trip report by site editor Rick McCharles

I would have loved to trek famed multi-day Fanie Botha Trail in South Africa.

But the best I could do was to day hike sections:

• Lone Creek Falls
• Bridal Veil Falls
• Mac Mac Falls
• Mac Mac Pools

Lone Creek Falls, a National monument, is yet another of the dozens of impressive waterfalls close to Graskop, South Africa.

Nearby are the equally impressive, but much more popular, Bridal Veil Falls.

I parked at Ceylon Hut on the Fanie Botha, then ran to Bridal Veil. The trail here is signed for mountain bikes, as well.

From the base of the falls, there’s a rough scramble up the escarpment. Scenic and challenging.

Mac Mac Falls is another National monument. I’d been warned the weather here is often misty and/or rainy. But this was the only day I got the typical slogging in the fog.

Parking at Mac Mac Falls, I hiked both directions on the Fanie Botha. Towards President Burger Hut (… yep, that’s the real name) is was mellow forest trail.

Towards Graskop Hut you walk the top of a cliff. It must be very scenic, when the clouds are not so low.

I’m assuming those are the Mac-Mac Pools. 🙂

I obviously did not hike far enough to reach the best of them.