Hiking the Area

We have 7 different hikes for all ages and all fitness levels so pack your hiking boots!

PLEASE NOTE - Remember to have good, comfortable walking shoes, water, food, binoculars, a hat and a warm jacket. It is not advisable to walk any route alone. Even avid walkers can have an accident. Please do not litter on any trail (rubbish nor cigarette stubs). Enjoy your hike!

Garden Route Walking Festival - EASTER WEEKEND (30 MARCH - 2 APRIL 2018)

South Africa's only walking festival is becoming the 'not-to-miss' event on the Garden Route over the Easter Weekend. Home to the country's most famous trails and hikes, the festival celebrates the region's iconic walks and appeals to adventure lovers and walkers of every kind, offering an exciting programme suitable for everyone in the family, from beginners to seasoned hikers.

"Walking festivals are a big trend globally, and the Hi-Tec Garden Route Walking Festival is the biggest of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere - it's a massive undertaking that involves the support and involvement of local guides and communities.

Plettenberg Bay and the Garden Route are amongst the world's greatest walking destinations, with incredible mountains, secret forests, cascading waterfalls, coastal cliffs, amazing beaches and famous trails, making it ideal for such a festival.

"The Hi-Tec Garden Route Walking Festival showcases the true hospitality of the region with many local volunteers involved, tourism associations including Wesgro showed their support from day one. Now an annual event, the festival highlights the many year-round walks we all love." - Galeo Saintz

Plettenberg Bay walks include: Robberg, Nature's Valley to Keurbooms, Salt River, a guided game walk, Peak Formosa, a vertical walk and kids pirate beach walk to name a few.

Find out more and book your tickets

Kranshoek Coastal Walk
Grade: Fairly difficult
Time: 2 hours or 5 hours
Distance: 3 kms or 9 kms
Features: Forests, pine plantation, fynbos, coastal escarpment, rocky beach.
Permits: None. Please sign visitors book. Open 6am to 6 pm.
The walk is in the Kruisfontein State Forest. The route begins near the map at the picnic site. Follow the white footprints painted on trees and rocks. Once on the beach look out for paths on your left which return to the parking area.

Robberg Nature Reserve
Grade: Easy to difficult
Time: 45min, 2 hours or 4 hours
Distance: 2.2kms, 5.6kms and 9.2kms
Features: Coastal escarpments, geological highlights, fynbos, dolphins and whales.
Permits: Obtained at entrance gate.
The Robberg Peninsula has 3 circular trails. One can enjoy the large variety of coastal dune fynbos and rich marine life. The Informative Board describes the geological evolution of the Robberg. It is advisable to do this walk in cooler weather. Follow the "seal" markers.

Milkwood Scenic Trail
Grade: Easy
Time: 1 hour or 2 hours
Distance: 3kms or 5 kms
Features: Forest, beaches, wetlands, historical and scenic town sites.
Permits: None
These routes can be started at any point along the trail. Follow the yellow footprints as the trail takes you past many historical and interesting sites. This unique trail highlights the ecological beauty within this town. En-route are various restaurants to stop for tea or lunch. For more indepth info on the trail, contact the Info Centre.

Hiker's Paradise Trails
Grade: Easy to difficult
Time: 45 min, 2hours, 3 hours or 4
Distance: 2 kms, 3.5 kms, 5 kms or 7 kms
Features: Fynbos, rocky sea shores, coastal escarpment, tiergat with stalactites and stalagmites, spectacular views, dolphin & whale viewing.
Permits: None.
An entrance fee is payable at the entrance gate. The 4 circular trails are on a private farm. Only guided hikes are allowed and these hikes start at 10h00 daily (except Sundays). Hikers interested in joining these hikes must phone tel 044-5331760 for reservations. One can enjoy the large variety of fynbos, rich marine life, caves with stalactites and stalagmites, and spectacular views and have the assistance of a guide. All routes begin and end at the parking area.

Nature's Valley Network
Grade: Moderate to fairly difficult
Features: Mountain scenery, fynbos, indigenous forest, optional equipment porterage.
Time: 2-6 days
Distance: 60kms
Permits: Free. De Vasselot campsite.
This network has numerous trails ranging in difficulty and length. Maps and information on birds and trees can be obtained at the campsite. Choose your walk carefully according to your own ability. A special place of interest and beauty is the Salt River mouth (where one may picnic and swim). The Kalander Kloof trail has magnificent big yellowwood trees and one may be lucky enough to spot the elusive Narina Trogan. Paths are well defined and junctions are clearly signposted. It is advisable to walk the coastal routes at low tide. The forest routes can become slippery after heavy rainfall. This is a hiker's and bird watcher's paradise with its diversity of fauna and flora. Viewpoints offer breathtaking views of the coastline and distant mountains

Stinkhoutkloof Trail
Grade: Moderate
Time: 3 hours
Distance: 8.4kms
Features: Pine plantations, forests, valleys and streams
Permits: Sign book at forest station
Park at the Bloukrans Forest Station. The initial walk is along forest roads. The route crosses the N2 and winds through indigenous forest and river valleys lined with spectacular tree ferns. The paths are well marked with yellow footprints painted on rocks and trees.

Storms River Mouth Trails
Grade: Easy to moderate
Features: Forests, fynbos, caves, suspension bridge and rugged coast
Permits: None
The Storm's River mouth is 55kms from Plettenberg Bay. An entrance fee is payable at the entrance gate. There are four day walks, the Mouth trail (1km each way), the Waterfall trail (3kms each way), the Loerie trail (1,5km circular) and the Blue Duiker trail (5,5kms circular). These trails are similar to those of Nature's Valley although they are more developed for tourism. A map of the walks and a list of fauna and flora species are available at the Info Centre. There is a curio shop and restaurant. Special places of interest are the "strandloper" cave, the famous bridge, the waterfall and the fynbos garden. It is advisable to tackle the Waterfall trail at low tide. This trail is the beginning of the famous Otter trail but day walkers are not permitted to go beyond the waterfall itself. One can see Knysna Loeries on the Loerie trail. They are abundant here and are breathtaking when in flight.