Rating the Trails with my Jimny and my boys: Suikerbosrand 11km trail

Rating the Trails with my Jimny and my boys: 
2014 - Suikerbosrand - 11km trail

 Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve

We had previously hiked the shorter cheetah trail as well as taken groups along for my Mentoring Mountains programme I wrote and facilitate as and ETD-P.

It's only an hour's drive from Johannesburg  near the town of Heidelberg, lying in an area that covers 11 595-hectares known as the  Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve. The Reserve gets its name from the Transvaal suikerbos or sugarbush (Protea caffra)  that is found in abundance here.

This is one of our favourite places to hike and the hiking trails options are endless. 

The nature reserve is a great  destination for hiking, cycling and picnicking, with a variety of wildlife including Zebra, Black Wildebeest, Red Hartebeest and Brown Hyena. It is a haven for birds and their are about 200 birds species which have made the reserve their home. This is therefore a popular birding spot and would delight any keen bird watcher!.

You are able to hike, walk, drive, cycle or picnicking amongst some really magnificent fauna and flora with breathtaking views of the peaks and grasslands and get fairly close to some of the game.  

 

The Suikerbosrand mountain range is really beautiful and varies in height from 1 545m to 1,917m (the highest point being Toringkop) and forms the backbone of the reserve.

The flora is  varied and includes a large number of grass species. There are many trees, which include the white stinkwood (Celtis africana), highveld cabbage tree (Cussonia paniculata), ouhout (Leucosidea sericea), sweet thorn (Acacia karroo), Protea kaffra after which the reserve is named, and the common guarrie (Euclea undulata).

 

 

 

There are many stunning wild flowers to keep you enthralled and each time we have hiked here we have never been disappointed. The wild flowers include the agapanthus (Agapanthus campanulatus), disseldoring (Berkeya seminivea), wild sweet pea (Sphenostylis angustifolia), Orange River lily (Crinum bulbispernum) and the large witchweed (Striga elegans). 

 

 

 

 

There is a rather long and extensive extensive list of mammals found in the reserve  and this does include eland (we have been blessed to come across several) , zebra (we saw them from a distance) , black wildebeest, red hartebeest, brown hyena, mountain reedbuck, common duiker, steenbok, grey duiker, baboon (which are in abundance!), oribi, blesbok, springbok, kudu and cheetah. We have been lucky enough to spot many of the antelope both on foot while hiking and when we took a drive around the reserve in my Jimny. Especially the wildebeest who were rather apt at hiding in the long grass!!

 

 

 

The area is varied with expansive open grasslands, a beautiful wooded gorge, acacia woodland, marshland, fynbos and rare Bankenveld grassland are all part of the reserve’s dense vegetation. A network of 66 km backpacking hiking trails have been established, plus a short, 4km interpretive trail (Cheetah Trail) and a 17km (10km shorter option, Bokmakierie) day visitor trail. There is also a 60 km motor vehicle tourist route. This took us two hours and we saw a fair amount of game and it gives you an idea of just how big the reserve is!

 

The geology of the region consists of two systems, the Ventersdorp and the Witwatersrand. The Ventersdorp system consists of igneous rock, called basalt, which formed millions of years ago from molten rock. The Witwatersrand system is mainly sedimentary sandstone deposited in horizontal layers. Proteas are largely found in this system. We love hiking along here and getting up close and personal to the gorgeous and interesting rock formations and geology is always my highlight of any of my hikes!!

 

Bottom line guys is that you can explore Suikerbosrand on foot, mountain bike or by vehicle. a huge  66 km network of hiking trails criss-crossing the reserve awaits you, in fact you can hike for six days without retracing your steps, how cool is that! There are also shorter, day hikes to enjoy and a 60 km tourist route for motor vehicles or cyclists with a picnic spot half way. The reserve has overnight hiking huts, but these are currently closed for maintenance until further notice - you will need to call them first to find out if they are now open.

Activity options:

The Tourist Route (has big signs) is a meandering tarred road, with the very pretty Holhoek picnic site situated halfway along the route. Holhoek has both picnic and braai facilities, running water and toilets. Visitors are allowed to cycle on this route. 

 

 

The Cheetah Trail, one we have done several times including taking along 95 Grade 5 boys, is close to the visitors centre. I should take the average person about two hours to complete. It is not an endurance trail and gives you the time and opportunity to find out more about the environment.It has a few steep places but generally is an easy and very popular trail.

 

Overnight accommodation is available at the Protea Hotel or the Kareekloof Resort. The reserve has overnight hiking huts, with solar lighting and geysers, beds with mattresses, and braai areas.

Admission is adults R20, children and pensioners R10. It is open Monday to Friday 07h15 to 16h00, weekends and public holidays 07h00 to 17h00. (rates and time may have changed since we were there)

 

Directions

From Johannesburg, take the N3 highway towards Heidelberg. Take the R550/Alberton Road off-ramp and turn right, across the highway. Turn left to the reserve.

Adveneturekim.com rating: 

Clean toilets and reception area.

We rate this a easy to moderate and give it a 5/10 Difficulty

We intended to hike to the highest peak in Gauteng, only to find out the trail was closed because there wasn't fuel to cut the grass - eish - only in SA. Nonetheless we had a good hike.

Saw the rain coming, fortunately it passed around us and we kept dry to the end.

so take your family and friends along for a great adventure for a minimal cost.

take care and make everyday an adventure!

Adventurekim.com