Entabeni Hiking Trail - Limpopo

WHERE?Start at Entabeni Hut, 40 km east of Louis Trichardt, Soutpansberg

WHEN?Booking is essential.

HOW?Call Komatiland Forestry on 013-754-2724

HOW MUCH?Price on request

OVERNIGHT?Stay at accommodation in Louis Trichardt, in Limpopo

Start:         Entabeni Hut, 40 km east of Louis Trichardt in the Soutpansberg
Finish:      Entabeni Hut
Duration:  2 days, 32 km
Fitness:    Moderate to difficult 

Our tip: bring your own water particularly during the dry season; hikers are advised not to drink from the streams

This overnight, figure-eight hiking trail starts and ends each day at Entabeni Hut. Each trail is roughly 16 km and there are shorter loop options (within these loops) that vary between 8 and 12km. You can decide whilst hiking whether or not to take these.

For those hikers who have traversed the southern Soutpansberg for years these trails, re-established by Komatiland Forestry, replace former well known trails. The overnight hiking hut, despite having the same name, is not the old Ou Entabeni hut.

Highlights of the trail include: Klein Australia Peak, Ebbe Dam, Vera's Peak, Vera's Tears waterfall and the funghi and incredible indigenous forests.

The Redwood Trail heads south of the hut through pine plantations and indigenous forest filled with huge redwoods and if you are quiet the calls and rustles of samango monkeys. You can take this trail a lot slower than the Phadzima View Trail. It is easier, and Vera's Tears waterfall adds a great stopping spot for hot days. The longer loop continues south up to Klein Australia View with views of the Levubu tropical farms.

The Phadzima View Trail heads north of the hut passing through incredible indigenous forest via the Ebbe dam. Views out over the Phadzima valley are said to be worth it, and some of the biggest tree ferns imaginable make the trail seem otherworldly. A loop up to the Thate-Vondo view and Mathiva Peak is optional. It adds an extra three odd hours, for those intent on the longer version of the hike.

Diepdrift Hiking Trails-Limpopo

This is a 4000 hectare game farm outside Bela Bela in the Waterberg in Limpopo. There are 2 overnight hikes and 2 day trails on this farm. Diepdrift Farm has hikes for the experienced and those just looking for an awesome stroll through nature. They have many species of antelope and bushveld trees on the reserve.

The Hippo Hiking Trail is a 24km trail over 2 days. It heads through the bushveld leading to a hippo pool where it is suggested not to swim because crocodiles are spotted there on a regular basis. Other game will also be spotted on this route. It is a circular trail. Be exceptionally careful at the pool because of the hippo’s and crocodiles.

The Sable Hiking Trail is also a 24km, 2 day trail. It is a tough trail with steep climbs and descents which cross the Diepdrift and Elandsfontain farms. You will definitely spot some game while you cross the mountain range and walk into a kloof. Then you are rewarded at the top of the plateau with spectacular and breath taking views of the bushveld landscape.

There are two shorter trails, the Bontebok Hiking Trail which is 4km, about 2 hours. It is a circular hike through the hills which is best done in the late afternoon or early evening. Then the Klipspringer Hiking Trail which is 8km and 4hours. This is another circular trail which explores the unusual erosion on the farm with stunning rock formations. There is plenty of game to be spotted.

Contact Anvie Ventures +27(0)12 662-0586

Hydration is Key

You must not even think of starting a hike that will take you more than 2 km from home without a bottle of water. You should have at least one litre of water with you and drink about 250ml every 40 minutes. You should keep drinking water even if you don’t feel very thirsty. You might not realize it but while you are hiking, your body does lose moisture. So its very important to replenish it. 

 A good way to tell if you are hydrated is that you should have consumed the entire litre of water during a 3 hour hike and still need to use the loo afterwards. If that is not the case you should drink more water since it means you have lost more moisture from perspiration than you have replenished. Drink water every now and then until you need the loo.

Water is the key to survival, doesn’t matter if you are at home or on a hike. You can live for 3 days without water and I can tell you from experience after 1 day without water you are not acting rationally.

If you don’t have food you will be able to walk on for about 200 km. But if you run out of water, you have one day to find a way out of that situation, after that its up to…

Hiking Gear Part 7 Hiking Gear

Things to Consider When Planning a Hike

Think about the environment where you will be hiking, the altitude, the terrain and the weather. Hot arid areas like the Northwest Province and Karoo would need more water and less insect repellent. Where as the more humid areas like the eastern parts of South Africa would need more protection against insects such as mosquito’s and malaria.

When buying equipment for your hike only get what you need, not more. If your hike will be done on a well maintained trail then you won’t need things like “Gaiters” for example. If you will be going through rough bush then that would be a wise purchase to protect your legs.

Essential Gear

Backpack (size dependant on how long your hike will be)

Good sleeping bag. (Always wrap in a black bag to keep it dry)

Water

Water-purification tablets (if no clean water is available on the trail)

Food

Lighter or matches. (make sure to keep them dry in a zip lock bag)

First-aid kit

Knife

Sunscreen

Sunglasses

Whistle

Insect repellent

Compass

Map

Hiking boots

NB! All clothes not being worn should be wrapped in garbage bags to keep them dry (there is no such thing as a waterproof backpack!)

Hiking socks

Fleece jacket

Underwear (shirts & pans)

Wide-brimmed hat

Short pans

Long pans (I wear those long pans which can convert to short pans)

Long sleeve shirt

Short sleeve shirt

Hooded rain suit

Gloves (depending on the season)

Small towel

ID

Money

Small gas stove

Spare gas cylinder

Cooking pots (I use dixies)

Knife, fork, spoon and mug.

Headlamp or torch (spare batteries)

Water Bottles

10m long nylon rope

Black bags

Zip-lock bags

Watch

Pencil and paper

Toilet paper in plastic bag to keep dry.

Hiking Guide Part 6 Maps

The Importance of Maps

Most experienced hikers rely on maps to navigate along hiking trails and through wilderness areas. Actually, it's the more experienced hikers who tend to do this and the beginners who think they don’t need maps.

Beginners will often think that they can stick to well-travelled trails and forego the hard work needed to learn how to use maps.

You really can get seriously lost, even near clearly marked trails. Stepping a few yards off a trail into heavy forest has confused more than one beginner. In the absence of sun, stars or geographical markers it's easy to get turned around. You can end up walking even farther from the trail. Then when you look again, you're lost.

Many hiking maps won't necessarily help you out of that forest. But you'll usually come across another trail that, which hooks up with the one you were on. A good hiking trail map will help you easily get back to your starting point.

So, how do you start?

When you start hiking, I advise you get into this habit from the get go. Find a current map covering the area you intend to hike. Study it at home in a relaxed environment. You won't be able to match the map against features you see, but it will help you understand the symbols used. Google maps is an amazing tool to use with the map you have to get to know the area you are going to hike.

Almost all maps will have a legend. Get familiar with the symbols, this is very important. They differ from map publisher to publisher. Find out what the scale is - look for 1 cm = 1km or similar markings.

Don't forget, that distance is only part of the story. One km on level ground is one thing. But if 3/4 of that distance takes you from near sea level to 600 meters high by a steep, winding incline, that's quite another.

You need to consider altitude. Altitude markings are usually indicated by a series of curved lines that. The distance between two curved lines around some natural feature like a large hill indicates altitude. Often there will also be numbers printed along the lines to help you. These are sometimes called contour lines. The closer the lines are together, the steeper the terrain.

Now look at the longitude and latitude lines. Longitude runs 'up and down', or north and south. Latitude runs 'right and left', or east and west. Those directions are put in quotes because they're all just conventions.

In the daytime you can use the sun and natural features to keep direction. The sun rises in the East and sets in the West. So early in the day, find the sun and you are facing mostly East. Late in the day, face the direction of the light and you are facing predominately West. There are variations because of coastlines, latitude, etc. It's just an approximate starting point.

At night, you can use the stars. You can often see the sky reasonably well - most wilderness areas are relatively far from city lights. This link from Getaway magazine will help you with that. http://www.getaway.co.za/travel-ideas/things-to-do/how-to-navigate-using-the-stars/

Even at night, then, if you have a flashlight to read your map by, you can get yourself back onto a trail to find your way back.