ERDVARK HIKING TRAIL (5-Day)
DAY 1 | 12.9 km
Boplaas to Middelplaas
DAY 2 | 9.8 km
Middelplaas to Arendsnes
DAY 3 | 15.4 km
Arendsnes to Rietvlei
DAY 4 | 15.3 km
Rietvlei to Grootdroom
DAY 5 | 12.8 km
Grootdroom to Boplaas
The trail doesn’t always start at Boplaas — depending on bookings it may begin at Grootdroom or Middelplaas, so more than one group can be on the route at a time. We’ll confirm your starting point when you book.
TOTAL DISTANCE IS ROUGHLY 66 KM OVER 5 DAYS.
REMEMBER:
You also have the choice to hike on the 4×4 road (easier route).
INCLUDED IN THE OVERNIGHT STOPS
Self-catering overnight house each night.
An indoor and outdoor braai with grids.
A fully equipped, self-catering.
Drinking water at each house (refill your bottles).
Bedding provided at Rietvlei schoolhouse.
Fully equiped kitchen.
There is no water along the route.
CARRY ENOUGH OF YOUR OWN WATER.
WHAT TO PACK
Sleeping bag
A towel
Gaiters – the long grass is uncomfortable against bare socks
Good, worn-in hiking boots
Your own food for each day
Enough drinking water for each day’s walk
SLACKPACKING
Prefer to walk light?
R3 300 per group
We’ll move your kit between overnight stops so you can enjoy the trail with just a day pack.
Arrive at Rooiheuwel with your food clearly marked per day. We keep it chilled in the cold room — and frozen meat and meals bagged and kept frozen — then deliver it to each overnight house along the way. We provide two marked cooler boxes per group, per day.
It’s the question we’re asked most, so we’re always happy to send photos and talk you through exactly how it works before you come.
RATES 2026
HIKING – Per Hiker, Per Night | R310
(Includes overnight accommodation)
SLACKPACKING – Per Group | R3 300
(Kit moved between stops)
BOOKING & PAYMENT
A 50% deposit secures your booking
The balance is payable before you arrive
Payment by EFT — no card facilities on the farm
The trail is popular and often booked well ahead — enquire early
The number of nights varies — some hikers sleep five nights and leave after the final day, others add a sixth. We’ll work out your total with you. Rates are reviewed at the start of each year, largely in line with fuel prices, so we confirm the current rate at the time of booking.
Review
Our group recently completed the Karoo Erdvark Trail, and we would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a beautiful, peaceful and rewarding hiking experience in the Karoo.
The rugged terrain is challenging in places, particularly over some of the rocky and steeper sections, but the scenery is spectacular and the sense of being surrounded by the untouched Karoo landscape makes the effort worthwhile.
A WONDERFUL CAMINO-STYLE HIKING EXPERIENCE
One of the things we particularly appreciated about the Erdvark Trail is that it can also be enjoyed as a Camino-style walk by following the jeep tracks each day.
Our group chose this option, and it worked extremely well. Hikers who did not feel comfortable tackling Tafelkop, for example, were able to use the jeep track instead. In fact, those who preferred a less technical route could continue following the jeep tracks throughout all five days.
This makes the trail much more accessible to a group with hikers of different abilities. You can still experience the beautiful Karoo scenery and the wonderful feeling of walking from one overnight destination to the next, without having to tackle every difficult section of the more rugged route.
EXCEPTIONAL HOSPITALITY FROM MARGE
A special mention must go to Marge, the owner of Rooiheuwel, whose hospitality was exceptional.
Marge and her team went above and beyond to accommodate our group and made a tremendous effort to ensure that everyone was safe and comfortable. On occasions when the rivers were running too strongly for us to cross safely on foot, she and her team went out of their way to transport us safely across.
Their care, kindness and willingness to assist made a huge difference to our experience. We felt very well looked after throughout the trail.
BEAUTIFUL ACCOMODATION
Another highlight was the accommodation. All five overnight homes had their own individual charm, and our entire group was very comfortable at each of them.
Arendsnes was particularly memorable. The house was beautiful and had a wonderful atmosphere, with the added luxury of a jacuzzi, which was very welcome after a day’s hiking.
Grootdroom was another favourite, with a lovely swimming pool where some of our hikers were able to cool off and relax after a long day on the trail.
Each of the five accommodations offered something different, and together they added greatly to the experience.
OUR OVERALL IMPRESSION
The Erdvark Trail offers a wonderful combination of rugged Karoo scenery, peaceful surroundings, comfortable accommodation and warm hospitality.
Although some sections of the terrain are challenging, there is the flexibility of using the jeep tracks, making it possible for hikers with different levels of fitness and confidence to enjoy the trail together.
For anyone considering the trail, we would certainly recommend it. Whether you want the challenge of the more rugged sections or prefer to experience it as a longer-distance Camino-style walk along the jeep tracks, there is something very special about this trail.
Our group rates the Karoo Erdvark Trail 5 out of 5. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
We would definitely recommend it to other hikers and would love to return one day.