Otter Trail
South Africa's first official hiking trail follows the Tsitsikamma coast for 45 km between Storms River Mouth and Nature's Valley in five days.
At a glance
- Starts in
- Storms River Mouth
- Ends in
- Nature's Valley
- Length
- 45 km
- On foot
- 5 days
- Countries
- South Africa
About the trail
The Otter Trail opened in 1968 and is named after the Cape clawless otter that lives along this shore. It runs through the Tsitsikamma section of Garden Route National Park, climbing in and out of forested river gorges, crossing rocky beaches and passing waterfalls, with huts at each overnight stop. The days are short but the climbs are steep, and hikers carry all their own gear.
The Bloukrans River crossing has to be timed for low tide and can mean swimming with a pack floated in a dry bag. Group numbers are limited, so bookings fill up long in advance.