South Africa is hiking country, with numerous multi-day, overnight trails. Many of these require full hiking gear, with backpacks and the necessity to carry your own food and equipment, from the best known five day Otter Trail to various weekend excursions. The trails approved by Platteklip Tours & Trails, have a different focus:
- No heavy backpack;
- Comfortable beds;
- Hot showers;
- Good food – some of the trails have catered and self-catered options
- Cold drinks – some premises are licensed on others you can bring your own
- Qualified guides – a few trails also offer self-guided options
The trails are all stand alone products offered by a variety of private operators, national parks, nature reserves, biosphere reserves and associations. Although some of them may be incorporated in to our various tour packages and could certainly become part of a private tour itinerary, they can also be booked independently. They often require a minimum number in a group in order to ensure departure.
Offering comfort and transport of overnight luggage, does not mean all the trails are easy hikes, indeed some are challenging and certainly require a degree of hiking fitness. Platteklip Tours and Trails provides an overview of each of the operations, a indication of the difficulty level, a platform through which private trails can be arranged and booked and support services on some of the trails that may include catering, transport and logistical support and guiding.
Platteklip Tours & Trails does not manage or operate any of the trails listed. Occasionally we are able to co-ordinate independent enquiries in to larger groups, to make it a worthwhile hiking group.
Slackpacking trails table & quick summary
Western Cape Overnight Trails
Table Mountain Trail (Moderate)
Cape Town
A two day, one night trail that takes the hiker to the only commercially available overnight accommodation at the top of the Back Table of Table Mountain, with views over the Southern Suburbs. The trail starts in Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens on day 1 and finishes at the lower cable station at the end of day 2.
The venue is managed by Table Mountain National Park (TMNP) and can be booked on a self-catering basis by the public for a minimum of six. The trail is not formally recognised by TMNP, but can be arranged with catering, guiding and logistical support provided by Platteklip Tours & Trails. There are various routes that can be followed and is rated as moderate.
