Alikreukel Trail

Stilbaai, Western Cape

Alikreukel Trail, a wonderful coastal slackpacking trail in the Stilbaai, Blombos and Jongensfontein area of the Southern Cape coast.

The Alikreukel Trail offers you a guided four-day slackpacking hike – three day’s hiking along the coast and half a day of easy kayaking on the Goukou River at Stilbaai.

A three-day and two-day option is also available, as well as a SELF-CATERING OPTION.

2025 Hiking Dates

Autumn Season 4-Day Hikes

Tues 11 – Fri 14 February (only 2 places open)
Sat 1 – Tues 4 March (fully booked)
Wed 12 – Sun 15 March (fully booked)
Sat/Sun (29/30 March) – Tues 1 April (fully booked)
Sat 12 – Tues 15 April (maybe 2 places open)
Tues 29 Apr – Fri 2 May (fully booked)
Tues 13 – Fri 16 May (still open)
Tues 27 – Fri 30 May (still open)

The trail will be closed during the winter months.

2025 Spring Season 4-Day Hikes

Tues 9 – Fri 12 September (fully booked)
Tues 23 – Thurs or Fri 25/26 Sept (3 or 4 day hike) (still open)
Tues 7 – Fri 10 October (fully booked)
Tues 21 – Fri 24 October (still 12 places open)
Tues 4 – Fri 7 November (provisionally reserved)
Sat 21 – Tues 25 November (10 spots left)
Sun 6 – Tues 8 Dec (3-day hike) (still open)

Basic information:

Number of days: Four (full trail) and shorter options
Distance of trail: 46 km hiking; 4 km kayaking
Difficulty: Average to easy, but the first day is rather long and tiring, with difficult terrain
Number of hikers allowed: Minimum of 8, maximum of 14.
Accommodation: Four nights’ comfortable holiday house type (shared bathrooms), with bedding supplied
Meals: All meals supplied (including lunch packs with snacks for along the trail)

The Alikreukel Trail runs along a beautiful stretch of coast with wild rocky shores, lonely beaches, fynbos-covered coastal dunes, caves, amazing sea life and intriguing cultural heritage. As a variation to the hiking theme, there is also a paddle on the breathtaking Goukou River.

Besides the standard four-day hike, we also offer a three-day and two-day option on certain dates.

The 3-day option offers you either day one or day two, as well as day three and four, as described below. The 2-day option is over a weekend and offers you day one or two, and day three.

Authentic experiences during the hike:

Listen to an archaeologist about the excavations in the Blombos Cave
Learn more about inter-tidal sea life and fascinating facts about the octopus – and you might see one in its’ natural environment.
See what the semi-petrified sand dunes, formed during the last ice age, reveals about local conditions back then.
Taste a variety of olive products and become olive-wise on an olive farm.
Learn about the importance of the Alikreukel (giant periwinkle) during early inhabitation.
Taste the alikreukel shellfish in a starter to one of your meals.

What to take along?

You need a day pack to carry your food and drinks for the day, as well as other essential items like a windbreaker, rain jacket, sun hat, sunblock, personal medication, and a water container. A lunch pack with snacks and fruit juice will be supplied.

Day 1:

“Once upon a cave”, Distance: 13,5 km

Grading: average to difficult, with a lot of loose sand and some rough, rocky terrain in places. People over 70 are not allowed to do this day’s hike.

Hike from Blombos private hamlet to Jongensfontein, a beautiful and peaceful seaside village, past lovely places like Skurwebaai, Pletsenbaai and Heuningnesbaai.

Features:

Pass the Blombos cave, where stone-age people dwelled more than 70 000 years ago, with explanations on how these people lived
Ancient shell middens with hundreds of alikreukel shells
The impressive Blombos rock arch
Good vantage points to spot whales and dolphins beyond the waves
Overnight in Jongensfontein again.

Day 2:

Whales and walls”, Distance: 12 km

Grading: easy to average.

Hike from Jongensfontein to Stilbaai, past scenic places like Jongensgat arch, Noordkapper Point, the ancient fish traps and a milkwood forest in the Skulpiesbaai Nature Reserve.

Features:

Scenic coastline with a variety of natural and cultural features
Whale and dolphin vantage points
Information on the sea life of the area
Visit the ancient fish traps (a National Heritage Site), built with stones by Khoikhoi people more than 2000 years ago and get interesting information
Walk through a milkwood tree forest
Enjoy the best view of Stilbaai, before retiring to your accommodation, right on the beach!

Day 3:

“Up the River”, Distance: 5 km walking & 4 km paddling in a kayak:

Grading: easy walking; average paddling.

Walk to the Stilbaai Museum, view the Blombos Cave exhibition, with a talk by an achaeologist. Then get transported up the Goukou River for an hour’s paddling in kayaks. Next is a visit to a beautiful olive farm on the river banks, with olive tastings and a very special luncheon. Then you are transported back to your accommodation.

Features:

Walk past the famous Stilbaai stilt beach houses and Goukou River mouth.
View the excellent display on the excavations at the Blombos Cave and listen to an informative talk by an achaeologist
Paddle in a very stable kayak up the most scenic part of the Goukou River
Have an olive tasting, informative talk and lunch at Kransfontein, a productive olive farm.
Enjoy some free time in Stilbaai during the afternoon.

Day 4:

“The sands of time”, Distance: 12 (or 16 km if you have time)

Grading: Relatively easy walking. Hike on the eastern side of Stilbaai from the Preekstoel towards Geelkrans (and further to Rooikrans, if desired).

This is a beach walk with fascinating scenery, totally different from the first two days. It is a there-and-back walk.

Features:

Semi-petrified dunes, eroded into cliffs with fascinating textures and shapes
Aeolianite formations dating from the last ice-age, with explanations of its’ origin
Interesting eroded stones and pebbles that you will like to take home
A unique shell midden left by the early inhabitants
A really wild and pristine stretch of coast – you will love this walk

Rates:

2025

4-Day Option:

Normal tariff: R7 500 pp sharing (group of more than 10) provided at least 4 persons share double beds. Otherwise R7 800 pp sharing. Group of less than 11: R8 000 pp sharing.

Single room: R8 100 pp (group of 11 plus). R8 600 pp for group of 8 to 10.

We also offer a SELF-CATERING OPTION for hiking the trail, where you provide your own food and arrange your own accommodation. We still guide you and offer all the rest. The tariff is more or less half of the fully catered tariff. Please enquire.

Should you want to be an exclusive group – please arrange that with us. The condition is that you will have to book and pay for at least 12 people at the relevant rate.

Note:

The minimum group size is 8, and maximum 14. Small groups, couples or singles will be combined as a group if the same dates are booked. Single room accommodation is limited with larger groups.

Should you want to be an exclusive group, a minimum of 12 people must book and pay the relevant rate.

3-Day Option:

Normal tariff: R5 800 pp sharing (more than 10 pax).

For less than 11 pax: R6 400 pp sharing. Single room R6 400 and R6 800.

The trail will be closed during the winter months

The rates include four nights’ accommodation in comfortable overnight establishments, guide fees, all meals (and snacks along the trail), lunch packs, purified water, an alikreukel starter, visit to the Blombos Cave Museum exhibition, the paddle on the Goukou river, olive tasting with lunch, all local transport during the trip, and luggage portage. You will only have to pay for your alcoholic drinks, your own preferred snacks along the trail and what you order extra.