Hiking Trails Of South Africa

Fully revised and updated, and with 60 new trails added, this fifth edition of Hiking Trails of South Africa is an essential resource for every hiker. Written by well-known author Willie Olivier, this extensive guide describes more than 500 trails across magnificent landscapes, from the iconic fynbos of the Western Cape to the majestic slopes of the Drakensberg. Whether you choose to hike close to civilization or explore a more remote area, take a short, hour-long walk or tackle an overnight hike of several days, there is a trail for you. Trail information includes: Distance and average hiking time; facilities, accommodation and activities available; points of interest and notes on flora and fauna. The book also includes advice on selecting hiking equipment, staying safe on the trail and dealing with emergencies. Sales points: Over 500 trails, with 60 new ones added; fully updated booking and permit information; trails to suit every level of fitness and ability; expert advice on planning, preparation, nutrition, equipment, first aid and general safety.

This is a completely revised edition of The Guide to Hiking Trails and Guide to Backpacking and Wilderness Trails in one volume. It provides coverage of over 160 hiking, backpacking and wilderness trails of South Africa and Namibia. The trails are described by region, with information on how to make reservations, the facilities available, the distance covered and a description of the trail, including an indication of the degree of difficulty and the sort of weather to expect. Contour profiles and location maps of each trail are provided. On some of the trails backpackers are totally self-sufficient, and on others hikers are accompanied by a guide. The guide should be useful to both first-timers and experienced hikers.

This comprehensive trail directory should be useful for anyone who wants to explore South Africa on foot. Every major trail is covered, with a clear description of each hike, its length and estimated time, plus information on hike accommodation, facilities and activities.

With this detailed guide, you can save valuable time when planning your hiking adventure in South Africa. For three years, the authors explored and recorded 837 kilometers (523 miles) of astonishing hiking trails and walks in amazing landscapes, encountering giraffes, zebras and rhinos, magnificent valleys, and unique people and culture. Most trails can be completed in 4-6 hours as day trips from Pretoria and Johannesburg. The more than 120 hiking trails in this guidebook have been grouped into the following geographic areas: • Pretoria and surroundings; • The Magaliesberg Mountain Range (northern and southern slopes); and • Johannesburg and surroundings. The book provides easy to understand custom-made hiking maps and trail descriptions. Users of the book also have access to a unique collection of GPS E-trails. Trails in the guidebook are classified either as a wildlife or nature hike/walk. A trail can be easy, moderately difficult or best suited for advanced hikers. Although most trails can be completed without a GPS device, owners of the book can download carefully recorded E-trails (1,136 waypoints) to maximize their time on the trail, exploring the hiking grounds using GPS devices and GPS enabled smart phones and tablets. Users of the book also have access to the Day Trip Finder and the Itinerary Planner. These interactive planning tools provide hikers easy access to trail descriptions based on many search criteria including waterfalls, historic sites, wildlife (zebras, giraffes, wildebeests, rhinos, etc.) and other interesting artifacts on the trail. The guidebook has been written with the independent traveler in mind, but is also a valuable source of hiking ideas if you plan to organize your holiday with a travel company. --- With the Cape Peninsula, Garden Route, Kruger Park and the Drakensberg Mountain Range, South Africa is a major tourist destination. Millions of tourists explore these magnificent places annually, bringing home memories of a beautiful and diverse country. Less known are the incredible national and municipal parks, numerous private nature reserves and the many little towns in the northern part of South Africa in and around Pretoria and Johannesburg that offer equally interesting experiences. If you visit South Africa beyond the major tourist centers or if you live in the major metropolitan areas, you will be amazed what the country presents in terms of its people, culture, nature, wildlife sightings, hiking, walking, food, wine, local craft beers and entertainment. Unknown to many, the nature reserves and wildlife parks in and around Pretoria and Johannesburg have outstanding hiking opportunities that can easily compete with other destinations in South Africa. --- Travelers will find South Africa: Hiking Trails in and Around Pretoria and Johannesburg and its multimedia resources an invaluable "next generation" resource guide to explore the region from a truly unique perspective.

Hiking Beyond Cape Town opens a gateway to the myriad trails and tracks that await hikers – young and old, novice and experienced – beyond the confines of the city. This collection of day trips outside of Cape Town features 40 trails, fanning out from the south coast to the west and covering a range of varied hikes in between. Ranging between 2 to 7 hours, the hikes are tailored for single-day trips, although a handful will require overnighting. Each hike entry includes an accurate, up-to-date route description, a map of the trail, and directions for getting to the start. In each case, an upfront summary outlines the distance, duration, grade of difficulty, and elevation of the hike, as well as other details. Striking colour photographs and observations about the plant and animal life along the route add lively interest. A brief introduction provides expert advice on gear, planning and preparation. Sales points: Offers 40 day excursions to suit different levels of hiking fitness. Includes detailed full-colour route maps. Covers Helderberg, Overberg, Winelands, West Coast, and Groot Winterhoek wilderness area. An exciting addition to hiking books in the region.