I am planning to book Tsitsikamma trail (full 6 day) this year. I don’t have a car, I will travel from Johannesburg to the trail via bus. I am not sure about the following two things, and if anyone has any information from their experience, would love to have some suggestions :
What’s the nearest bus station/town with bus station to the starting and ending point of the full 6-day trail?
Where I can stay for the night before starting (close to starting point) and the day I end the trail?
The tsitsikamna trail traverses from Nature’s Valley to the Storms River Bridge.
At the beginning you may be able to sleep/camp at De Vasselot rest camp, which i think is also SANParks. Its about 3-4km hike from de Vasselot to Kalander hut, your 1st night on Tsitsikamma.
Getting to Nature’s Valley will be your big challenge as its way off the N2. From near the Toll plaza. You’ll need to hitch a ride or try minibus taxis??
Buses like Greyhound etc may stop/pick up at the Storms River bridge, you’ll need to check.
Here’s a mad idea…
Why not do the Otter (starting at Storms River mouth SANParks) heading west which terminates at de Vasselot, then commence with the Tsitsikamna heading back east to the bridge…might work.
Otherwise you need to use minibus taxis, hitchhike or pay bob fir shuttles.
Edit…
The last hut on the Tsitsikamna is close the Storms river bridge…easy quick hike
Does it not need like one-year advance booking? I tried last year for a few weeks and then gave up. The ‘mad idea’ sounds great, but I will have to work out the bookings, sounds tough!
Thank you for the suggestions, I am gonna check the options you suggested. =)
You can get lucky from time to time. But its a long shot. Put your name on a waiting list. I’d have this scheme as Plan B.
Otherwise just try your luck at hitching a ride. Its not as easy or safe as it used to be but i did it in 2013 between Plett and Stormsriver. Sketchy…be careful.
Stormsriver Village has a few touristy outfits. You may be able to find a shuttle there.
Hi, when we require transport last year, we used the Plett Shuttle. Call Burton on 073 800 6811 to enquire about availability & pricing. He’s been transporting hikers around for years. Took us all the way to the PE airport.