Our Hiking Tours in Pondoland

5 Day Hike along the Wild Coast

Day 1

Port St Johns to Madakeni VillageDistance: +- 16km
Walking Time: +- 6 Hours
Terrain: Hilly at the start
Highlights: Wildlife at Silaka Nature Reserve,
Panoramic Views of Sicambeni Village

DAY 1: The hike departs from Second Beach. Enjoy an easy coastal walk on a small narrow path and never ending phenomenal sea views and scenaries. This 4km walk takes you through Silaka Nature Reserve and Third Beach where you enjoy your first short break, dip your feet in the sea water before the Heartbreak Hill climb begins! At the start of the Heartbreak Hill you can choose between walking the coastal path that leads to the small Sugarloaf Beach and the geographical Sugarloaf Rock — this path contains more rolling hills and is the harder path to take but worth it! Otherwise you can walk through Sicambeni Village where you can socialise with local people and learn a little bit about the Xhosa culture before walking down through the beautiful views and landscape to uMngazi River where you will find the uMngazi Hotel. After a short break at the uMngazi hotel we will take a boat accross the uMngazi River. Take your shoes off and walk the 2km long uMngazi and uMngazana Beach until the uMngazana River. Then you take a ferry across and walk 2km to our first homestead in Madakeni Village where you will enjoy a welcome tea served with Xhosa bread followed by a traditional Xhosa meal. You will also get the chance to enjoy a donkey shower! Each of the homesteads has one or two big round houses reserved for guests.

Day 2
Madakeni Village to Tsweleni Village
Distance: +- 12km
Walking time: +- 4 hours
Terrain: Hilly
Highlights: Brazenhead and beautiful rainforests

DAY 2: You will start your day with a traditional Xhosa breakfast: Mealie porridge, Xhosa bread, fried or boiled eggs, tomato, and fried onions. Day 2 of the Wild Coast Exploration Hike is fairly short but full of hills. This section of the Wild Coast contains many big cliffs that are difficult to climb and big dense rain forests. We therefore walk more inland through Mawotsheni Village where we enjoy our short break and are often finding one of the local farmers selling fresh fruits and cooked maize. We will walk further to Magcakini Village for another short break before crossing Sinagwana River. Take a swim at Sinagwana Beach or walk the last 2km to our second homestead. For those who are seafood lovers: Tsweleni Village or well known as Mpande is where some of the best fishermen and divers are found! Shelly beach is just three minutes away from the homestead whenever the weather allows us we walk down for a beach bonfire with friendly local people.

Day 3
Tsweleni Village to Lucingweni Village
Distance: +- 17,5km
Walking Time: +- 8 Hours
Terrain: Rolling Hills..
Highlights: Game at Hluleka Nature Reserve
Untouched and clean beaches

DAY 3: This is the longest day of the whole 5 day hike. Many find it the hardest day. We start walking as early as 7am, even earlier in summer as the sun rises at 5am and our summers can be very hot. We walk along the coast until Sharks Point Beach where the day gets harder as we start climbing a few hills and walk inland for about 3 hours until we reach the 2km long uMnenu Beach. We walk into Hluleka Nature Reserve in the early hours of the afternoon, take a 1 hour long lunch break, play with Zebras, Wildebeest, and lots of Vervet Monkeys. From Hluleka we walk the last 4km to Lucingweni Village and enjoy a traditional Xhosa performance by young local girls and boys.

Day 4
Lucingweni Village to Tshani Village
Distance: +- 18km
Walking Time: +- 6 Hours
Terrain: Rolling Hills..
Highlights: Geographical Mapuzi point and cliffs

DAY 4 of this hike is one of the most beautiful and enjoyable days of the whole hike. Many secluded beaches, the pristine Mthakatye River, panoramic ocean and forest views. Beautiful traditional Xhosa round houses dotted on green grassy hills all the way to Mdumbi River and beach. Mdumbi beach has been voted the best beach in South Africa and has the best waves for surfing. Next we walk 2.9km to Tshani Village.

Day 5
Tshani Village to Coffee Bay
Distance: +- 12km
Walking Time: +- 4 Hours
Terrain: Rolling Hills..
Highlights: Geographical Mapuzi Point and Cliffs

DAY 5: The last day of this hike is much shorter than the other days. We get up as early as 7am and start hiking at 8am. First we enjoy breakfast, coffee and tea and slowly get ourselves ready to walk the 2km long beach, cross Mthatha river mouth and Mapuzi point before walking into Coffee Bay and enjoy a few cold drinks in the legendary Coffee Shack backpackers. In Coffee Bay you can possibly partake in some of the activities offered by the backpackers in the area or local tour guides or just spend some time chilling on the Coffee Bay beach. Coffee Shack Backpackers offers shuttles to Mthatha Shell Garage for BazBus and all other connections.