Erdvark Trail

 

 

 

​ITINERARY

​​​DAY 1 - ARRIVAL AT ROOIHEUWEL GUEST HOUSE

SLEEP AT BOPLAAS GUEST HOUSE

​Arrive at Rooiheuwel Guest House from 14:00 for a warm welcome and introduction.  Once everyone has arrived, we’ll sort out the slackpacking essentials before departing for Boplaas, our first night’s accommodation.  A detailed briefing on the Erdvark Trail will be given before dinner.  In the evening, unwind and enjoy a wholesome, hearty meal.

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​​​DAY 2 - HIKING - DISTANCE:  12.9 KM, ELEVATION GAIN:   556 M, ELEVATION LOSS:  558 M, ESTIMATED DURATION:  4 - 5 HOURS

BOPLAAS TO MIDDELPLAAS (SLEEP AT BLOUBOS CHALET)

INTO THE HEART OF THE KAROO

We will start the journey with a proper Farm Style breakfast.  We will set off toward the awe-inspiring Tafelkop.  The trail winds through a secluded kloof, then climbs steadily to the first dolerite sill — natural stone steps sculpted by ancient geological forces.  We will skirt the base of Tafelkop, a proud Karoo “koppie” shaped by millennia of erosion, before traversing open ridgelines with panoramic views across the Koup and toward the distant Swartberg.  In the evening unwind and enjoy a hearty meal. 

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DAY 3 - HIKING - DISTANCE 9.8 KM, ELEVATIION GAIN:  414 M, ELEVATION LOSS:  199 M,  ESTIMATED DURATION:  3 - 4 HOURS

MIDDELPLAAS TO ARENDSNES

DOLERITE DREAMS AND DESERT SILENCE

We will begin the day with coffee and rusks. Breakfast will be enjoyed in the mountains, with each hiker responsible for packing their own breakfast.  We will head deeper into the vast Karoo landscape, following the rhythmic rise and fall of dolerite ridges that define this region’s stark beauty. Towering rock formations and expansive plains will surround you, offering moments of reflection in nature’s silence.  Wildlife tracks hint at nocturnal visitors, and the air carries the scent of hardy fynbos and dry earth.  Tonight, we overnight at a rustic farm-style shelter — remote, peaceful, and completely immersed in the wild.  In the evening unwind and enjoy a hearty meal.

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DAY 4 - HIKING - DISTANCE:  15.44 KM, ELEVATION GAIN:  723 M, ELEVATION LOSS:  730 M, ESTIMATED DURARION:  6 - 7 HOURS

ARENDSNES TO RIETVLEI (SLEEP IN AN OLD FARM SCHOOL BUILDING)

​TAFELKOP'S ECHO AND THE DANCE OF SHADOWS

We will begin the day with coffee and rusks. Breakfast will be enjoyed in the mountains, with each hiker responsible for packing their own breakfast.  Today’s trail leads you in a wide loop around Tafelkop, revealing its grandeur from new angles and elevations.  We will climb gradually, rewarded with sweeping views from high ridgelines that stretch toward the endless horizon.  In the evening unwind and enjoy a hearty meal.

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DAY 5 - HIKING - DISTANCE:  15.3 KM, ELEVATION GAIN:  428 M, ELEVATION LOSS:  538 M, ESTIMATED DURATION:  6 - 7 HOURS

RIETVLEI TO GROOTDROOM (SLEEPING OVER AT THE GROOTDROOM MOUNTAIN CHALET)

​SOLITUDE AND STARS

We will begin the day with coffee and rusks.  Breakfast will be enjoyed in the mountains, with each hiker responsible for packing their own breakfast.  This day is all about space — wide skies, open plains, and the kind of solitude that only the Karoo can offer.  You will traverse undulating terrain dotted with hardy shrubs, ancient fossils, and wind-sculpted stones.  The pace is steady and unhurried, allowing time to soak in the silence and serenity.  Our overnight stop is one of the most remote on the trail — a true wilderness experience under a vast canopy of stars.  In the evening unwind and enjoy a hearty meal.

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DAY 6 - HIKING - DISTANCE 12.8 KM / 14.3 KM, ELEVATION GAIN:  680 M, ELEVATION LOSS:  731 M,  ESTIMATED DURATION:  5 - 6 HOURS

GROOTDROOM TO BOPLAAS (STAY OVER AT BOPLAAS)

DESCENT INTO GRATITUDE

We will begin the day with coffee and rusks.  Breakfast will be enjoyed in the mountains, with each hiker responsible for packing their own breakfast.  The final leg of the Erdvark Trail leads you gently downhill, with the landscape slowly unfolding back toward civilization.  But every step carries the memory of the journey — the stillness, the strength found in silence, and the timeless rhythm of the earth.  You will arrive back at the farmhouse with full hearts, dusty boots, and a newfound appreciation for the wild beauty of the Karoo. In the evening unwind and enjoy a hearty meal.

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DAY 7 - TRAVEL DAY

​We will enjoy a proper farm style breakfast.  Take one more look at the mountains take a moment and appreciate the achievement of completing a challenging and rewarding hike.  Savor the sense of accomplishment and the memories made along the way.  This is the time we say goodbye-till we meet again.​

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End of tour

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