Amazing outdoor adventures in SA: go hiking, kayaking or cycling

HIKING THE CEDERBERG

Ancient paintings and strange caves make a hike among the stones of the Cederberg a true delight, writes Allison Foat

There's not much to beat a walk through the natural world - just you, your thoughts, and the great outdoors. And if you relish immersion in untamed territories, the Cederberg has your name all over it.

The Cederberg Wilderness Area lies north of Cape Town, 71,000ha of lowland terrain, craggy mountains and spectacular topography. It is a place of raw beauty, astonishing landscapes and wild extremes.

One of the best places from which to explore it by foot is Kromrivier Cederberg Park, a farm-turned-getaway that has been welcoming visitors since the 1960s.

A number of easy trails can be accessed from the property. The popular hike to Disa Pool - 5km there and 5km back - takes about three hours and has been on the Cape's hiking hot list for decades.

The track snakes through indigenous fynbos and stays parallel to the river, which is never more than 20m away. In summer, when temperatures can hit 35°C before noon, the glassy rock pools are irresistible and the smooth, flat boulders are perfect for picnicking and sunbathing.

Nearby is the Matjiesrivier Nature Reserve, a World Heritage Site located in the transitional zone where fynbos and lowland succulent Karoo vegetation overlap.

From the parking area, a short climb leads to incredible rock art estimated to be about 1,000 years old. The scene depicts people and a herd of elephants, which suggests the animals once roamed these lands.

Just a 15-minute walk away is Stadsaal, a fantastical rock cluster that houses an open-air cave system. Its name means "city hall" in Afrikaans - so given after a National Party bosberaad was held there pre-1948.

The caverns, framed by bizarre-looking pillars - something Antoni Gaudi might have designed - were in fact used long before that time as a meeting place for local tribes and community leaders.

Testament to these gatherings are a number of signatures scrawled on the main cavern wall from as far back as the 1800s. Allow at least 30 minutes to explore the many chambers of this airy warren.

No matter where you are, though, the otherworldliness of the Cederberg will floor you. Add it to your bucket list.

NEED TO KNOW

Accommodation: Kromrivier Cederberg Park is priced from R520 a night for luxury camping for two to R3,400 a night in a six-sleeper luxury chalet.

Permits: R50 for adults and R30 for kids for the trails to Disa Pool and for entry into the Matjiesrivier Nature Reserve, where you can visit the rock-art site and the Stadsaal caves. Get them from the Cederberg Park office - if you're staying there, you don't pay.

KAYAKING ON THE ORANGE RIVER

There’s something cathartic about picking up a paddle and setting off onto the water, writes Sanet Oberholzer

After a comfortable night at New Holme Country House on the Karoo Gariep Nature Reserve our group of eight women rose before dawn. Armed with lunch packs, hats, sunblock and waterproof covers in all shapes and sizes, we were ready to begin our two-day kayaking trip.

The first day's target was 10km along the Gariep, or Orange River.

First a safety briefing from guide Bothma Kok, which included this advice: if you capsize, assume the "cocktail position" - legs and arms up, imaginary cocktail in one hand and cigarette in the other.

There is something cathartic about picking up a paddle and setting off onto the water. If you've felt the sensation of your life spiralling away from you, this makes you feel exactly the opposite: it literally allows you to determine your own course. And once you take that leap, it is up to you to get to the other side.

Due to high rainfall since December, the river was flowing generously. The wind was calm and the waters kind, which meant we paddled for three hours instead of the estimated seven, stopping for a snack and a short rest along the way.

The last thing you want to do after paddling 10km is to set up camp. But, as we rounded the final corner, I spotted our camp for the night: four neat tents already set up and waiting.

An afternoon with cider and river swimming drifted into a fine evening: good food (and wine), entertaining hosts and lively conversation. Soon the skies became a canvas of glittering stars.

It seems only fair that since the previous day's paddling was plain sailing, the second day of 13km would be tough. As we set out, the river started to flow between towering rock formations, a gentle but imposing reminder that there's no way out but straight ahead. Then the wind started to pick up, fighting angrily against my efforts to move forward.

On our break, the thought of another 6km was dark. But a short foray into the crevices of a hidden gorge lifted my spirits just enough to take on the last leg.

If you're the praying sort, this is the point at which you'll start to make deals. "If I make it through this, I promise I will ."

But this is also the point at which it's 100% mind over matter. With your arms tired, it is literally crunch time for your abs. Passing markers you saw in the distance offers some reassurance that you're at least moving.

Once your kayak touches the soil, the satisfaction is overwhelming. In that moment I thought: "Never again", but the next day the feeling of accomplishment had me Googling "rowing clubs near me". 

NEED TO KNOW

Acommodation: New Holme Guest House is situated within the Karoo Gariep Nature Reserve. The kayaking is one of several activities on offer.

Cost: The three-night, two-day experience on the Orange River with one night of camping, two nights in New Holme Guest Farm is from R4,850 pps with a minimum of six guests (maximum of eight). Rates include meals, accommodation, return transport to and from the river and a night-drive in the reserve. A reasonable level of fitness is recommended.

• Oberholzer was a guest of Cape Country Routes.

BIKING IN KWAZULU-NATAL

Touring on a bike is a unique way to experience the wonders of KZN, writes Claire Keeton

Riding in the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, I stopped at a cattle grid to contemplate a warning sign. An exclamation mark over images of the Big Five and a cyclist crossed out with a red line spelt it out: my two wheels were forbidden. I asked a passing motorist if, in fact, he had seen any game. "Buffalo over there," he said.

Reluctantly, I turned my bike around, riding away along other paths, which took me within a few metres of staring zebra and wildebeest. A horse-riding party appeared and later I found the beach and my bearings.

My turning point on that ride was the Bhangazi gate into the Eastern Shores area of iSimangaliso, where the Big Five roam, not far from the town of St Lucia.

It was my first ride in that coastal region and - like a second spectacular route around Mtunzini town - the trail traversed dune forests and mangrove swamps, past red duiker and other natural attractions. A third single-track ride near Ballito wound through sugar cane plantations.

Biking is a unique way to experience the wonders of northern KwaZulu-Natal and meet the friendly people who live there.

Xolani Theo Gina of Theo Tours was the first cyclist I encountered. He went out of his way when I was lost to show me the trail I had been looking for.

As I rode along, hippos and crocs lounged on the shores of Lake St Lucia and in the water when I swopped my bike - for an hour or two - for a canoe trip on the lake.

I had a solo ride at Holla Trails at Sugar Rush Park near Ballito along single tracks cut for mountain biking. The route was well marked and provided a smooth ending to my off-route rocky rides in the area.

Midlands travellers can also enjoy mountain-biking trails at Karkloof. The trailhead starts across from the Karkloof Country and Polo Club, also the base for the Karkloof Classic mountain-bike race.

When I did the 40km ride, swarming bees forced a detour from the exhilarating trail. Expect the unexpected on a mountain bike, and that is one of the reasons to go back for more. 

NEED TO KNOW

St Lucia Ride: Theo Tours offers bike rentals and guided three-hour tours around the
St Lucia Estuary. For a solo ride, head to the game park section of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, near the Bhangazi Gate. This is easy to reach from town. Day entry into the park is R35 for adults and R20 for kids. 

Holla Trails at Sugar Rush Park: Holla Trails boasts over 360km of marked and signposted trails for both novices and experienced riders. The Blue Route climbs a dirt road and then there's single track which sweeps downhill. Permits are compulsory - R70 for adults and R45 for kids over 12.  

Karkloof Trails: On intermediate trails, like the Boomslang section, be prepared for hairpin bends and flowing loops, with jumps thrown in for those with the skills. Obstacles and bridges demand attention. The River Riviera trail follows a grassy track next to the Karkloof River and goes to the Karkloof Falls. See karkloofclub.co.za