Get a backpack, stuff it with the essentials, put it on your back, put on a pair of sturdy boots and wander off into the woods and mountains to those beautiful places where you can only get to on foot. You have become a hiker.

 The human machine will only stay in trim when it is used in its most natural way:- by walking. Whether it is only a leisurely afternoon stroll or a strenous climb up a steep mountain, it remains one of the most effective natural cures for body and soul.

 It has no age restrictions and can be adapted to the abilities of every human being. It is never too late or too early to start and should not stop unless the body is worn out beyond repair. Fact is, your body is guaranteed to heal itself  with hiking, and, you can start hiking without any of the expensive equipment needed for other sports. It remains a relatively inexpensive sport with huge benefits even in the long run.

For those who always want to know what is beyond the horizon, trekking could take one into remote places in the Himalyas, to the top of Kilimanjaro, along the Drakensberg or simply along the beautiful South African coast, to leave you with enriching experiences unobtainable in any other way.

It is advisable to join a club to get acquainted with the venues and to learn the do’s and dont’s from experienced hikers.

Publications available on hiking as a sport and some of the venues the following publications may be useful:

Hiking Trails of South Africa

by Willie and Sandra Olivier.

(Ook beskikbaar in Afrikaans)

Getaway Guide to Hiking Trails and Day Walks

by Prof. Leon Hugo

Hiking by Jaques Marais