At the heart of the garden route, hidden between the mountains and the beaches, there is an incredible hostel called Wild Spirit. Ever since I touched South Africa, I’ve heard of this peaceful place. A perfect space for hiking and tranquility. Seeing that with my Bazbus tour I could stop at this hostel, I knew it was something I had to do.
The hostel is an incredible place to meet backpacker and rest far from the cities. Seeing spectacular sunrises without having to get out of bed, hiking through native forests, yoga and meditation is the daily routine.
If you really want to go hiking, you will love this place. Surely you have heard about the Otter Trail, one of the best in the country. The end of this journey is in Nature’s Valley, the closest town so it is the perfect place to end your hike. I did not have the opportunity to do the trail but I’ve heard from several people that it is something spectacular.
When you arrive at the hostel you will be impressed, everything seems to come out of a fairy tale. The views, the cabins all seem perfect for a festival.
Kalanderkloof route: A spectacular hiking.
A few minutes away walking from Wild Spirit, one of the most beautiful and fun paths that I have been able to do in my life begins. It is not hard and you can do it at your own pace. From the mountains you begin to descend towards the valley where the Grootrivier river empties into the ocean. From above you can see how the mountains go down and join the sea.
After descending a cliff, you enter a native forest with very nice trees along a small stream. If you pay attention you start to hear monkeys jumping trough the trees, birds singing and if you are lucky you can find deers. Animals are very scary and run away when they see you getting close.
After enjoying the path through the shade, the forest and nature you will reach the main road. If you walk 5 minutes you will reach the beach of Nature’s Valley. There you will see how the river meets the ocean (I recommend not swimming here, the current is very strong, many people have died). When you get here, if you feel like taking a dip, you can go into the lake or go to the other side of the beach where the current won’t carry you away.
If you got here, you’re halfway there and it’s a great place to have lunch. In town there are a couple of restaurants where you can get lunch or supermarkets where you can buy stuff to do a picnic on the beach. In Nature’s Valley, you have the possibility to continue the walk or return to the hostel on a bus. If you are going to continue, it is very important that you ask at the local bar for the time of the tides, if you start towards the Salt River Trail, the tide can affect you because you have to cross a piece of rocks where the sea covers them when it is high. It is worth waiting a bit to get to the hidden beach so buy a beer while waiting for the tide.
This section is important that you do it very carefully. As I told you, the tide covers several pieces so it is key that it’s low. Even when it is low, the rocks are slippery and wet so you can have an accident or even stumble some loose rocks. You will see how the power of the waves collides with the stones. After passing through some cliffs, you will enjoy a pleasant journey on the edge of a river that will take you to a hidden beach where you can rest and admire the landscape for a good time.
After resting on the beach, it is time for the last section, you have to start climbing the mountains until you reach the main road where you can easily reach Wild Spirit, to relax with a good meal, watch the sunset and surround yourself with friends in the bonfire.
