Hiking the Otter Trail in theTsitsikama National Park on the Garden Route
South African Otter Trail Hike
The coastal area between Port Elizabeth and Cape Town is rightly called the “Garden Route”. With spectacular sea views, great indigenous forests and a large number of “Fynbos” flower species it is an area designed to take your breath away. Tsitsikamma National Park, Jefferies and Plettenberg Bay, Knysna and the Wilderness are all popular holiday resorts in their own right.
Nestled in the Tsitsikamma National Park is the 42.5 km Otter Trail. This is a five-day four nights hiking trail with four basic huts spread out along the way. It hugs the coastline and varies between the cliff tops and the rivers and sandy bays that dissect the landscape. The huts have sleeping places in bunks for 8 people with mattresses. Starting at the Storms River Mouth it ends at the Wilderness to the S/W. You have to carry your food and sleeping bag with you and water is available from the streams and rainwater tanks.
Every day as you cover the 10 to 15 km sections you will in the evening see the lights of the Plettenberg Bay headland coming closer and closer. It is important to watch the tide table as the bigger rivers needs to be crossed at either low tide or swam across at an incoming tide.
Crossing the rivers and short white sandy areas, snorkeling in the impressive gullies, watching the sun come up over the ocean, inspecting the flowers, and taking in the great views will challenge your senses. You will also see a number of small wild animals and if you are lucky an Otter or a Whale. Dolphins along the coast are a given as they swim in schools up and down the coast in search of food.
It is a challenging hike in that it descends and climbs steeply between the sea and the cliffs a couple of hundred meters above. There are very few long level sections and so a reasonable degree of fitness is required. The age limit is 12-60 and if you are not in good shape don’t attempt it. In the last couple of years a running race in the ultra-marathon category has been introduced over the trail.
On the first day a beautiful waterfall cascades over the cliff above into a pool of crystal-clear water before running into the sea. The following days are challenging but rewarding and at the overnight huts drinking water is available from rainwater tanks and it is necessary to boil the water or clean it with purification tablets.
All your food has to be carried and so carefully packing light meals is essential as the exercise is guaranteed to make you hungry. As much powdered food as possible is suggested.
The photos come from the hike and if you are reasonably fit this will be an experience you will never forget!
