West Coast Donkey Hike Safari
Toer Suid Afrika presents:
8 Day West Coast Donkey Hike, West Coast National Park and Kirtenbosch Tour
Date :
Any time is beautiful – please enquire.
Price :
Please enquire.
Included in the tour :
Return flights from OR Tambo to Capetown.
Dinner bed and breakfast.
Transport from Cape Town to Garies and for the return trip from Garies back to Cape Town.
Entrances to the places that we visit as per the itinerary.
Porterage where necessary at the hotels
Not Included:
Lunch and drinks are for your own account.
ITINERARY
Day 1
This morning we will depart from OR TAMBO Internationa airport to Cape town. We will meet at the airport allready at 5.00am. Our bus will meet us at the airport in Cape Town and we will depart directly to Darling, where we will visit the Darling Wildflower festival. We will overnight at Velddrif on dinner bed and breakfast basis. Drinks and lunch is for your own account.
Day 2
After a good nights rest and a welcome breakfast we will depart to visit places of interest in the Westcoast, and if the flowers in the Westcoast National park are still beautiful we will visit Postberg which is situated in the National Park. In the late afternoon we will head to Lambertsbay where we will overnight on dinner, bed and breakfast basis. Drinks and lunch is for your own account.
Day 3
After an early breakfast we will depart from Lambertsbay to Garies. We need to be at Garies by 13h00 . See the roster below for important information regarding the hiking trip.
Day 4
Donkey Hike – See the roster below.
Day 5
Donkey Hike – See the roster below.
Day 6
Donkey Hike – See the roster below.
Day 7
On day 7 the hiking trip comes to an end. We then meet our coach again at Garies and continue to Vredendal where we overnight on dinner bed and breakfast at Tharrakamma guesthouse. Drinks for your own account.
Day 8
After an early breakfast we depart from Vredendal back to Cape Town to visit the Kirstenbosch Botanical garden. After visiting the Botanical gardens we will proceed to Cape Town International airport for our flight back to OR Tambo International airport.
Hike Roster
Day 1 – Donkey Hike
- Depart Garies at 14:00 with safari vehicles (included), travelling on dirt roads for about 80km to our camp, where we will return to every night, for the duration of the hiking tour.
- We set up our tent(s) and enjoy the wonderful open night skies, around the camp fire.
Day 2 – Donkey Hike
- After breakfast, we transfer by vehicle(s) to Strandfonteinpunt, where donkey carts join us.
- We hike to Spoegrivier Caves, where 2000 year old sheep remains were found, on the coast – 17km.
- We return to camp by (safari) vehicle for our second night under the stars.
Day 3 – Donkey Hike
- After breakfast, we depart again to Strandfonteinpunt by safari vehicle.
- We hike from there to Koringkorrel, with the donkey carts joining us.
- We spend tea time at Bitterriviermond (Bitter river mouth) and keep a lookout for any seal colonies.
Day 4 – Donkey Hike
- After breakfast, we transfer by vehicle to Groenriviermond.
- From there we hike to Kwass se Baai.
- Donkey carts wait at Kwass to take hikers further to Koringkorrelbaai.
Day 5 – Donkey Hike
- Our last hiking day: After breakfast, we pack up our tents, leave it there, and then we have a choice of hiking: either
- From Koringkorrel to Kwass se Baai – 6km, or
- From Koringkorrel to Kwass and return to Koringkorrel
- When we return to camp, the remaining part of the camp will be round up.
- We then depart back to Garies, by vehicle
Includes:
- The organisation of the Base camp, provided with chairs, tables, wash-up basin, other necessary camping equipment etc. at camp.
- Drinking water and washing water (5 liter only /person/day)
- Breakfasts (4) and dinners (4) at the camp, on open fires, and boiling water.
- Donkey carts with donkeys and a driver per cart, during the day on the hiking trail.
- Feed and water for the donkeys (they drink about 20 litres per day each)
- Transport of luggage on the hiking trail (tent, clothing, food, etc)
- Transport by safari vehicle(s) to and from hiking start and end points, daily.
- Transport by donkey cart on the hiking trail, if you are getting too tired.
- Overnights (in your own tent) in the hiking Base camp.
- Entrance Fees as per Itinerary.
- Accompanied by a guide.
Excludes:.
- International and Domestic Flights and airport tax.
- Travel Insurance (Recommended especially for international guests)
- Tent, personal camping needs, hiking gear.
— You need to take your own tent and all necessary day pack hiking gear – not necessary for a large back pack during the daily hiking trips. - To and from Garies: Transport, Accommodation and Meals, BUT we will discuss it, and then add it according to the amount of interested guests.
- Meals and refreshments not mentioned in the itinerary, like your tea, coffee, drinks, snacks, lunch, and (extra) water on the hike.
- Gratuity (for local staff, porters)
- Any kind of personal expenses.
Recommended gear / restrictions:
- Each hiker may take only 20kg of gear (food and tent including)
- Warm jacket, and rain coat.
- Own day pack for day excursions.
- Each hiker take only the day bag when hiking, with food (lunch) and water.
- Water bottles.
- Hot Water flask.
- Hot water bottle (to warm you at night – if needed)
- Own lunch provision daily, and own eating utensils.
- Own tent, mattress, and bedding (sleeping bag and extra thermal blanket)
- Comfortable hiking shoes, with comfortable hiking socks (normal cotton socks, thin double layers, recommended)
- Swimming gear.
- Toiletries, toilet paper, and towel.
- Sun screen lotion, sun screen hat.
- Necessary personal medications.
- Camera and extra batteries..
General Information:
- The full Hiking trip takes place in the Namaqua National Park, and is thus subject to the Park’s rules. See https://www.sanparks.org/parks/namaqua/tourism/general.php
- Any allergies or dietary requirements must be reported in advance.
- Groups are usually 16 to 20 people. If the group is smaller, the cost per person will be accordingly higher.
- Price on Request: (take extra Entrance fee if no WILDCARD) for the Hiking tour only.
- The quoted price is for WILDCARD entrance. Anyone with a valid WILDCARD (from SANParks) should thus bring it with, to save on own cost. Otherwise it will be an extra (estimated) R150,00 per SA citizen per day (as of Dec 2020) -(more per International guest).See https://www.sanparks.org/wild_new/tourism/pricing.php
A WildCard is recommended. - Children under 12 years may qualify for Park Entrance discount.
- 4 Breakfasts and 4 Dinners (on the Hiking tour) are included. Lunches and drinks are not included.
- 50% deposit is required 4 months (or less) in advance; remainder two months (or less) in advance.
- Please provide for gratuities for persons serving you.