The Plett Camino Slackpacking Hiking Trail
Escape the mundane with us on a five day and five-night slackpacking hiking trail of eighty kilometres through the Knysna forest, across the Bitou and Keurbooms river valleys and into the uplands of Plettenberg Bay.
Each day is filled with activity and fun, where we either stop for a wine tasting and lunch, or cross one of two game reserves along the route, or navigate up a beautiful, secluded river course before climbing out into the forests above.
The adventure starts to the west of Robberg and Plettenberg Bay on the Garden Route and does a full circle which ends up on the east side of Plett with Robberg far in the distance from the other side of the Formosa Bay coastal corridor.
Accommodation is in wonderful lodges along the route, with crisp linen and en-suite bathrooms. Rooms are made up with either two single beds or a queen sized bed for couples. And best of all, the Plett Camino is a proper slackpacking hiking trail, so we make sure your bags arrive at each venue ahead of you.
On arrival each day, a gin and tonic will be waiting as well as a selection of wines and beer for those who feel like a drink after a long days hike. The food is home made at each venue and delicious. Special dietary requirements are also catered for. Lunch is packed each day to enjoy along the trail.
All you need to do is to arrive, walk, connect with your friends and family and enjoy the hospitality and homely atmosphere in all of our lodges. It is all about the experience. The views along the route vary from indigenous forest, to head high fynbos stretches and riverine forest all in the shadow of the Tsitsikamma and Langkloof Mountains.
Caminos begin each Sunday evening throughout the year, except for some of the holiday times where accommodation is taken up by holiday makers. We meet and greet on the Sunday evening and then begin the hike on the Monday. It culminates at the Keurbooms river on the Friday with lunch at Down to Earth restaurant before the transfers back to your cars.
We have a maximum of 12 hikers per group and clients may book out the whole trip for themselves, or just book a few places. The Plett Camino is a very safe space for single hikers to join us and slot in with any of the groups.
We believe that the groups who arrive on a particular day are meant to be there and spend that time together. The hikes are guided by two guides each day as the trail is not marked. We encourage people to slow down and become present and conscious of their surroundings. It is not a race and you will be there for a full 5 days.
The distances per day for the five days are 14km, 14km, 16km, 18km and 13km on the last day. You need to be fit enough to hike these kinds of distances each day.
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