Groot Winterhoek

Celebrate Life! Backpack Hike - 3 days 35 km

Groot Winterhoek Mountain Wilderness Reserve lies 2 hours north of Cape Town and offers some of the best off-the-beaten-track hiking in the Western Cape of South Africa.

The reserve incorporates not only striking rock formations, and one of the highest peaks in the Western Cape (+2000m ASL), but also remote and beautiful high elevation mountain valleys with wetlands draining into magnificent mountain streams and glorious large rock pools.

These mountains are clad with the beautiful and highly biodiverse fynbos vegetation and animals like baboon, klipspringer and leopard roam side by side. 

The Celebrate Life! Backpack Hike takes you through these majestic mountains to a magnificent rock pool and waterfall ‘De Hel’, overlooked by a cave with ancient rock paintings.

Daily distances have been kept relatively short, the route following some less strenuous trails to allow more time for a fun, revitalizing hiking experience so that you can really unplug and re-connect with nature.

2025 Hike Dates

  • 31 October - 2 November 2025 

  • 12 - 14 December 2025

2025 Tariff

  •  R 3 750-00 per person, South Africans

  • R 4 050-00 per person, non-South Africans

Summary Itinerary

During this immersive three-day hike, some of which will be on hiking trails, and some on old jeep tracks, you will hike deep into the reserve on the first day, staying over in a basic hiker’s hut with bunk beds for two nights.

We will take the entire second day to hike to and explore the famous ‘De Hel’ rock pool and waterfall, situated in a dramatic amphitheatre-like setting in a deep river gorge.

On the third day you will hike out via a different route so as to get to experience the most of Groot Winterhoek’s dramatic mountain scenery, rock formations and exquisite fynbos vegetation. Expect plenty of opportunity for revitalizing cold-water swims in Groot Winterhoek’s pristine mountain streams.

Spaces are limited to 7 participants.

How does it work?

  • LOCATION - Groot Winterhoek Nature Reserve, Porterville, Western Cape

  • DURATION - 3 days, 2 nights

  • TOTAL DISTANCE - Approximately 30 to 32 km

  • TOTAL ELEVATION GAIN/LOSS - Approximately 600 to 700 m 

  • DIFFICULTY LEVEL - Intermediate circular multi-day on-trail backpack hike. Each to provide and carry their own hiking gear, clothing, cooking equipment and food.

  • INCLUDED/EXCLUDED - Tariff include access permits and 2 nights overnight in hiker's hut with bunk beds, mattresses, cold water shower and flush toilet in hut. Transport, hiking gear and equipment as well as food and drinks are excluded and can be arranged at an additional fee.

Hikers to provide and carry

  • All food and drinks for the three days

  • Sleeping bags, pillows, towels, headlamps, personal medication and toiletries

  • Multi-day backpack and cooking equipment and utensils

Also available for private groups* of 5 to 7 persons

*Date and Tariff on Request