ll hike inside the dense green forest away from the ocean but surrounded by the morning sounds of the birds.

When reaching the top of the plateau, there will be a viewpoint above the ocean which will serve as a nice rest stop; however, after that you’ll have a series of small downhills and uphills, inside the forest, till you reach Skilderkrens rock.

Once you put your eyes on this magnificent rock, you’ll know right-away what amazing views await you from its top; it is a very rugged rock that stands all alone on top of the ocean!!

Although hiking to the top of Skilderkrens rock is not part of the trail, believe me…its well worth the detour! So leave your bags at the junction and hike, actually you’ll find yourself running, to the top. 

When reaching the top, just take your time and admire the 360 degrees views surrounding you. From the dramatic waves crushing on the rocky cliffs, to the lush green forest below you, to the wide blue ocean in front of you…so take lots of pictures from every possible angle & enjoy:)

 

After getting back to the trail, proper, don’t forget your bags:) and continue your hike. The next section of the hike will be very enjoyable as it’ll continue downhill inside the forest till you reach this day’s second highlight…the Kleinbos river! This is a nice relaxing picnic spot, but first you’ll have to do some rock-hopping to cross the river, then pick a spot, have lunch, and enjoy.

But wait, this is not what all this river has to offer!! If you venture a little bit upstream, you’ll do some more rock-hopping, then find yourself at a magical water pool imbedded into the forest, so put on your swimsuit and take a dip:)

Being refreshed and ecstatic, get ready for some more uphills and the famous Otter trail’s steps! Take your time, have as many rests as you need, and continue hiking in the forest till you reach the junction for the Blue bay!! At this point you’ll be tired and start doubting whether it is worth the detour or not, especially that it involves a big uphill on your way back to the trail, but I’ll just show you this next picture and the decision will be extremely easy.

Take the detour, you can leave your bag up and hope a baboon doesn’t take it:) we did that! And go down to the bay. You are now in heaven…not only that it is an exclusive heaven, only you and 11 other hikers in this paradise! No matter how I try to describe the beauty of this bay, I won’t be able to really capture it in words…but it is one of the most beautiful sights that I’ve ever seen. Not only that, but you’ll have an opportunity to swim in a clear blue ocean water, surf some waves, and relax in amazing surroundings…it is simply heaven.

 

 

I know you’ll want to spend the night there, and who doesn’t, but unfortunately, you’ll have to go to your hut, so when you are ready, hike back up to the Otter trail, which turned up not as tough as I previously thought. Now take a final rest because the next section of the trail is a big uphill.

It is the final push towards Scott huts, tough one though, so take your time, and put all your effort into it. After this big uphill, you’ll reach an emergency exit, after which it’ll be all downhill to the huts. The huts are located at the Geelhoutbos river mouth, so another opportunity to swim:) 
Otter Trail (Day 1)

Otter Trail (Day 1)

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[Stormsriver Mouth → Ngubu Hut] (4.8 km)

It is the big day, it is the day you have been planning and preparing for for maybe a year. I know you can’t hide your excitement that its finally here and that you’ll finally fulfill one of your bucket list dreams…so don’t! it is the first day of the Otter Trail & it deserves all the excitement you are feeling:) 

The first day of this famed trail is a nice introduction to the trail as it is the easiest of the 5 days. The total distance that you’ll hike today is only 4.8 km from Stormsriver Mouth to Ngubu hut which roughly takes 4.5 hours to complete, yet it’ll be as rewarding as every coming day of this masterpiece of a trail. And being a short day is an advantage as it’ll allow you time for last minute shopping & packing before taking your transport to Stormsriver Mouth, but don’t start later than 2pm (in the summer) to allow yourself time to enjoy all the highlights of this day bearing in mind that if you are based in George, it’ll take you around 3 hours to reach Stormsriver.

When reaching Stormsriver Mouth entrance there will be a designated road for the start of the Otter Trail where, at its end, your transport will drop you at the registration office. Here you’ll sign-in for the entire trail, and do all the necessary paperwork; in addition, they will give you valuable information about the trail, timings of each day, location of emergency exits & numbers to call, the location of the drinking water sources, and above all, a very good map of the trail and the, all important, tide chart (click to request info). After finishing the registration process, there is a preparation room on the opposite side of the street where you can make final adjustments to your backpack, weigh it, and fill your water bottles; and next to this room is the start of your adventure!!

All excited and ready for 5 days of absolute nature beauty away from civilization, then take a picture of this milestone of a step and start:)

The first part of the trail is a downhill hike through the lush green forest. In this part, you’ll be very excited and hike quickly on the sounds of birds & squirrels, then you’ll start getting a glimpse of the magnificent ocean through the thick trees.

You’ll continue hiking downhill for almost an hour till you reach a rocky beach.

At this point, you’ll find a lot of day hikers coming from the direction of the beach aiming for the waterfall which is the furthest they are allowed to go. Right after the beach is the Guano Caves. Often overlooked by hikers who are excited to reach the waterfall, this cave is definitely worth exploring. Although it’s a bit eerie to go inside, the adventurous spirit in you will encourage you to go inside and you’ll feel like a true explorer into the unknown with some amazing rock formations.

After taking your time exploring the cave, the next part of the trail will involve a lot of boulder-hopping along the coast. At first it’ll be physically demanding, but you’ll get the hang of it;

and after, approximately, 2 km from the start you’ll get closer and closer to the ocean and the roaring sound of the waves crashing into the rocks. Throughout this section you’ll find some wooden paths to help you navigate the rocks, but don’t let your enthusiasm to reach the waterfall make you forget that there are amazing pictures to be taken here…so take your time & lots of pictures:)

Just before the 3 km mark you’ll reach the waterfall. Whether the waterfall, itself, is at full force or not, it is still an amazing refreshing sight to admire and the natural pool below it will be a very welcome refresher, so put on your swim suit, unleash your spirit, and take a dip in this amazingly pure fresh water.

Now you are three quarters of the way to the hut so take your time, have a picnic, and don’t let the waterfall distract you from the opposite sight. So grab a comfy rock and relax with a view like no other…the endless ocean and the white washing waves!

Now you’ll realize that all the talk about the beauty of this trail is not exaggerated; and from now on, it’ll be all exclusive for you and your other fellow 11 hikers!!

The final section of this day will start by more boulder-hopping, then you’ll hike a bit uphill info the forest… and it’ll be only you…no more day hikers! Soon after 1 hour, you’ll reach the Ngubu hut and you’ll get a taste of the amazing nights to come.

Settle in, pick a bed for yourself, and get to know your fellow hikers, as they will be the only people you’ll see for 4 days:) At every hut, you’ll find drinking water, fire wood, bbq facilities, fire pits, and toilets, so prepare your first dinner & ENJOY:)

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