Harkerville Coastal Hiking Trail

Garden Route, Knysna, Western Cape

This is not your conventional two-day hiking trail. If little wooden bridges, ladders, chains, steep cliffs, narrow wooden stairs and soaring heights are not your cup of tea, rather try another hike. But, if these words excite you; do it! You won’t be disappointed, the feeling of accomplishment at the end is incredible.

The first day is +-11 km and transverse through indigenous forest with an ocean view. The second day is +-11 km that start of through the fynbos vegetation, also with and ocean view and the last section continues through indigenous forest back to the parking area.

There is tanked water at the huts, where you can refill the water bottles. Water is available from the nearby streams more or less halve way on both days, but it is seasonal and can dry up during long periods of no rain. Take note that rivers and streams in the southern cape drain through fynbos vegetation therefore the water are brownish in colour, but it can be consumed

The trail can be closed at short notice for safety reasons and especially during floods, fires and extremely high seas.

There also is escape route that start at the back of the Sinclair Hut and it is marked with yellow footprints, which leads back to Garden of Eden on the N2.

Harkerville Hut information

Electricity with warm water and shower facilities.
Bunk beds with mattress only.
Chopped wood and braai facilities
Occupancy 36, meaning sharable with other groups doing the Outeniqua trail.

Sinclair Hut information

No electricity
No showers, basin only to freshen up
Bunk beds with mattress
Chopped wood with braai facility
Fresh tanked water to refill
Occupancy 12.

Start early! It’s a good idea to sleep at the Harkerville Hut prior to the start of the hike. This is included in your costs in any way. The 14 km hike on day one is diverse – indigenous forests, stream crossings, the coast, chains along the cliffs, caves, etc. All this is time consuming and can take 6 hours or even longer. The 12 km on day two may sound shorter but isn’t less daunting.

Be sure to have the following emergency numbers on your phone

Harkerville Forestry Station 044 532 7770
NSRI Plettenberg Bay 082 990 5975

The seas on this part of the coast can be rough, and freak waves can occur at any time. The Harkerville Hut at the start has separate rooms with bunk beds and mattresses, a braai area with wood, toilets and hot showers. Cars are relatively safe there but don’t leave valuables in vehicles.

There are ample rock pools to explore and taking your goggles and snorkel is not far-fetched at all. Don’t be in a hurry on this hike. It’s astonishing that between the bustling towns of Knysna and Plettenberg Bay and an untouched portion of coastline exist that shows no signs of development or civilization. Appreciate the privilege.

Route Makers: Black signs with white boot prints on. There are also ample white painted footprint and arrows painted on the rocks along the coast.

Coordinates:

Harkerville Hut: S34 02 53.0 E23 14 04.9
Sinclair Hut: S34 04 46.5 E23 11 27.7
Other: Take enough water, there isn’t any along the route. The water at the hut is drinkable.