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.
A wonderful hike – well maintained, easy to follow, varied, great facilities and they even gave me the best possible weather without a drop of rain in the middle of the rainy season but the most remarkable thing was I didn’t see ONE other person on the entire trail…?
115km of hiking
3 days and 3 nights
Over 2500m of elevation gain …
Mix of mountains, rain forest, waterfalls, pools, ridges, creeks, pine plantations, long grasses and more!
Starting/end point: the town of Sabie (few hundred kms from Jo’burg and Pretoria in NE South Africa) …
Starting points are either at the Ceylon Hut (on Ceylon Plantation), or the President Burger Hut (at Mac Mac Forest Retreat), or the Graskop Hut (near the town of Graskop) and parking is available at these points only.
It’s easy to section hike the Fanie Botha, especially with those big loops.
Maritzbos circular three night trail, total distance 30.1 km
Bonnet/Mac Mac Pools two day trail, total distance 39 km
Hartbeesvlakte two night trail, total distance 30.1 km
Mount Moodie/y four night trail, total distance 58.8 or 49.5 km
Fanie Botha five night trail, total distance 71.8 or 62.5 km
Go magazine has a terrific trip article by Anim van Wyk and photographer Lawrette McFarlane:
Opened in 1973, the Fanie Botha Hiking Trail between Sabie and Graskop is the first formally designated trail in the country. …
Be careful on the bridge over the Mac-Mac River in the rain – it’s very slippery.
You hike past the spectacular Mac-Mac Falls – a national monument – on Day 5.
Who was Fanie Botha?
In the 1960s, one Paul van Zyl did a master’s degree on the Appalachian Trail in the United States of America – a trail that stretches over 3500 km in the east of the country. On his return to South Africa he convinced Fanie Botha, then minister of forestry, that hiking trails were a way to make better use of plantations.
Botha’s plan was to develop one long trail from the Soutpansberg all along the escarpment to the Cederberg in the Western Cape. This dream was never realised.
On 11 and 12 May 1973, about 30 hikers hiked the 45 km from the Lone Creek Falls over Mount Anderson to the Mac-Mac Falls, where Botha then officially opened the trail.
Botha promulgated legislation for the national hiking trail system and enabled the establishment of the National Hiking Trail Council in 1975. He could be called “the father of hiking” in South Africa.
There are four huts on the trail:
Ceylon Hut. This was the name of one of the first plantations in the former Transvaal.
Maritzbos Hut. It’s named after the Maritz family to which this piece of land once belonged. They felled trees to make supports for mine shafts.
Stables Hut. It used to be a mule stable. Mules are still used to drag out felled trees.
President Burgers Hut. It’s named after the president of the ZAR between 1872 and 1877.
EVERYONE drives South Africa’s Blyde canyon highways carefully, dodging potholes. Yet EVERYONE stops at the Bourke’s Luck Potholes:
Sustained kolks in the Treur River’s plunge pools have eroded a number of cylindrical potholes or giant’s kettles, which can be viewed from the crags above. It was named after a local prospector, Tom Bourke, who predicted the presence of gold, though he found none himself. The pedestrian bridges connect the various overlooks of the potholes and the gorge downstream. …
My hiking partner from Manaslu last year is in Patagonia.
He got some (rare) good weather at Fitzroy.
Mike Howarth:
Riding in to El Chalten there before me stood the Fitzroy massif bathed in sunlight. Monte Fitzroy, Cerro Torre, Poincenot, Inominata and many more …
After two days of fine weather, clear views of Fitzroy and Cerro Torre my business here is done. Autumn begins and its time to head north and begin the next leg of the journey; The Carretera Austral.
Dientes de Navarino are a mountain range in Navarino Island, Chile, located just south of Puerto Williams, along the Beagle Channel coast.
The Dientes Circuit is recommended as one of the best hikes in the world.
Also known as:
* Isla Navarino Circuit * Circuito Dientes de Navarino * the teeth of Navarino
Charming, entertaining and original, be sure to watch this video trip report by rlciq from Brazil before heading to Patagonia for the Teeth of the Navarino.
This is the true last trek on earth! High mountain on low altitude. Few people. Lots of beavers. Amazing landscapes. No fee. Perfect balance between challenging and fun!
In collaboration with Frank and Sue Wall, Jay Reilly announces a new eBook. Jay lived in Nepal for 6 years, a professional trekking and mountain guide:
It includes a comprehensive guide to frequently asked questions, the best time of the year to go, your health and required first aid supplies, training to get prepared for the trek, equipment you’ll need and where to find it, and comprehensive track notes.
This 70 plus page downloadable PDF eBook is written with the first time visitor to Nepal in mind. It is packed with inside knowledge and tips to help you plan and execute your trip.
Best still – as it is a downloadable eBook you can have it today (with no need for delivery fees) It’s just $A15.99.
In 2014 I prefer eBooks to hard copies. On my laptop, eBooks are a dream — so easy to search.
On my phone, on the trail, it’s a little more challenging to find exactly what I want, when I want it.
Having trekked to Everest Base Camp a few years ago, carrying two heavy guidebooks, I wish I’d had this resource instead.
One point of confusion in the book:
“The TIMS Card can only be issued by a trekking agency that is registered with TAAN (Trekking Agents Association Nepal)
Along with the TIMS Card, you are required to take a Nepalese “guide” with you. The cost of this should be about 1200 NRP per day for the guide. This includes his food. Be sure to negotiate this before you pay any money.”
Only 6 months ago you could purchase a TIMS card for yourself at the Tourism Board office in Kathmandu. It was not necessary to have a guide to go to Everest.
Has something changed?
Jay’s reply:
Nothing has changed, you can still get a TIMS Card at the Ministry for Tourism if you wish. It’s a different card than the one issued by trek agents, that registers you as an ‘independant’ trekker, not requiring a guide. However-not all the check post guys know this and to them you are a trekker without a guide, and in their eyes, doing something wrong. I’ve heard of people being turned back even though they have the Ministry issued TIMS. Buyer beware…
The guide suggests Rabies shots. I’ve not encountered many trekkers who have had them. Cyclists generally do, as they are at far greater risk of being nipped at by guard dogs.
Jay:
Regarding rabies, I never personally got the vaccination, but some doctors recommend people do. Bottom line-consult a doctor and make your descisions based upon professional medical advice.
