Hike along the river bed of the magnificent Schaap River in the Canyon as it meanders through a majestic canyon carved by the hands of time. This Slackpack hiking tour takes place during the Flower season in Namaqua. You will see flower covered valleys, rugged mountains, ancient canyons and experience natures’ magical show of colour and beauty during the world’s largest and most spectacular natural flower display. Hike where the shy leopard silently roam the weathered canyon walls and the lunar landscapes created in an ancient time when everything was a boiling pot of melted granite.

Hike along the river bed of the magnificent Schaap River in the Canyon as it meanders through a majestic canyon carved by the hands of time. This Slackpack hiking tour takes place during the Flower season in Namaqua. You will see flower covered valleys, rugged mountains, ancient canyons and experience natures’ magical show of colour and beauty during the world’s largest and most spectacular natural flower display. Hike where the shy leopard silently roam the weathered canyon walls and the lunar landscapes created in an ancient time when everything was a boiling pot of melted granite.

Trisport is happy to announce an absolute unique fully catered Hiking (Slack Packing) experience! VERY few people have ever done this Hike, or know of its existence! If you have done the Fish River Canyon, you will love this River Canyon even better as it is still wild, not commercial, clean and definitely not crowded with hikers.

Highlights of the tour

• Beautiful Flowers of Namaqua during the Flower season
• Experienced local Tour Guides of each venue that know the history, Fauna and Flora
• Hike in pristine areas with no other people around you
• See lots of different wildlife
• The hospitality of the local people of Namaqua
• The food of the local people of Namaqua
• The exhilarating transport in a custom build pipe car
• The views over the Schaapriver Canyon
• The views towards the Richtersveld and Atlantic Ocean
• Staying in beautiful renovated whitewashed cottages
• Experience one of Namakwa’s best secret’s, the Schaap river Canyon
• The beautiful cliffs and rock faces of the Canyon
• Flowers and waterfalls in the Canyon with lots of pools to cool down

Information

The Schaap River Canyon is about 60km long in total. It is in Namakwa between Springbok and Kleinsee. It runs over private property only, and permission are obtain from each farmer to be allowed to hike in the Canyon.  Namakwa is an arid region of Namibia and South Africa, extending along the west coast over 1,000 kilometres and covering a total area of 440,000 square kilometres. It is divided by the lower course of the Orange River into two portions – Little Namakwa to the south and Great Namakwa to the north.  Namakwa remained a very quiet place during the cultural evolution until about 2000 years ago. This was when the Khoikhoi or Nama arrived from the area that now encompasses northern Botswana. The region is known for its cultural history, which was preserved by the Nama and Khoisan tribes. The Nama people are the largest group of Khoikhoi people.

Venue

Venue: Nigramoep Guest Farm, Schaap River Canyon, Northern Cape

Your Accommodation: 2 nights at Nigramoep Guest Cottages and 3 nights in Luxury Tents with proper beds and mattresses in the Canyon

Nigramoep consist of beautiful, renovated guest cottages and old farmhouses. Most cottages and houses have 2 or more rooms, and you might share a bathroom. You will experience the delicious farm style home cooking of Nigramoep Guest Farm. Nigramoep does have a bar, but you can bring your own drinks as well.

Distances

Day 1:  Arrival

Day 2:  19km hike from the Guest farm down into the Schaapriver Canyon up to our base camp where we will stay for 3 nights, steep downill today until the bottom of the canyon, bit of bundu bashing as we hike through the Beautiful colourful veld with lots of flowers.

Day 3:  8 or 16km hike from the Basecamp into the canyon and back, you will be inside the canyon and see the majestic canyon as it stretched out, you will see lots of flowers as you hike in the canyon. No elevation today, it is up to you, either an easy rest day after the previous harder day or you can do a good 16km hike in the Canyon

Day 4:  15km, hike from the base camp to a different part of the Canyon via a beautiful ravine, only elevation of 290 m, beautiful flowers and rock pools in the ravine and canyon, very high cliffs, see klipspringers jumping from rock to rock, see leopard spoor in the sandy patches, see amazing rock formations, sandy patches, donkey tracks, rocky sections.

Day 5:  14km, hike out of the canyon back to Nigramoep guest farm, see the Verreaux and Booted eagle’s nest, lots of flowers at the water points, beautiful views as you climb out of the canyon, beautiful flowers along the way, elevation 550m, sandy patches, donkey tracks, boulders, climbing out of the canyon back to the guest house.

Day 6:  Breakfast and Good Byes

Fitness level

NO BEGINNERS

Intermediate to advance level hikers. You must be fit for hiking up to 17km per day with sections of rocky and uneven areas over boulders and loose rocks. You will ascend 850meters into a the Canyon on day 1, but ascent 550 meters out of the Canyon on the last day. People 70 years old and older must please contact us first before registering.

Entry fee and highlights includes

• 5 Days and 5 Nights;
• 2 Nights accommodation at the Canyon Guest Farm, 3 nights Glamping in the Canyon
• Includes a big tent, where you can stand up in, bed, mattresses. The tents and beds with mattresses are permanently at the base camp
• Lights and electricity in the camp
• Staying in beautiful renovated whitewashed cottages
• 3 Nights Glamping in the Schaap River Canyon on private property;
• 4 Days hiking with experienced guides born in Namakwa, eager to share their intimate knowledge of the flowers, geography and history of the area;
• All the permissions and payments of the local farmers where we will transverse over
• Transport and logistics to get your gear/ luggage to the base camp
• Supply of water, fire wood and cooking equipment;
• A hot shower and flushable toilets
• All meals from dinner on arrival to breakfast on departure day;
• Freshly baked bread and salad each night;
• Wine each night
• A Cash Bar available at Base Camp in the Canyon and at Nigramoep Guest Farm
• Home cooked Namakwa meals;
• All the arrangements by Trisport

Entry fee excludes

• Travel to and from Springbok, Northern Cape;
• Sleeping bag, pillow,
• Day pack,
• Tea/coffee sachets, coffee cup, small flask for the hike.
• Snacks for during the hike;
• Tips for the Guides; and
• Alcoholic Beverages.

Schedule

Day 1

15:00-18:00 Arrival at Nigramoep Guest Farm and Dinner 

Day 2

07:00 Breakfast

08:00 Start with the 19km hike from the Guest Farm towards the Schaapriver Canyon. It is a uneven terrain with lot of small rocks on day 1, start off on a jeep track, then followed by a short bushy section through the flowers area to see the best flowers on the beautiful Nigramoep pristine areas, lunch (provided) in the veld, coffee breaks along the way, and arrive late afternoon back at Base Camp in the Canyon to spend 3 nights at the Base Camp. Bar available at the Base Camp.

17:00 onwards arrive at Base Camp and have a cold beer, check in into you Tent with a proper bed, matrass etc

18:00 Dinner with wine with freshly baked bread and salad made by us.

Day 3

07:00 Breakfast

08:00 An 8 or 16km hike from the Basecamp into the canyon and back, you will be inside the canyon and see the majestic canyon as it stretched out, you will see lots of flowers as you hike in the canyon. No elevation today, it is up to you, either a easy rest day after the previous harder day or you can do a good 16km hike in the Canyon

Hiking is flat, but has sandy patches, rocky sections, loose rocks, steep downhill and donkey trails.

You will start to see beautiful rock formations. Hiking, experiencing the geology of the canyon, the fauna and flora, the history, stopping for tea, stopping for lunch at a beautiful spot.

16:00 Arrive back at the Base camp and enjoy a cold drink

18:00 Dinner, wine and freshly baked bread and salad made by us. Relax around the bonfire while we listen to the sounds of the animals and canyon.

Day 4

07:00 Breakfast

08:00 Do a circular hike in a ravine leading into the canyon.

You will experience the high cliffs of the canyon and secret big water pools and waterfalls.

Lots of pools to swim in, lots of beautiful rock formations, klipspringers, leopard spoor, beautiful flowers, hiking on donkey trails.

16:00 onwards: Arrive at the Base camp and enjoy a hot shower, cold drink while dinner is prepared. Watch the sun set over the red cliffs of the Canyon.

18:00 Dinner and freshly baked bread and salad made by us. Relax around the bonfire while we listen to the sounds of the animals and canyon

Day 5

07:00 Breakfast

08:00 Today we will hike out of the Canyon where we will start with a flat section for about 2km and will then slowly start ascending out of the Canyon back towards Nigramoep

It is 550 meters of elevation. Vasbyt! Watch the views while you are climbing and experiencing the geology of the canyon from above, enjoy the fauna and flora, stopping for tea, stopping for lunch at a beautiful spot. Spot the Verreaux and Booted eagle’s nest, lots of flowers at the water points, beautiful views as you climb out of the canyon, beautiful flowers along the way.

Once on the top it is not too far back to Nigramoep.

14:00 Arrive at Nigramoep Guest Farm and check in

16:00 Drive with your own car or with Nigramoep’s famous pipe cars to have a glass of champagne or drink overlooking the Canyon you just hiked.

18:00 Dinner and Accommodation at Nigramoep Guest Farm.

Day 6

09:00 Breakfast and Goodbyes

Date:

• 14 – 18 Sept 2024

Rates:

• R13 900.00 pp – sharing
• R15 900.00 pp – single
• Limited to 20 people

Admin Fee:

• R55.00 once off per reservation