West-Cape and Namaqualand Hiking & 4×4

The first full day around Stellenbosch. Today you can take a nice walk in the Jonkershoek Nature Reserve. There are various routes (short and long) available. Advise is to start early so that you are at the entrance gate of Jonkershoek at 09:30 at the latest. If you start later, you can no longer drive to the smaller parking lot at the start of the trails.

A recommendation is the Swartboskloof Trail. A route of over 15 kilometers with 1000 meters of elevation.

Accommodation: B&B. Travel distance: resting day.

A second day to make a nice walk in the Jonkershoek Nature Reserve. But you can also choose to visit one of the many wine farms in the area of ​​Stellenbosch. You can also use this day for a visit to Cape Town and/or Cape of Good Hope.

Accommodation: B&B. Trvel distance: resting day.

From Stellenbosch you now travel north. The second destination of this South Africa trip is the Cederberg Mountains. You will stay several days at the Sanddrif Holiday Resort. From the campsite, several walks through the area start.

Accommodation: camping. Travel distance: 220 km.

The first full day in the Cederberg. This day you can use for example to make a nice walk. Recommended is the hike to the “Wolfberg Cracks” and the “Wolfberg Arch”. You can also choose to walk to the “Maalgat” and/or the “Maltese Cross”.

Accommodation: camping. Travel distance: n/a.

A second day in the Cederberg Wilderness Area. From the Sanddrif Holiday Resort you can also take a nice walk today. Other possibilities are for example wine tasting at the Sanddrif Farm which is possible daily.

Accommodation: camping. Travel distance: n/a.

Today you travel to the special Tankwa National Park where you will stay at a remote campsite in the middle of nature. This campsite, Steenkampshoek has no facilities and there are no other travelers in the vicinity!

Accommodation: wild camping. Travel distance: 185 km.

After a night of “wild camping” you now move through the park to a more luxurious self catering accommodation. On the way to the camp you have the opportunity to make an (extensive) game drive through the National Park. The animals that you can encounter here are, among others, the Gemsbok, the Springbok and the Red Hartebeest.

Accommodation: self catering chalet. Travel distance: 50 km (depending on game drives).

Today you leave the arid Tankwa Karoo National Park and travel to the Atlantic Coast. Today’s destination is the Namaqua National Park and one of the Coastal Campsites. In most cases you will stay at the Skuinsbaai Noord Campsite.

Accommodation: camping. Travel distance 410 km.

This second day in the Namaqua National Park you have the opportunity to explore the area. A recommendation is to walk to a beach. With a bit of luck you will be the only one visiting this remote beach. You may also see seals or dolphins off the coast. The water is cold and swimming will not really be possible.

Accommodation: camping. Travel distance: rest day.

Today you travel further to the northern part of the Namaqua National Park. You drive the Caracal 4×4 Trail. On the way you have a reasonable chance of seeing meerkats. On the route you can also visit the Spoegrivier Cave.

Accommodation: self catering chalet. Travel distance: 180 km.

After Namaqualand you now travel back to the South. The penultimate stop on this journey through the Western Cape is the Rocherpan Nature Reserve. A small nature reserve located on a pan. This pan is regularly flooded and when the pan is wet you have a good chance of seeing flamingos, for example.

Accommodation: chalet. Travel distance: 345 km.

A short travel day to the Cape Columbine Nature Reserve. Today you can choose to first take a walk along the pan. Or you can visit one of the “bird hides” and watch birds. On the way to Cape Columbine you can also visit the town of Paternoster. You will drive through it anyway on the way to the Sea Shack accommodation where you will stay this last night of the trip.

Accommodation: hut. Travel distance: 75 km.

The last day of this trip through the Western Cape and Namaqualand. In the morning you can explore the Cape Columbine Reserve on foot. With a bit of luck you will see seals on the coast. Not that these seals are rare because a little further out on the ocean you can spot an entire island full of seals! The surf at this part of the coast is particularly spectacular with large waves crashing on the rocks.

In the course of the morning you travel to Cape Town and the depot of the 4×4 rental company where you will return the car. You will then be taken to the airport. If you want to extend the trip in Cape Town, you will be taken from the depot to your accommodation.

Accommodation: n/a. Travel distance: 200 km.