go!

South Africa’s number one travel and outdoor lifestyle magazine. We pay our own way and tell it like it is. We drive back roads and speak to real people, giving you practical information about affordable destinations in southern Africa. Each issue is crammed with excellent photography, honest gear reviews and delicious recipes to make at home or in the bundu. Whether you’re looking to escape for a weekend or a month, your journey starts here.

Mountain therapy

Go! Hiking Guide

Get a map and don’t get lost! • What do you do when you want to hike in an area that doesn’t feature on any commercially available maps? You go to the CD:NGI – the national mapping agency of South Africa.

Meet the hikers • These guys and gals did a lot of the hiking for this year’s guide. Here are some of their favourite trails, regions and quotes, and the hikes they dream of doing one day.

The gurus’ gear • Buying hiking gear can be intimidating – there are so many options available, and sometimes similar-looking products differ greatly in terms of quality and price. We asked our team of contributors about the products they rely on.

What else works? • With hiking gear, two words are more important than others: small and light. The less weight you have to carry, the more you’ll enjoy the adventure. We’ve put together a starter gear list and highlighted some other clever, compact items.

LIGHTWEIGHT BUT TASTY • When it comes to food on the trail, most hikers hate carrying the extra kilos. At the same time, food is absolutely crucial to keep your energy levels up. Freeze-dried and dehydrated meals might be the answer… We tasted some popular options.

Greyton’s greatest hikes • Greyton is a pretty town in the Overberg and home to the famous Boesmanskloof Trail, which leads to McGregor and back, but local residents know that the Riviersonderend Mountains offer so much more… The hiking trails in the Greyton Nature Reserve are an infinite source of scenic sights: waterfalls, indigenous forest, deep gorges and snow-capped peaks, with names like Perdekop, Galgeberg and Uitkyk Peak – all of which can compete with the postcard regulars of Europe. Greyton has strolls and proper hikes that require sweat and know-how – there’s something for everyone. Here’s your guide to an unforgettable weekend away.

Wild and wonderful Wolkberg • The hamlet of Haenertsburg, about 60 km east of Polokwane, is sandwiched between two remarkable hiking spots. The one attracts heaps of attention – Magoebaskloof – and the other is an enigma: the Wolkberg Wilderness Area, shrouded in mystery and misfortune.

Climb a magic mountain • Towerkop is a soaring peak in the Klein Swartberg behind the town of Ladismith. It’s a well-known rock-climbing spot, but not many hikers have discovered its secret arch…

Hike under a full Karoo moon • Experienced hikers will tell you that every hike is unique. That’s true, but Heuningland’s full-moon hike is even more so. It will have you looking at the Karoo through new eyes.

Do it for grandma! • Once a year in early spring, a group of hikers gathers in Tulbagh to do the Disa Trail through the orchards and mountains of the Witzenberg Valley. They do it for fun, but also to raise funds for the town’s old-age home.

Termites for tea • Experience the southern Camdeboo in all its glory on this five-day hike through farmland and Karoo wilderness.

A slice of seashore to call your own • There aren’t many trails in the world that can rival the Whale Trail – a glorious five-day meander through De Hoop Nature Reserve in the Overberg. Best of all: The renovated trail huts now boast all the conveniences that even the fussiest hiker might require.

Get fit for the Fanie Botha! • Most hikers speak of the Fanie Botha Trail with reverence. It was one of the first official,...