The 60 kilometre Leopard’s Trail at Baviaanskloof ranks up there with the best experiences I have ever had.
The trail is hiked over four days during which you could be the only people on the planet. In fact you could actually be on another planet. The mountains, cliffs, rock formations and valleys are breathtakingly larger than life. The vegetation changes as you move over various terrains and we were lucky enough to be there with the wild flowers blooming after a bit of rain.
At each camp we were greeted by really top class wooden and glass cabins, flushing toilets, a communal area, a “Karoo swimming pool” and an outdoor dining area where we made log fires every evening.
There is absolutely no cell reception at all in the entire area that we hiked through which was incredibly refreshing. One of each party does get given a satellite phone in case of emergency which apparently does not include running out of wine!
It’s a slack packing trail so each day you carry just your day pack and the rest of your goods are ferried to the camps by friendly and super-efficient staff, headed up by Willem, a wonderful Karoo character who keeps everything running like clockwork.
The trail starts and finishes at Base Camp where slightly more luxurious accommodation is available and I could not resist visiting their shop. It only sells essentials - Leopard Trail branded apparel and beer!