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Hotel-Hopping on the lower Wild Coast

The "hotel-hopping" trail extends southwards from Mazeppa Bay in the north to the small town of Cintsa in the south. The first 3-4 days of the trail lies to the north of the Kei River in what was formerly known as the Transkei, while the last section extends along the eastern Cape holiday coast north of East London.

The hike takes in some of the most unspoilt and picturesque sections of our coastline and can be walked by anyone who is reasonably fit and enjoys rambling, as there are no serious challenges other than the odd river which must be waded. When river levels are up after heavy rains, a ferry will be arranged. The Kei river marks the border between the Transkei and the eastern Cape and you will cross this broad river by means of one of the last operating pontoons in the country.

The standard 6 day "hotel-hopping" trail package is described here. However, please let us know your time and/or budgetary constraints in order that may develop an itinerary to suit your needs.

Maximum Number of Hikers :
Group sizes of 6-12 hikers are preferred

Duration and Distances

The full trail is 86 km long, which would normally require 5 days to complete. The trail is not marked in the Transkei section and a guide is required for first time hikers. It is important that you time your day's walk to co-incide with the tides so that you walk on the hard sand with a receding tide and reach the river mouths at low tide to make the crossing easier. Your guide will assist you with this and show you the best place to cross over.

Distances and features of each day's hiking are :

Leg 1: Mazeppa Bay to Wavecrest   21 km  - the longest stretch but easy walking along sandy beaches.

Leg 2:  Wavecrest to Seagulls/Trennery  14km  - rocky headlands, ship wrecks and river crossings.

Leg 3: Seagulls to Morgan Bay 12km  - crossing the Kei river and a walk through coastal forest.

Leg 4:  Morgan Bay to Haga Haga  16 km  - spectacular cliffs and shelly beaches.

Leg 5 : Haga Haga to Cintsa  17km  - a rocky wavecut platform and a long beach walk

 

Customise your Hike

A number of options exist along this trail catering for more budget conscious hikers and/or those looking to include other adventure activities such as horse riding and river canoeing. This allows you to do the full trail or selected sections and to spend more time at the locations you pass through - enjoying nature and outdoor based activities along the way. It also provides a more economical alternative to full board hotel accommodation by staying at self-catering or B&B places and making your own meal arrangements.