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Wild Coast Combo

Wild Coast, Eastern Cape

Combine the best of both trails with this popular combination guided hike over 5 nights / 6 days. It offers diverse scenery and avoids the more strenuous sections – perfect for those wanting an easier trail.

About the Wild Coast Combo

Sleep in hotels, this hiking trail covers 58 km of the southern region of the Wild Coast of Southern Africa. The terrain is moderate and magnificent in its isolation and natural splendour. Accommodation is provided nightly in one of the famous old coastal resorts, known for unique settings and warm hospitality. Guides from local Xhosa communities accompany hikers every day, sharing their local knowledge, customs and culture with you

Distance: 58km
Location: Wild Coast, Eastern Cape
Duration: 5 Nights, 6 Days
Guided: partially (2 days guides 2 days unguided)
Max Capacity: 18
Minimum Capacity: 2
Start point- Wavecrest
End point- Crawfords

Trail Features

Daily distances

  • Day 1 – 0km
  • Day 2 – 14km
  • Day 3 – 12km
  • Day 4 – 14km
  • Day 5 – 16km

Accommodation

Accommodation is provided nightly in one of the famous old coastal resorts, known for unique settings and warm hospitality.

Night 1 – Wavecrest Hotel
Night 2 – Trennery’s Hotel or Seagulls Hotel
Night 3 – Morgan Bay Hotel or Mitford Hotel
Night 4 – Haga Haga Hotel
Night 5 – Crawfords Beach Lodge

Proposed Itinerary

Day 1

Arrive East London Airport and transfer to Wavecrest Resort. Travel time from airport to Wavecrest is 2.5 hours and includes 36km of gravel road.  Check in and have an afternoon of leisure or activity (depending on time of arrival).  When you look at the number of activities available below, you will probably want to arrive in East London as early as possible to get out to the coast.

The hotel is situated on a river estuary with miles of views, down a 7km beach or up the Nxaxo river with its Mangrove swamps.  Bird life around the hotel and in the indigenous forest is of the best along the coast.

Optional Extra

Tennis court ; horse riding available at an additional cost ; billiards table ; canoes – take a canoe, paddle up river past the Mangroves, to a jetty then walk a trail in a natural dune forest alive with birds and butterflies ; swimming pool ; small spa with massages, sauna & Jacuzzi available at an extra cost ; boat cruise – cruise up the river with a talk on this unique mangrove estuary, additional cost and tide permitting ; boat trip to sea for a swim with dolphins if spotted, additional cost,  weather and sea conditions permitting.

Day 2 (14km)

Depart Wavecrest for a hike to Trennery’s Hotel and the Qholora area. The 1st 5km takes hikers over a set of hills and dune forest with sweeping views of the coastline, this is to avoid a rocky section along the coast. The latter is also a very nice challenge if you are agile and fit. After crossing the Kobonqaba River by canoe the hikers walk a further 3km to the wreck of the Jacaranda where lunch is enjoyed. The last 6 km to Trennery’s is along the beach and hikers normally arrive mid to late afternoon for check in and overnight.  Trennery’s is one of the oldest resorts with rondavels and small cottages dotted around the large garden as rooms. They are all en suite and very comfortable, a steady process of rebuilding each unit is constantly progressing.

The hotel buildings are surrounded by very tropical dune forest, thus making it an ideal spot for windy days also ensuring an abundance of birds. Sitting on the patio, one must duck from time to time as the birds fly around as if they own the terrain. There is a view of the sea from some rooms and the patio, but one sees the blue sea and not the breakers crashing on the beach.

Optional Extra

Tennis court; swimming pool; small fun golf course; mountain bikes for hire Trevor’s Trail, 3 hour adventure which includes some walking and sections by boat , additional cost ;

Day 3 (12km)

Depart Trennery’s for a hike to Morgan Bay.  The walk on this day does allow one activity such as Trevor’s Trail to be done in the morning before departing for Morgan Bay.  The first 6km is walked along the beach to the Great Kei River where hikers catch the ferry across the river.  This is one of only two working pontoons in South Africa.  Once across the river enjoy your packed lunch on the banks of the Kei River.  Your new guide (on three days you have two sets of guides and porters) then set out along the beach before entering a forest, up to a lighthouse and back down onto the beach for the last 2km to Morgan Bay Hotel and check in.  Morgan Bay is lovely, with fabulous cuisine and warm hospitality, we are now outside the former Transkei therefore, not so remote. Morgan Bay is a small seaside village with approximately 100 houses, 85% only used as beach houses. The rooms at the hotel are well appointed and the service very good. The beach at Morgan Bay is very safe and provides wonderful swimming. There are many places to explore, much to do. The hotel has been owned and managed by the Warren Smith family for close to 60 years.

Day 4 (12.5km)

Depart Morgan Bay for a hike to Haga Haga. The 1st 5km is walked along towering granite cliffs where some of the most fantastic views up and down the coast is enjoyed. After crossing the Quko River, hike along a long beach for the final 8km to Haga Haga enjoying lunch along the way. On a section of this beach, we often find pieces of ming pottery and carnelian beads from ancient shipwrecks.  Check in at Haga Haga Hotel for the evening. The hotel is situated almost on the rocks. The rooms are all sea-facing, and the pub deck is a great place to sit and enjoy the sea. Haga Haga is also a small beach village.

Optional Extra

Massage & reflexology, quad bikes for hire, horse rides, volleyball, table tennis, swimming pool.

Day five (16.5km)

Depart for a 16.5 km walk to Chintsa East. This is a wonderful day’s walking. After leaving Haga there are some rocky sections to a small beach called Pullen’s Bay, thereafter one walks for some 6 km along a wavecut platform with wonderful gullies. You reach the beach again at Cape Henderson from here stroll along an endless beach passing 3 river estuaries. These are usually closed lagoons in the dry months. Trail maps will indicate places where it is not safe to swim.  Your destination on this day is Crawfords Cabins. This is a private resort in the dune forest looking out at the lovely Chintsa East Beach.

Optional Extra

Swimming pool at the resort; tennis or bowls in the village; horse riding available in the village; abseiling and other adventure activities by arrangement; spa facilities in village, pubs, and other restaurants in the village.

Day 6

After breakfast hikers will be collected from the Crawfords and transferred back to East London. If you would like to spend the morning leaving your footprints on the beach, and only be collected later, just inform us prior to the start of the trail.

General information

The hotels all offer a set menu with 4 or 5 courses.

Luggage is transported daily- limited to one bag/case per person.

Lunch packs for hiking days are quite simple and sandwiches, fruit, sweets and perhaps a piece of chicken or cheese.

Rates inclusive of:

5 nights’ accommodation (Wavecrest, Trennery’s, Morgan Bay, Haga Haga, Crawfords)
All meals from dinner on day one to breakfast on day six (lunch on day one, own account)
Transfer from East London to Wavecrest on day one
Transfer from Crawfords to East London on day six
Trained local guide up until Morgan Bay, thereafter unguided.
Daily luggage transfer from Wavecrest to Crawfords
Canoe trail at Wavecrest to view the Mangrove swamps.
Bed levies and 15% VAT

Rates:

The price is per person and costs are determined by number of people.

R15250.00 per adult sharing – 02 PAX
R12600.00 per adult sharing – 04 PAX
R11390.00 per adult sharing – 06 PAX
R10780.00 per adult sharing – 08 PAX
R10430.00 per adult sharing – 10 PAX
R10190.00 per adult sharing – 12 PAX
R10010.00 per adult sharing – 14 PAX
R 9880.00 per adult sharing – 16 PAX
R 9780.00 per adult sharing – 18 PAX

Children Rates

11 YEAR

per child sharing

02 PAX

04 PAX

06 PAX

08 PAX

10 PAX

12 PAX

14 PAX

16 PAX

18 PAX

R9 560,00

R7 960,00

R7 220,00

R6 850,00

R6 630,00

R6 485,00

R6 380,00

R6 300,00

R6 240,00

10,09,08,07 YEAR

per child sharing

02 PAX

04 PAX

06 PAX

08 PAX

10 PAX

12 PAX

14 PAX

16 PAX

18 PAX

R8 755,00

R7 100,00

R6 360,00

R5 990,00

R5 770,00

R5 630,00

R5 525,00

R5 445,00

R5 380,00

06  YEAR

per child sharing

02 PAX

04 PAX

06 PAX

08 PAX

10 PAX

12 PAX

14 PAX

16 PAX

18 PAX

R8 535,00

R6 870,00

R6 130,00

R5 760,00

R5 540,00

R5 395,00

R5 290,00

R5 210,00

R5 150,00

05 YEAR

per child sharing

02 PAX

04 PAX

06 PAX

08 PAX

 10 PAX

 12 PAX

 14 PAX

 16 PAX

 18 PAX

R7 850.00

R6 140.00

R5 400.00

R5 030.00

 R4 810.00

 R4 660.00

 R4 560.00

 R4 480.00

 R4 420.00

4,3,2,1 YEAR

per child sharing – not group related – hotel accommodation only

04 year

03 year

02 year

01 year

R2 246.00

R1 770

R941.00

R620.00

Admin Fee:

  • R55.00 once off per reservation.

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