The Otter Hiking Trail
Length: 5 days.
Terrain: Coastal rocky paths with river crossings.
Difficulty: 7 out of 10 due steep climbs every day
Max group size: 12 people.
The Otter Trail is regarded as one of the premier hiking trails in South Africa. Covering 42 kilometers and taking 5 days to explore some of the most extraordinarily beautiful landscapes imaginable running through the rugged Tsitsikamma National Park coastline on the Garden Route near Plettenberg Bay.
Following the yellow Otter footprints painted along the route, you will experience the breathtakingly beautiful terrain along the coastline. Crossing 11 rivers along the way, and on day four crossing the Bloukrans River at low tide, where swimming is sometimes required. (Download a tides timetable here).
A limit of 12 hikers a day only, which keeps this nice and “personal” ages between 12 and 65 and able to hike 14 kilometers a day over steep terain.
WHERE TO SET OFF
Ensure you have your reservation papers handy for when you arrive at Storms River SanParks reception. After registering, you will head to the Otter Trail hut nearby to watch the video (about 30 minutes if you watch all of it).
The hike starts here! NOT down at the coast anymore, for those of you who did it a long time ago. The new start is from the hut. (The day trippers use that old portion of the 1st day hike to the water fall.)
BRIEF OVERVIEW
The trail is steep up and down, but well maintained.
At the overnight stops, there are 2 huts which sleep 6 each on three bunk beds with thin mattresses. a communal area with braai places with steel grids. firewood is not always available and you need to collect it.
A single flushing toilet and cold water shower at each stop, except the 1st night where there is no shower.
Rainwater tanks provide drinking water, but don’t rely on this. Ensure you have a bottle of water for the evening meal preparations. use purification tablets if you use water from the rivers, especially the Coldstream/Witels and the Lottering rivers.
Cell phone connection is patchy.
You will have to keep a sharp eye out for the elusive Otter itself as it is a very shy animal.
Booking
See Contact section for all these details. Don't forget that I can shuttle you to and from Otter Trail making your experience all the more enjoyable and hassle free.
Use the menu on the right to find out what each day has in store for you.
| Day 1 » |