A walk is just a walk – unless you have some meaningful experiences on the way.  The Overberg Trail Experience is about walking between life-changing experiences in a remote community.

It is about wonder, discovery and joy.

Our area of focus is the Kleinrivier mountain range which covers about 140 sq km between Stanford, Tesselaarsdal and Hermanus.  This will be your playground for 4 nights and 5 days.

What to expect

The OTE is 4 nights and 5 days, starting at 16:00 on a Monday afternoon in Tesselaarsdal and ending at 14:00 on Friday afternoon in Hermanus, with transport back to your car in Tesselaarsdal. The distance covered is about 40km, largely through private land, not open to the public.

There will be some wow moments, but there will also be some moments of childlike joy and inner reflection.  These experiences we hope to link with good exercise, great food and interesting company – to leave you with lasting memories of achievement and fulfilment.  The Trail is all-inclusive (with the exception of alcoholic drinks, which are on a BYOB basis).

Monday – Day 1

16:00
Arrive at Heilfontein Lodge, Tesselaarsdal which will also be your base for nights 2, 3 & 4.  You will leave your car here and you will be transported to Phillipskop Reserve where you will spend Night 1 in their simple but comfortable cottages. Depending on the weather, you may want to take a dip in the lovely eco-pool.  The owners, Drs Chris & Anna Whitehouse, will give you a fascinating audiovisual presentation on the Cape Floral Kingdom and where Phillipskop fits in this biome.  This should enrich your walk the next day, as you will be able to identify some of the plants and animals’ peculiar to the area.  After a hearty locally sourced meal, it is off to bed early, as the next day’s walk is a cracker!

Tuesday – Day 2 – 11.4km

08:00 
You set out on the historic Barbers Trail over the Kleinrivier Mountains to Tesselaarsdal and Heilfontein Protea Farm. On the way to the mountain ridge, you will pass the David and Goliath rock stacks, and a cave housing recently discovered rock paintings, which is now a protected historic site. The resident Black Eagles will probably be soaring overhead as you emerge from the cool South side of the mountain and crest the top, to meet the sun. With the steep climb behind you, you can savour the 360-degree views – which embrace the sea from Gansbaai to Stanford and towards the interior, the rolling wheatlands of the Ruens.  The village of Tesselaarsdal lies below and the rest of the trail is a gradual descent to Heilfontein Lodge where you will find the Hot Tub ready to soothe your tired limbs.  Later in the afternoon, you will be given an informative tour of Heilfontein, which is a cultivated protea farm. Before supper, you will be given a talk on the Barbers Trail and the fascinating history of Tesselaarsdal, which was left to slaves in 1832.  Some people call it “the place that apartheid forgot”.  Dinner will be a barbeque at Heilfontein Lodge.

Wednesday – Day 3: 10.4km

08:00  
You set out from Heilfontein Lodge on an undulating upward climb to Boskop which is the highest point in the middle of the Kleinrivier Mountains.  En route, you will pass the homestead of Elandskloof Farm (property of the de Bruyn and Esterhuysen families) and cross the river into pristine montane fynbos.  At the top, you will be treated to a different 360-degree view from the previous day, while you enjoy your trail lunch. Thereafter, it’s a gentle rolling descent with the Caledon Rûens stretching out below you, as you return to Heilfontein and the soothing Hot Tub. Later in the afternoon, you will be taken to the neighbouring HerbsAplenty and SteamPunk Distillery where you will be shown how flavours are extracted from Fynbos and spirits distilled for gin and whisky.  You will also have the opportunity to taste and sample the local spirits and cosmetics.

For the evening you will be transported back in time, to De Poskantoor Restaurant (built in 1897) in nearby Tesselaarsdal, where you will enjoy a local dinner in atmospheric surroundings, prepared by the owners Brendan Daly and Sonia Fourie.

Thursday – Day 4: 6.4km

08:00
This is the easy day, and you will be transported to the start of the Trail on the historic farm Sandfontein belonging to the Beukes family, who are some of the larger farm owners in the area.  Starting at the old farmhouse, the route runs along a gentle contour between natural Fynbos and the farmland below.  On the way, you will see several dams and learn how farmers divide up the precious water between them, in an ingeniously simple way.

After a snack stop at Cappucino Pool, you will finish at a stylishly renovated cottage on the farm Diepgat, owned by the Hauman family.  From there, you will be transported to the life-changing Pebbles Project, which enables children from farming communities to access quality education programs, health & wellness, nutrition and social work services.  All this has been achieved without state funding and it has been operating successfully for some 20 years at 6 locations in the Western Cape.  It is an inspiring experience.

After this, you will be transported a short distance to the award-winning Creation Wine Farm where you will enjoy a snack platter and wine tasting before being transported back to Heilfontein to relax.  Dinner will be a whole baked local line fish.

Friday – Day 5: 14km

07:30
It’s off to an earlier start, as this is the longest walk.  You will be transported to the Southern end of Diepgat farm, where you will start the gentle ascent up the back of Aasvoelskop – the tallest mountain in the area.  From the beacon at the top, you will have a commanding view of the Hemel & Aarde Valley and the wide range of farming activities conducted below. Walking in the Fernkloof Reserve, you will descend gradually towards Hermanus, via the unusual wind-shaped rocks of Sculpture Valley. You can pause at a bench to take a team photo with the sea as a backdrop before you descend via a series of switch-backed paths into the river valley and emerge at the Visitor Centre at about 14:00. 

Tired but fulfilled, you will be transported back to Heilfontein where you can shower and freshen up, before enjoying a light lunch and heading back, to reach Cape Town safely before nightfall.  The walking may be over, but the memories of the experiences should remain forever.

Meet the guides

Tim Lundy

Tim is a well-known mountain and cultural guide, with over 40 years of experience.  He is the author of “Family Walks in Cape Town” and also presented the radio program “Cape Town walking with Tim Lundy” on Cape Talk for several years.  He has developed a number of trails in the Western Cape and he assisted greatly in the layout of the Overberg Trail Experience. He is a registered Tour and Mountain Guide and an Incident Commander with Mountain Rescue, so you should be in knowledgeable and safe hands!

Dave De Beer

Dave’s passion for photography began in high school and grew through trips to the Kruger Park, where he developed a love for nature and birds. Moving to Hermanus in 2004, he then became captivated by photographing Southern Right Whales, leading him to self-publish two books and to start Whale Walking Tours. His love for birds also remains strong, and he enjoys guiding birding tours in the Overberg, where he has led many successful trips in the Klein River mountains. He looks forward to sharing these experiences with you.

Cindy Du Plooy

Cindy is a proud local of Tesselaarsdal who comes with over 22 years of experience in the travel and events industry.  Though still gaining extensive knowledge of the area, she serves as the backup guide for Overberg Trail Experience and brings her enthusiasm and passion for the outdoors, to every hike. With a Diploma in Travel & Tourism and FGASA Level 1 & 2 accreditation, she ensures a safe and enjoyable experience for all adventurers, while sharing her growing love for the stunning Overberg region.

Pertinent Information

Enjoy the Overberg Trail Experience and share a room with your partner or a friend. Alternatively, pay the single supplement of 30%, if you prefer your privacy. The single supplement also applies if a booking results in someone having their own room e.g. a booking for 3 people.

Our maximum number of guests is 8 people. If you make a booking with less than 8 people, you may be joined with others to make up a group of 8 people. In the unlikely event that fewer than 6 people have booked for a particular week, we have the right to cancel that group and refund the rest of the members.

Cancellations are only eligible for a refund if advised at least 31 days (or more) prior to the arrival date.

The Overberg Trail Experience runs all year round – except for the school holidays in December/January and June/July.

Pick your week and make your booking through our website by clicking the Book Now button. You can view availability on our booking platform calendar, within the Book Now page. 

For 2024 there will be one Overberg Trail Experience every third week of the month. Additional dates can be added if requested. The Trail starts on a Monday afternoon (walking days are Tuesday to Friday).

Rates

• R12 500.00 pp – sharing
• 30% single supplement applies

Admin Fee:

• R55.00 once off per reservation.