Very short overnight hikes - Gauteng

Hi all,

This is my first post on the forum!

My wife and I are keen hikers and we would like to start taking our kids on short overnight hikes. They are 7 and 3 years old, strong walkers used to camping.

I am looking for safe places to camp in the "wild", with a walk in of about 3 km or less in Gauteng or surrounds. We are not Mountain Club members, so that rules out a few nice spots in the Magalies.

Any ideas welcome!

Thanks

Any reason you don't just join mountain club?

Macc wrote: Any reason you don't just join mountain club?

Thanks for the reply. We are considering joining.

I was wondering the same thing re MCSA.

Suikerbosrand might be worth looking into. I haven't been there, but I hear good things about it.

ghaznavid wrote: I was wondering the same thing re MCSA.

Suikerbosrand might be worth looking into. I haven't been there, but I hear good things about it.

Thanks, I will check it out.

Suikerbosrand has 2 circular day hikes a long and a short and the long is an extension of the short so one can make a decision mid way on whether to do the long or short. The overnight hikes need to be booked well in advance for weekends but much easier midweek during school holidays. There are some easy, short, options for the overnight hikes and the terrain is pretty easy with decent paths without getting lost.

DesPorter wrote: Suikerbosrand has 2 circular day hikes a long and a short and the long is an extension of the short so one can make a decision mid way on whether to do the long or short. The overnight hikes need to be booked well in advance for weekends but much easier midweek during school holidays. There are some easy, short, options for the overnight hikes and the terrain is pretty easy with decent paths without getting lost.

Thank you Des.

Hi Ozone

I too have young kids in JHB, there is a nice spot called Maretlwane (close to Mooi Nooi), it is not MCSA, but close to Castle Gorge, just further down stream on the same river), the farm is used for school youth camps, even has game on it that you can spot.

There is a lot of area that you could hike there, but to be specific there is about a easy 2 - 3 k walk in on a rough jeep track, from their parking area, to a spot that you can pitch a tent. From there there is a big enough area of mountain for young kids to explore once you have your tent pitched, and there are some fantastic pools with tons of fish which they will enjoy as well.

Is this kind of what you were thinking of?

WarrenM wrote: Hi Ozone

I too have young kids in JHB, there is a nice spot called Maretlwane (close to Mooi Nooi), it is not MCSA, but close to Castle Gorge, just further down stream on the same river), the farm is used for school youth camps, even has game on it that you can spot.

There is a lot of area that you could hike there, but to be specific there is about a easy 2 - 3 k walk in on a rough jeep track, from their parking area, to a spot that you can pitch a tent. From there there is a big enough area of mountain for young kids to explore once you have your tent pitched, and there are some fantastic pools with tons of fish which they will enjoy as well.

Is this kind of what you were thinking of?

That is exactly what I have in mind.

Thanks Warren