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Walks
& Hikes
Day Walks
 Forest
Falls Nature Walk
This 3.2km circular route starts and finishes at the
picnic spot, 15km from Sabie on the R532 road to
Graskop. It is a refreshing walk that takes you
through fragrant pine forests to the Forest Falls - the
only waterfall in the area that is wider than what it is
high. Toilet facilities available at the picnic
spot. You will need a permit for this walk.
Loerie
Trail
 The
Loerie trail is one of the most popular day walks in the
area. This 10km circular route starts at either
the Ceylon Forest Station, or from the Castle Rock
Municipal Caravan Park. Or, if you park one of
your vehicles at either end, you can walk the 5km
one-way. This is an easy and level trail along the
Sabie river and takes you through pine and eucalypt
plantations, as well as through patches of indigenous
forest and grassland. You will need a permit for
this walk.
Secretary
Bird Walk
This 3km circular route starts and finishes at the Mac
Mac Pools, 13km from Sabie on the R532 road to
Graskop. The trail takes you through grassveld and
scattered patches of indigenous forest. There is
little shade along the route and precautions against
sunburn is advised. You do not need a permit for
this walk, but an entrance fee of R30/person is payable
at the entrance gate to the Mac Mac Pools. Picnic and
toilet facilities are available and swimming in the
crystal clear mountain stream is refreshing.
Misty
Mountain Trails
Well mapped and maintained 15km trails through
indigenous forests, pine plantations, open grassland and
along spectacular waterfalls on the Long Tom Pass. The
trails vary in difficulty and in length/duration (from
2.7km to 5.3km) and start and finish at the
Misty Mountain lodge (24km from Sabie). The
trails are
part of a 280 hectare South African Natural Heritage
Site, where the endangered blue swallow still
breeds. There is no charge for walking the
Misty Mountain trails and a pub & restaurant
awaits the weary wanderer. Safe & secure parking
is available at the start of the trails.
Over-night
Hikes
on the Fanie Botha
Starting Points
Starting points are either at the Ceylon Hut (on
Ceylon Plantation), or the President Burger Hut
(at Mac Mac Forest Retreat), or the
Graskop Hut (near the town of Graskop) and
parking is available at these points only.
Should you do a 4 or 5-day route, please arrange
your own transport from Graskop or Mac Mac
Forest Retreat back to Sabie. This is not
a circular route.
Hiking Hut Facilities
All the huts - Ceylon, Maritzbos, Stables, Mac
Mac, President Burger and Graskop -
have 24 bunk beds each, undercover braai
area, firewood, shower (with the exception of
Mac Mac hut) and toilets. There are no
cooking utensils. With the exception of
the Cylon & President
Burger huts, none of the huts have hot
water or electricity.
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Booking
These hikes are
extremely popular, especially during
school holidays and long weekends.
Prior booking (up to a year in
advance) is advisable.
Bookings can only be
made with Komatiland (previously
known as SAFCOL) on:
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Bonnet/Mac Mac Pools 2-Day Trail (32.0 km)
From the President Burger Hut, situated at Mac
Mac Forest Retreat (15km from Sabie on the
Graskop road), the trail follows an easy path through
pine plantations and indigenous forest, along the
eastern slopes of the Stanley Bush Hill, partly
following an old coach road, descending to the
beautiful hut at Graskop. Starting at the Graskop hut
the trail passes through pine and grassland to descend
into the ravine via indigenous forest to cross the
river on a suspension bridge. The trail climbs to
reach the Mac Mac Pools, before descending to the Mac
Mac Falls - an area originally called Geelhoutboom
because of the abundance of yellowwood trees.
| Distances |
President Burger Hut to Graskop
Hut |
19.0 km |
| Graskop Hut to President Burger
Hut |
13.0 km |
| Difficulty |
Difficult |
Hartebeesvlakte 2-Night Trail (30.1 km)
The trail starts from the Ceylon Plantation where you
park your cars and start hiking immediately to
Maritzbos Hut on the edge of the indigenous forest.
The next day you climb through the indigenous forest,
crossing streams and small falls, climbing up rocky
cliffs to reach the Hartebeesvlakte. The trail follows
a mountain stream with pools and waterfalls before
descending via some pine trees to the Stables Hut.
| Distances |
Ceylon Plantation Office to
Maritzbos Hut |
8.1 km |
| Maritzbos Hut to Stables Hut |
12.0 km |
| Stables Hut to Ceylon
Plantation Office |
10.0 km |
| Difficulty |
Difficult |
Bridal Veil 2-Night Trail (30.1 km)
Arrive and spend the night at Ceylon Hut. Walk the
next morning past Maritzbos hut to Stables for 20.1km,
and spend the night at Stables.
From Stables walk for 10km back to where you started,
i.e. Ceylon.
| Distances |
Ceylon Hut to Stables Hut
(via Maritzbos) |
20.1 km |
| Stables Hut to Ceylon Hut |
10.0 km |
| Difficulty |
Difficult |
Maritzbos Circular 3-Night Trail (30.1 km)
The circular trail starts at the Ceylon Hut and winds
its way through plantations as its passes the Lone
Creek Falls on its way to the Maritzbos hut on the
edge of the indigenous forest. The second day involves
a climb through the indigenous forest crossing streams
and small falls, climbing up rocky cliffs to reach the
Hartebeesvlakte. The trail follows a mountain stream
with pools and waterfalls before descending via some
pine trees to the Stables Hut. The trail descends
through pine plantation and patches of indigenous
forest back to the Ceylon Hut.
| Distances |
Ceylon Hut to Maritzbos Hut |
8.1 km |
| Maritzbos Hut to Stables Hut |
12.0 km |
| Stables Hut to Ceylon Hut |
10.0 km |
| Difficulty |
Difficult |
Fanie Botha 3 Days and 2 Nights (19.0 or 28.3
km)
Park at Mac Mac Forest Station and start walking to
Mac Mac Hut where you spend the first night.
| Distances |
Mac Mac Parking to Mac Mac Hut |
6.0 km |
Mac Mac Hut to Graskop Hut
(via Mac Mac Pools |
22.3 km |
Graskop Hut to President
Burger Hut
(via Bonnet) |
13.0 km |
| Difficulty |
Difficult |
Mount Moody 4 Night Trail (49.5 or 58.8 km)
The trail starts from the Ceylon Plantation where you
park and start walking to the Maritzbos Hut to spend
your first night. Unlike the Maritzbos 3-day circular,
from Stables you hike to Mac Mac Hut. The route to Mac
Mac Hut follows the edge of the pine plantations as it
winds up its way to Mount Moody, providing wonderful
views of the Sabie Valley. From this vantage-point the
trail descends to the Mac Mac Hut. The last day's walk
is to Graskop Hut where a lift must be sought back to
Ceylon where cars would have been parked.
| Distances |
Ceylon Plantation Office to
Maritzbos Hut |
8.1 km |
| Maritzbos Hut to Stables Hut |
12.0 km |
| Stables Hut to Mac Mac Hut |
16.4 km |
Mac Mac Hut to Graskop Hut
(via Mac Mac Pools) |
22.3 km |
Graskop Hut to President
Burger Hut
(via Bonnet) |
13.0 km |
| Difficulty |
Difficult |
Fanie Botha 5-Night Trail (49.5 or 58.8 km)
Arrive, park and sleep at the Ceylon Hut. Another car
to be parked at Mac Mac Forest Retreat
where President Burger Hut is situated. You have
a choice of leaving immediately after the hike or
spending a night at the President Burger Hut, where
your second car would have been parked at the Mac Mac
Forest Station.
| Distances |
Ceylon Hut to Maritzbos Hut |
8.1 km |
| Maritzbos Hut to Stables Hut |
12.0 km |
| Stables Hut to Mac Mac Hut |
16.4 km |
Mac Mac Hut to Graskop Hut
(via Mac Mac Pools) |
22.3 km |
Graskop Hut to President
Burger Hut
(via Bonnet) |
13.0 km |
| Difficulty |
Difficult |
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Walks
& Hikes
