Wondering about wandering?

If you possess the fitness and strength to hike Platteklip Gorge on Table Mountain, covering a distance of 3.65km with an elevation gain of 804m, while carrying a 12-15kg backpack, and complete it in 1 hour and 20 minutes, then you can be confident that you are well-prepared and capable enough to tackle any Traverse on Rim of Africa.

We practice a strict Leave No Trace philosophy, please pay attention to the following points:

The principles of “Leave No Trace” works towards minimizing the impact of human activities especially when in the mountains. www.lnt.org

Rim of Africa has adopted these principles to inform our mountain activities so that we “leave only footprints and take only memories and photographs”.

• The route we take passes through protected areas, World Heritage Sites, private farms and Wilderness Areas. All hikers agree to respect the wildlife and the environment, and agree to obey all Cape Nature Reserve rules and regulations.
• Never damage property of any kind, including fences, signs and buildings. If some damage is inadvertently caused, report it to your guides.
• Outdoor fires are strictly prohibited.
• Stick to paths where possible and walk in single file to avoid soil erosion.
• Leave any trail huts you may use in good condition.
• Do not litter. All rubbish, wrappers and even banana skins must be carried along until you find a suitable rubbish bin at the next Re-Supply Zone. While Banana peels and apple cores might be considered as ‘biologically degradable’ these should also be carried out and disposed of in a rubbish bin.
• We remove all used toilet paper in sealed ziploc bags. No burying or burning of used paper is permitted.
• Try not pick any plants or disturb any wild animals or their habitat.
• Do not contaminate rivers, water tanks, boreholes or any other water supply. 

Please assist us to ensure we leave the mountain areas we pass through as we found them.

Transfers

We meet for the pick-up at a convenient location: the Engen Service Station in the suburb of Meadowridge in Greater Cape Town.

The cost of transfers is R1,100 to and from the mountains.

All transfers are supplied by an independent operator.

Water availability varies from season to season and is dependent on the specific rainfall of a particular year. Generally there is plenty of water available throughout the route, but on some sections there can be challenges, our team of guides will ensure water is always found.

After winter there is a lot of water around and this gets less as summer approaches.

Water in the Cape Mountains is safe to drink. To protect it and the downstream farmers who rely on these mountain streams, please do not use soaps of any kind in the rock pools, even so called biodegradable soaps have an impact on aquatic life. We encourage alcohol-based sunscreens and not heavy cream or oily sun protection.

We have state of the art light-weight MSR tents that is available for rental, but you are welcome to bring your own lightweight tent.

We have a limited number of tents available, so if you do wish to rent one, please let us know as soon as possible so we can try and accommodate your request.

Be prepared for sudden weather changes. A storm can arise any time in the mountains and cold winds can blow on the sunniest of days, so having your full wet-weather gear, fleece/layers, gloves and beanie easily accessible is essential. There is no ruling out freak snow storms and extreme cold. Cold rain and wind is common in the Cape mountains and can be the most dangerous weather of all, leading quickly to hypothermia. Hypothermia can be avoided by dressing in layers of clothing, eating well, staying hydrated, and knowing when to stop and seek shelter. At all times keep your kit dry.

Weather can vary from very cold (below freezing) to very hot 40 degrees in a relatively short period of time and at any time of year.

Bad weather (cold and wet) predominantly comes in the form of cold fronts sweeping across the Western Cape, with bad weather associated with a front typically lasting 3 or so days. Strong north westerly winds usually proceed a front. The coldest temperatures occur just behind the front. Several fronts in short succession mean that cold rainy conditions can persist largely without break for 2 weeks at a time.

The Cape Mountains are a winter rainfall area but rain can and does occur at any time of year. August is the coldest , wettest month in these mountains. After August weather steadily becomes warmer and drier until February, which is the hottest, driest month.

Snow can occur over most of the route between May and end of September.

During bad weather, much of the route is above the cloud level and so visibility is seriously hampered in such conditions.

Steep climbs and descents can be expected. There are various sections where we walk off-path and through thick fynbos or over rocky terrain. All sections after the first 7 days of the route require agility and good balance while carrying a full pack.

Certain days are longer than others, on average we walk anything between 8km – 21km a day depending on the terrain.

Each day starts at or before sunrise. We have two hours each morning before we start walking to complete ablutions, pack away and dry off tents, pack our back-packs, eat breakfast and get ready for the day.

We generally start off with a simple briefing followed by some warm-up exercises before trekking onwards. We break for mid-morning tea, then again for lunch around midday. We are usually in camp by late afternoon.

Our logistic support and re-supply service is included in the participation donation.

Thru-hikers and hikers hiking more than one Traverse need to pack their gear in 2 or 3 x duffel bags (max size 60L), we do recommend splitting your food into separate cooler bags (shopping cooler bag max size 200mm x 300mm x 350 mm).

Duffel bags can be sealed and are safely stored while you are hiking and will be accessible at each changeover point between Traverses. Your food needs to be packed in a cloth cooler bag (200mm x 300mm x 350mm) and will be available at the food drop point.

We do not have a service portering your bags between camps. This is not a slackpack adventure.
This is a self-carry hiking experience.

Our annual traverse starts every year on 24th September and ends around 23 November.
This is spring time in the Cape Mountains, the streams are flowing with fresh water from the winter rains, the flowers are in full bloom and the weather is not too hot, nor too cold. That said it can be very COLD and very HOT during this time too.
Spring is the ideal time to be out in the Cape Mountains.

This is a real hike, for people who love getting deep into mountain wilderness with no comforts. You can make your pack as light as you like (within the bounds of safety). You will need to carry a shelter (you can rent a super lightweight single tent for your comfort from us), while you bring your own cooking kit and all food you might require between resupply points.
Expect to carry a pack weighing at least 12kg – 18kg.
We can help you with tips on how to minimize your pack weight.

No.
Rim of Africa is a unique route and not an official open-access trail. We cross a vast number or private properties, and our access agreements with landowners have been built with trust over 14 years. Anyone walking on private land without a permit or access agreement will be trespassing.