Last Updated on July 12, 2023 by Lauren Melnick
Are you ready to upgrade from day hikes to multi-day hikes?
Do you dream of trekking to the more remote parts of South Africa, waking up to spell-binding views, and ticking off iconic trails like the Otter from your bucket list?
Well, then, you’ve come to the right place!
Below, you’ll find a list of the best hiking trails in the Western Cape for all levels. Whether you’re after a scenic slackpacking adventure or something more gruelling to test your limits – I’ve got you.
- 12 Best Hiking Trails in Cape Town With Jaw-Dropping Views
- The Ultimate Cape of Good Hope Hiking Guide
- Hiking The Otter Trail in South Africa: Absolutely Everything You Need to Know
- Lion’s Head Hike in Cape Town: Full Hiking Guide
- The Ultimate Wolfberg Arch Hiking Guide
- 15+ Best Hikes in South Africa With Mind-Blowing Views
Table of Contents
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The Best Hiking Trails in the Western Cape
- Cape of Good Hope Trail – Cape Point
- The Whale Trail – De Hoop Nature Reserve
- The Otter Trail – Storms River
- Tsitsikamma Trail – Nature’s Valley
- Outeniqua Trail – Garden Route National Park
- Dolphin Trail – Tsitsikamma
- The Swellendam Hiking Trail – Swellendam
- The Cederberg Wilderness Area – Cederberg
- Harkerville Coastal Hiking Trail
- Boosmansbos Wilderness Area – Swellendam
The Best Hiking Trails in the Western Cape
Whether you’re searching for 2-day hiking trails near Cape Town or challenging overnight hikes in the Western Cape, here are some of the best hiking trails to add to your bucket list!
Cape of Good Hope Trail – Cape Point
The Cape of Good Hope Trail is an incredible 33.8km 2-day hike through the spectacular Cape Point Nature Reserve in Cape Town.
The cliff-hugging path winds past isolated beaches, herds of zebra and blesbok, and the Old Lighthouse built in the 1800s.
It’s one of the best overnight hikes in Cape Town and idyllic training grounds if you want to work your way up to a more challenging hike, the Otter.
Duration: 2 days
Distance: 33.8 km
Read More: The Ultimate Cape of Good Hope Hiking Guide
The Whale Trail – De Hoop Nature Reserve
The Whale Trail hike is one of the most iconic multi-day hikes in the Western Cape.
The 56km slackpacking trail meanders through the De Hoop Nature Reserve, and between June and November, you’ll trek past dozens of migrating southern right whales!
Besides the gorgeous natural scenery, the beautiful cottages along the Whale Trail secure the trail as one of the best hikes in South Africa. The cottages are equipped with everything you need and look like houses you’d find on luxury Airbnb listings.
Duration: 5 days
Distance: 56 km
Read More: Whale Trail Hike in South Africa: Everything You Need to Know
The Otter Trail – Storms River
When it comes to the best hiking trails in the Western Cape, the Otter Trail is the creme-de-la-creme.
The five-day hike starts in Tsitsikamma National Park and will take you past waterfalls, through coastal forests, and secluded beaches.
If you’re lucky, you might see the trail’s moniker, the Cape Clawless Otter!
The only downside? The Otter Trail is one of the best hiking trails in South Africa, and it’s popularity leads to permits selling out a full year in advance.
But that gives you more than enough time to hit the jump and build up endurance to get your butt up the steep uphills!
Duration: 5 days
Distance: 45 km
Read More: Hiking The Otter Trail in South Africa: Absolutely Everything You Need to Know
Tsitsikamma Trail – Nature’s Valley
If you want to conquer the Otter Trail but don’t want to wait six months or more for a permit, add the Tsitsikamma Trail to your South Africa hiking bucket list.
Starting in Nature’s Valley and ending in Storm’s River, you’re essentially doing the reserve of the Otter. However, this trail will take you into the heart of the Tsitsikamma Mountains and extensive indigenous Afromontane forests.
Not sure if you can handle the full six-day hike? You can opt to do a section of the Tsitsikamma Trail with 2,3,4, and 5-day variations available.
Duration: 6 days
Distance: 60 km
Read More: 15+ Best Hikes in South Africa With Mind-Blowing Views
Outeniqua Trail – Garden Route National Park
Up for a challenge? Sign up for the 108km Outeniqua Trail in the Garden Route National Park!
Over seven days, you’ll walk between George and Plettenberg Bay through the Outeniqua mountains. You’ll hike inside the beautiful Knysna forests, past pristine beaches, and stay in overnight cabins.
With a price tag of R820, the Outeniqua Trail is one of the most affordable multi-day hiking trails in the Western Cape.
What makes this multi-day hike different is the coffee shops. There are two tea gardens at the Millwood and Diepwalle huts where you can buy cooked meals and basic groceries like pasta.
If the seven days is too much for you, hikers can opt for the shorter two or three-day option.
Duration: 7 days
Distance: 108 km
Read More: An Epic One Week Garden Route Itinerary (Detailed)
Dolphin Trail – Tsitsikamma
The Dolphin Trail is luxury slackpacking in the Western Cape at its finest.
Imagine the Otter Trail’s scenery without heavy backpacks, staying at luxury lodges with delicious food, and all along South Africa’s exquisite eastern coastline.
While the hike isn’t cheap (prices start at R8,000), it’s fully inclusive.
You’ll get:
- All meals from your day of arrival to departure
- Professional guides
- A 4×4 drive through the old Storms River Pass.
- The transportation of all luggage between the lodges
All you need to bring on the trail is a small day pack for your water and a camera!
Duration: 4 days
Distance: 17 km
The Swellendam Hiking Trail – Swellendam
The Swellendam Hiking Trail is one of the top ten hikes in South Africa.
Located in the Marloth Nature Reserve, the six-day trail is demanding, but you’ll get to explore mountainous terrains, fynbos valleys, waterfalls, and rock pools.
At the end of each day, you’ll check-in to a basic rustic hut with everything you need: a mattress, basic amenities, toilets and clean drinking water.
It’s the perfect multi-day hike in the Western Cape for those who love wildflowers. The trail boasts some of the best flora in the Cape!
Duration: 6 days
Distance: 80 km
The Cederberg Wilderness Area – Cederberg
Proclaimed a wilderness area in 1973, the Cederberg is a wild, rugged and captivating part of South Africa.
It’s lack of light pollution, and towering rock formations also make it one of the best places for astrophotography and rock climbing in the Western Cape!
In the spring, you’ll find thousands of wildflowers and hikers have dozens of multi-day trails to explore.
Here are some of the most popular overnight Cederberg hiking trails:
- Cederberg Heritage Trail (a 100km 5-day trail)
- Wolfberg Cracks and Arch (a day hike you can turn into an overnight hike for incredible astrophotography!)
- Machine Gun Ridge and Sneeuberg (Combine these two hikes into one 4-day hike)
Read More: The Ultimate Wolfberg Arch Hiking Guide
Harkerville Coastal Hiking Trail
The Harkerville Coastal Hiking Trail is not your average Western Cape hiking trail. The two-day hike is full of chain ladders, steep cliffs, narrow wooden stairs, and little bridges.
If soaring heights make you weak in the knees, this isn’t the hike for you. But if these words excite you, the Harkerville trail won’t disappoint!
Located near Knysna and Plettenberg Bay, the two-day hike goes past some of the most incredible coastal scenery that’ll give the Otter Trail a run for its money.
If you want to double up your hikes, the Harkerville trail starts at the end of the Outeniqua Trail.
Duration: 2 days
Distance: 28 km
Boosmansbos Wilderness Area – Swellendam
The Boosmansbos Wilderness Area is World Heritage Site and a unique hiking destination in the Western Cape. Located close to Tradouw’s Pass and Barrydale, the area forms part of the majestic Langeberg Mountains.
The hike will take you up high peaks to the last remaining stretches of indigenous forest in the South-Western Cape.
It’s an ideal hiking trail for explorers who want to roam the wilderness freely without being disturbed.
Note: You need to make sure you have enough water carrying capacity as there are no water spots on the first day. There are also no toilets (remember your toilet paper!), but there is a spade to dig a hole.
Duration: 2 days
Distance: 27 km
Read More: Staying At Schoone Oordt Country House in Swellendam
What are your top hiking trails in the Western Cape? Did I leave out your favourite trail? Hit ya gurl up in the comments below!
Theosha says
So inspired to get out hiking .. best blog everrrrr
lauren says
Yaaaas!! That’s the goal 🙂 Hope you have a rad time on the trails!
Campbell Louw says
Nice post Lauren, some incredibly beautiful hike in here. Western Cape so beautiful it is difficult to pick a favorite! I would love to do more hikes in the Cederberg.