Cultural, forest & river trails

Our daily trails vary between 10kms and 40kms of extremely diverse terrain. We start off at the KwaMahleka farm packhouse and walk through avocado and citrus orchards, as well as gum and sugar plantations. We descend to the meandering and trickling Nwaku & Mkono streams, and traverse through gorges and under natural forest canopy.  We pass huge sheer cliff faces, ravines and natural bush and are very likely to see many birds and the occasional deer. This is probably one of the most diverse and scenic trails you can do in South Africa.

We do tailormade trails from two-and-a-half hours to two days, depending on what you’d like.

Ngoje trekking trails are led by Gavin Bazley, a local policeman and  experienced navigator and trekker. Gavin has completed feats such as running 100 miles in Darfur, Sudan in aid of charity and completing the Sky-run, a notorious mountain race in the Eastern Cape.

In 2010 Gavin completed the Grand Traverse self-supporting 228km trek across the length of the Drakensberg Mountains. This trek is scheduled to take an experienced trekker about 20 days, but Gavin completed it in 6 days 6 hours. Gavin spends many of his weekends exploring the Eshowe and Ntumeni area for new trails and has a vast knowledge of the mountains, valleys, gorges and foot trails in these areas.

Daily Trails

1-2 Hour Dlinza Forest Trail

2-3 Hour Nwaku River Trail

2-4 Hour Ntumeni Forest Trail

3-4 Hour Kwa Mahleka Trail

4-5 Hour Mkono Trail

5-6 Hour Ngoje Trail (Weekends)

*Min 2 people per Trail

A typical Trekking Trail

Our Trekking trails will take you through various habitats. From the drop off point most of these trails will start on gentle farm roads which meander through sugar cane and tree plantations then through orchards. As you move with the trekking party further away from the drop off points so you will transition from man made plantations and orchards into natural forest where single track trails meander along trickling rivers under the canopy of natural forest.

From the shade of the forest canopy and the sound of the trickling river, you will change habitats and before realising it you will find yourself traversing mountain grassland slopes with vistas of neighboring mountains, valleys and gorges. It is at this point the trekking party will stop for a five-minute rest. Sitting on the slope with your back resting against your backpack and the early morning sun breaching the distant Zululand hills you will be able to witness the early morning mist rising up from the valley floor beneath you.

Then following your navigator you will negotiate a somewhat technical foot trail down into a gorge with cliff faces towering up on both sides of the trail.  The only noise you will hear is the breathing of your fellow trekkers and the occasional bark from the baboons in the cliffs. If you move slowly and quietly, predator-like, along this part of the trail, you are most likely to sight a reed buck, duiker or other similar antelope.

From up ahead you can hear the sound of cascading water, as the party follows the meandering trail and eventually the forest canopy opens up to reveal a 15 metre waterfall. The party stops for a lunch snack, some swim in the pool below the waterfall while the braver ones scale the waterfall and get to look down on the forest canopy in the gorge.  After lunch the party treks out of the gorge to a designated RV point where your transport will be waiting to transport you back to your home for the night for a hot shower and in time for sundowner on the verandah.

Multi day and other extreme treks can be booked in advance.