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Open vistas of the Cederberg Wilderness Area

Trek South Africa - NEW for 2026 9 days • South Africa

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About the Challenge

South Africa is a land of incredible contrast and beauty, with a vast array of landscapes, from dense tropical bush to open desert, and abundant wildlife.

Our trek takes us north of Cape Town into the tranquil Cederberg Wilderness Area – a spectacular landscape of orange-hued mountains, incredible rock formations, crystal-clear streams and pools, and crisp, clean air. This is a true wilderness! We base ourselves in comfortable chalets in the heart of the Cederbergs, and trek through these challenging but striking landscapes each day.

Our challenge culminates with a trek to the summit of the world-renowned Table Mountain, overlooking Cape Town and the Atlantic Ocean.

Watch this space for extension options coming soon!

Dates & Prices

Itinerary

Trek South Africa


OPEN • 9 DAYS

  • Upon arrival at the airport, we drive directly to the Cederberg Wilderness Area, stopping for lunch en route and soaking up the arid-yet-beautiful bushland landscapes unfolding around us. Tarmac turns to unsealed red-dirt roads, and we start to appreciate the remote location of this adventure! We should have plenty of time en-route to stop at Cederberg Winery, where you’ll have the opportunity to taste their very fine wines (optional). From here it's a short hop to our accommodation in Kromrivier, in the heart of the Cederberg; these plush, comfortable chalets will be our home for the next four nights. Relax and enjoy the peaceful surroundings until we gather again for dinner and a briefing. Night chalets.

    Drive approx. 3 hours

     

  • Today’s route is not particularly demanding, but it’s our first full day of strong African sun and we take it easy as we become accustomed to the heat. Sandy tracks lead us to Truitjieskraal, where the rock formations whet our appetite for what is to come. We continue hiking towards the fantastic sandstone Stadsaal (city hall) caves and rock formations, and see ancient rock art created by the San indigenous people. Depending on pace and group ability, we may transfer the last section, before heading back to base. Night chalets.

    Drive approx. 3.5 hours; Trek approx. 12km / 4-5 hours

     

  • Another early start takes us west, initially alongside the River Krom, before winding our way through the boulder-strewn landscape. The reddish earth dotted with green shrubby fynbos vegetation, framed by towering golden-orange rocks and escarpments, make for a wild but beautiful landscape. Our route takes us to the famed Maltese Cross, an impressive monolith which is one of the most striking rock formations in the area. We then head down the Dwarsrivier valley, eventually reaching the Observatory – a perfect place to view the clear night skies. We continue down until we reach the road, where our vehicles take us the final stretch to Kromrivier. Night chalets.

    Trek approx. 18.5km / 6-7 hours

  • Our biggest day – and for many this will be the toughest and the best! After breakfast we start our zig-zagging ascent up to the magnificent Wolfberg Cracks. These sheer-sided cracks, or fissures, have been formed in the eroded sandstone over many years, and in places are only a foot apart. They are simply awesome and make for interesting and testing trekking. We continue ascending to Wolfberg Arch, another of the amazing rock formations for which this unique area is so renowned. The sandstone arch is 30m high and provides fantastic views, and a great lunch-stop! Then it’s back downhill, through stunted cedar trees and eroded sandstone sculptures. Night chalets.

    Trek approx. 15km / 9-11 hrs

  • After a short transfer to Algeria, our last day in the Cederbergs sees us tackling the mountain path alongside Uitkyk Pass and on to Niewoudt’s Pass. As we gain height, the vistas unfolding around us are breath-taking, and it’s a fitting end to our adventure in this spectacular wilderness area. After time to soak up the views, we load up into the waiting vehicles, and transfer back to the bright lights of Cape Town. After time to freshen up, you’re free to explore the city. Night hotel.

    (Dinner not included)

    Trek approx. 9km / 3-4 hours

  • Today we climb up and over iconic Table Mountain, probably the most famous mountain in the southern hemisphere, and one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. We walk up via Platteklip Gorge to this flat-topped ‘table,’ with unsurpassed views over both Cape Town and the Atlantic Seaboard. Taking in Maclears Beacon, the highest point on Table Mountain at 1086m, we descend to the renowned Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. Our final evening sees us heading out into Cape Town to enjoy a slap-up celebration meal and to enjoy the atmosphere and highlights of the city. Night hotel.

    Trek approx. 16km / 6-7 hours

  • Free time to explore the delights of Cape Town – relax and soak up the views, or do some last-minute shopping for souvenirs – before transferring to the airport in time for our international flight home.

    (Lunch and Dinner not included)

Download challenge details

CHALLENGE EXTENSIONS

EXTENSION

South Africa Safari Extension

A trip to South Africa is not complete without seeing some of the wildlife synonymous with the great African Plains. This is a fabulous opportunity to experienc...
Read More DOWNLOAD DETAILS

Dates & Prices

This challenge requires a minimum number of participants to operate.

Prices may vary depending on date.

  • 2027

  • On this challenge you have 3 options

  • On this challenge you have 3 options

PAYMENT OPTIONS EXPLAINED

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FULL PAYMENT OPTION

You are responsible for paying the costs associated with this challenge. This will be due for payment 8 weeks before departure. If you wish to, you can still fundraise under this payment option but there is no set target to achieve and 100% of all monies raised will go directly to your charity. You can select your chosen charity within the booking process
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PART PAYMENT OPTION

You commit to raising the target and pay at least 80% of this to your chosen charity 10 weeks before departure and the final 20% within 2 weeks of your return. Your chosen charity will retain 50% of the target plus any additional fundraising you achieve. You will pay a contribution to your trip costs which will lower your fundraising target.
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FUNDRAISING OPTION

You commit to raising the fundraising target and pay at least 80% of this to your chosen charity 10 weeks before departure and the final 20% within 2 weeks of your return.Your chosen charity will retain 50% of the target plus any additional fundraising you achieve.

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WHAT'S INCLUDED

  • Return flights from London to Cape Town
  • All known airline taxes
  • Transport and transfers as part of the itinerary
  • All accommodation in hotel (twin-share) and chalets
  • All meals (except where specified)
  • Discover Adventure crew (number dependent on group size)
  • Local guide
  • Local support team and back-up equipment
  • Entrance to any sites visited as part of the itinerary
  • We offset 100% of the carbon emissions from your trip, including flights booked with us

WHAT'S EXCLUDED 

  • Travel insurance
  • Any meals specified 'not included' in the itinerary
  • Personal spending money, souvenirs & drinks, and tips for the local guides/support crew
  • Fees for any optional sites, attractions or activities (eg wine-tasting)
  • Any applicable charges as per Terms and Conditions

On the Trip

  • Your trip will be led by experienced Discover Adventure leaders. Our leaders are selected for their experience in harsh wilderness environments, knowledge of travel in remote areas, friendliness and approachability, sense of humour and ability to safely and effectively deal with any situation that arises. They are also trained in expedition first aid. You are in very safe hands with a Discover Adventure leader. Usually leaders are based in the UK or other English-speaking countries and lead for us regularly throughout the year in many different countries. In some instances, trips are led by in-country guides with a wealth of knowledge about the region; they have been trained by us to provide the level of support expected on a Discover Adventure trip.

  • An expedition doctor or medic accompanies the group (dependent on group size.) Their role is to look after the well-being of the whole group and deal with any medical incidents. They help the crew to ensure the trip runs smoothly, and encourage you when things get tough. The total number of crew looking after you will depend on the final size of your group.

  • Our local support crew is made up of local guides, assisted by drivers, porters, cooks and other support staff, depending on the type of trip. Local guides know the area well, and are a great source of knowledge about local lifestyles. The Discover Adventure crew work closely with the local crew to ensure your trip runs smoothly and safely. In some destinations we work together as a team with local guides to help set up or break camp, or prepare meals. Your leader will arrange a collection of tips for the local support crew at the end of your trek, and you will be provided with a guideline amount in advance. Tipping is not obligatory, but once you see how hard they work on your behalf you will be happy to donate something!

  • Your safety, and that of the rest of the group, is our highest priority. Our trips are designed and planned with safety in mind. Your crew will be equipped with appropriate communication devices (eg phones, radios), medical kit and other safety apparatus appropriate to the destination. Our leaders always have access to our 24-hour emergency UK back-up. They are responsible for safety on the trip, and will make any changes to the itinerary they deem necessary, should local conditions dictate. Pre-trip administration - such as medical questionnaires and travel insurance as appropriate - is all done with your safety in mind.

  • Group flights usually leave from London Heathrow or Gatwick on scheduled airlines and are booked through Discover Adventure Ltd under ATOL licence 5636. By travelling with Discover Adventure you are protected by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). 

    Your journey may involve a transit en route; details of route and flight times will be confirmed several months before departure.  We do not always use the same airline for each destination; if you wish to know the probable carrier and flight times, please call for details. You will usually receive confirmed flight details several months before departure. Our itineraries are always based on current flight schedules and are therefore subject to change by the airline. If you prefer to book your own flights please ask us for a land-only cost.

  • During the trek, we stay in well-appointed eco-friendly chalets in the heart of the Cederberg, surrounded by spectacular scenery. The chalets sleep 4-6 people and are very comfortable, with facilities including ensuite bedrooms, kitchen and fireplace. The hotel in Cape Town is 2-3* standard or equivalent, comfortable and well-located..

  • Our trips are sold on a shared accommodation basis, usually twin-share. Occasionally we may use hostel-style accommodation.
    You can tell us if you are travelling with someone else on the trip when you book or within your passenger portal, and we will do all we can to accommodate this request. It is important that both people complete the room share request on their bookings. For customers booking and travelling together, including same-sex couples, a double bed can be requested if available.
    If you're not familiar with anyone in the group, rest assured, we always pair you with someone of the same gender (as per the information you provided when booking, or passport markers), and a similar age where possible. We're actively working to improve our system's gender restrictions to be more inclusive, and we've recently made significant strides in this area. If you identify differently from the gender marker on your passport and would like to discuss this before booking, please feel free to reach out to us.

  • In most standard hotels, we can usually offer a limited number of single rooms. This is upon request, on a first-come, first-served basis, and additional charges apply. In more communal accommodation, single rooms are rarely an option.
    We do not charge a single supplement if you are a solo traveller in a shared room.

  • The food provided is plentiful, often local in style and freshly-cooked, and will give you plenty of energy. Sometimes we enjoy a buffet-style lunch-stop, other times we might have packed lunches. On some trips we stop at small local restaurants. Dinners are generally eaten at our accommodation each evening. In some regions there may be less variety than you are used to, and in others fresh meat or produce can be harder to come by. Any meals not included are listed in the itinerary and are generally on travel / free days, giving you the opportunity to explore and try other culinary experiences! There is always something to suit different budgets.

    Being vegetarian or having other dietary requirements is not usually a problem provided you let us know well in advance. Please do not expect as much variety as you would have access to at home – we may be in very rural or remote areas, or among people of a different culture who may not understand your requirements, however willing they are to help. If you know there are plenty of foods you cannot eat we strongly recommend you bring extra snacks from home so you can top up your energy supply. Please feel free to ask us for advice.

  • For much of the trekking time, you will stay in the same accommodation and your main luggage therefore stays there. Where night-stops change, your luggage is transported for you, usually by vehicle. Space is often limited, so keep your luggage as small and practical as possible. You should also bring a small daypack to carry for items needed during the day as you will not have access to your main luggage until the evening.

Preparing for the Challenge

  • GRADE | ORANGE

    All our trips are designed to provide a challenge. Trips are graded Yellow, Orange or Red, in increasing level of challenge. This trip lies within the ORANGE range.

    Orange colour

    The grade is determined by factors such as terrain, distance, climate, altitude, etc. Each colour grade has a spectrum which reflects the difficulty of these factors. Trip duration, accommodation and living conditions are also taken into account. Some sections will feel more challenging than others, but the grade reflects the overall trip. Unusual weather conditions can also have a significant impact.

    The Accommodation icon indicates the living conditions while trekking/cycling. While there are usually several factors that present a challenge, the Challenge icon indicates the trip's most challenging element, for most people.

    Trip grading explained

  • This is designed to be a challenge, and it is vital that you train sufficiently for it. We will supply you with a thorough training guide once you have registered. We expect all participants to train hard in advance, but we respect everyone’s limits and do not expect everyone to maintain the same pace. Inadequate training is likely to have an impact not just on your chances of completing the challenge, but enjoying it too - and we want you to have the time of your life!

    Our challenges attract people of all levels of experience, fitness and ability as well as all ages and backgrounds. We design our challenges so that everyone can go at their own pace: this is not a race. If you have concerns about your fitness or if you have reduced mobility please do contact us for a confidential chat about whether this challenge is appropriate for you.

    For logistical and safety reasons we sometimes need to re-group, so the front-runners may find themselves waiting for the slower ones. Please relax, and remember that this is a team effort that enables people to achieve their personal goals and earn sponsorship.

  • We trek predominantly on rocky narrow paths, with some wider sandy tracks and grassy paths. Much of the walking is uneven, with boulders and large rocks, and some loose shale-like stones. There are steep inclines (up and down) through the rock formations and hills. The heat adds to the challenge.

  • We plan our trips around the optimal weather conditions, but could still be exposed to bad weather at any time. It is vital you are prepared for all conditions. We provide you with a detailed packing kit-list on registration, with plenty of information, and we are always available if you need advice.

  • Entry requirements vary depending on your destination and nationality. It is your responsibility to ensure your passport is valid, and any visas are obtained in good time. Check the FCO’s advice on entry requirements for your destination to be sure. Please ensure you allow plenty of time to apply for your visa; we will provide you will all necessary information 6 weeks prior to depature to assist with your application.

    Your routine UK schedule of vaccinations should be up-to-date (especially tetanus). We recommend you check Fit For Travel for further details. You should always check with a GP or travel clinic for up-to-date travel health advice as it does change.

  • For the latest travel advice from the Foreign & Commonwealth Office including security and local laws, plus passport and visa information, check www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice.

  • Travel Insurance is compulsory on all of our challenges outside of the UK; we strongly suggest that you arrange insurance cover as soon as your booking with us is confirmed, or as soon as you're able to purchase some, and at least 8 months prior to travel. Should you need to cancel prior to departure, you will need insurance to cover the costs involved (registration fee and any trip costs depending on cancellation date). 

    We all hope never to need it, and thankfully most of the time we don't, but on those rare occasions when you do, you want it to cover you as best it can. Whilst it's a fairly boring admin task relating to your trip of a lifetime, it is really important you ensure that you have adequate cover for the type of challenge you are taking part in as well as medical emergencies, evacuation and repatriation, so make sure you're happy with the level of cover. There are lots of suppliers out there, with a wide range in levels of cover; generally speaking, you get what you pay for! Get and pay for the right level of cover and then you can go on your adventure not having to worry about the what-if's. For more details click here.

    Once your travel insurance is arranged, just remember to let us know the policy number and 24-hr medical emergency phone number provided by your insurers.

     

  • In the unfortunate circumstance that you need to cancel your booking, we would ask that you notify us in writing either by email or post.  Your cancellation will be considered effective from the date the notice is received. Registration, administration and amendment fees are non refundable and, depending on your payment option and how close it is to your challenge departure date, you may be liable for a cancellation charge.

    Full details of all cancellation charges may be found in the Terms and Conditions of booking.

  • Your booking is part of a group challenge, and the tour costs and fundraising targets listed on our website are based on a minimum number of participants which is shown on the challenge  Our typical groups run with approximately 15-25 participants; however you may find your group is smaller or larger than this.

    We will confirm at least 12 weeks prior to departure that your challenge is guaranteed to run. Occasionally it may be possible to still run the challenge with less than the minimum numbers, subject to a small group supplement.  If we think a small group supplement may be necessary, we will discuss this with you as soon as possible, usually 5 months before your departure date. 

    Minimum numbers and groups sizes may vary on Bespoke Charity challenges.  If you are booked onto a bespoke challenge please contact your charity for full details.

  • We have a Passenger Portal which will give you more details of the challenge itself. It also enables you to see any outstanding information we need, the countdown to your challenge departure, see your outstanding balance, make payments and update your contact details. You can access this via the following link - Passenger Portal Log in.

The DA Ethos

  • We believe that travel is a force for good, and it should be safe and accessible for everyone to take on any of our adventures, regardless of sexuality, gender, race or religion. We are committed to ensuring our travellers face no discrimination on any part of the trip we control. However, we operate in some parts of the world that are less accepting. We encourage customers to be aware of local laws and customs in their destinations for their safety and comfort.
    We don’t tolerate any form of discrimination, violence or harassment, either between travellers or involving our leaders, partners or local people. Any behaviour that disrespects our customers, leaders or local communities, makes others feel unsafe or breaks local laws may result in removal from a trip or denying their booking.

  • We are committed to an ethos of responsible travel here at Discover Adventure; this means sustainable tourism, ethical travel, community engagement, cultural respect, wildlife protection, fair trade practices, carbon footprint reduction and more. We have been on a 30-year journey with this as one of our core principles, and it continues to evolve; you can keep up to date with what we are up to and what all of this translates into on a DA trip here.
    From 2024, we will offset our entire carbon footprint, including the flights, via a carbon credit scheme (see more here). We must do all we can to be on the right side of history. Our offsetting brings peace of mind to many of our customers, but we think it is essential that our customers are aware of their impact; with this in mind, we encourage our participants to donate to World Land Trust’s Buy an Acre project when they book an adventure.

  • Our brilliant group dynamic is fundamental to us. We have become synonymous with it over our 30 years of adventure: the supportive nature and group camaraderie are always listed as one of the trip highlights in our feedback. You’ll meet people of widely varying backgrounds, motivations and experiences. Under these unique circumstances, you are more likely to open up about your story and form lifelong friendships. You’ll likely find something that resonates with everyone in the group. This is a unique way of travelling, after all, and that’s what brings you all together.
    We have travellers from 18 – 80 across all of our challenges, with the average age of our participants being in the mid-40s.
  • Many people opt to take on our adventures on their own – maybe they are keen to do something for themselves, love to travel this way or feel that this is an important part of the challenge. The great news is, you’re never really a ‘solo traveller’ when you travel with us as you’re travelling with a group of like-minded people, all ready to take on the adventure of a lifetime by your side.
    Unlike many travel companies, we do not apply a single supplement to your booking unless you request a single room. You will be placed into a room-share arrangement with someone of the same gender (as per the information you provided when booking, or passport markers), and a similar age where possible.

  • Over the years, people with wide-ranging abilities have achieved personal goals on our adventures that they may have previously assumed were out of their reach.
    We must be aware of any circumstances that may affect your ability to take on the trip, whether you have concerns about fitness, health conditions or disability. This way, we can ensure we are providing the best advice and support. You will be asked to sign a medical declaration upon booking.

    Whilst we will always try our best for you, by the nature of adventure, not all of our challenges are accessible, and we are not an operator specifically offering adapted adventures. If you would like to have a confidential chat with the team about anything before booking, please give us a call or an email; we will be more than happy to help.

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