Karoo Erdvark Trails are situated on the farm Rooiheuwel, a self– catering Karoo Guest Farm in South Africa.

Situated in the beautiful surroundings of the escarpment of the Nuweveld Mountains in the Great Karoo with a typical mountain-Karoo landscape, 80km west of Beaufort West and 60km north of Leeu-Gamka.

The Karoo Erdvark Trail is the first Green Flag Accredited Hiking Trail in the Karoo with its unique landscape consisting of flat topped mountains with enormous vistas over the outstretched plains, breathtaking panoramic views, extraordinary rock formations but also incised valleys and kloofs with small perennial pools and fountains for a swim.

It has been developed to give the hiker a wilderness experience and consists of a network of trails that varies both in length and difficulty; with options for the more experienced hiker as well.

as for the leisure hiker and keen bird watcher.

FACILITIES / ACCOMMODATION:  

(Fully equipped farm houses/ guest houses at):

  • Boplaas:
  • 4 x bed rooms & an extra flat with a double bed, two bath rooms
  • Fully equipped kitchen, fridge/ freezer, micro wave.  Dining room & lounge, Braai facilities
  • Good cell phone reception, Eskom electricity.  Safe parking and extra ablution facilities outside.
  • Middelplaas:
  • 4 separate bedrooms each (2 with en suit bath rooms)&  an extra bath room and toilets.  Eskom electricity, warm water showers.  Fully equipped kitchen, fridge/ freezer, micro wave.  Indoor braai facilities and outdoor lapa with extra braai facilities.  Good cell phone reception & WIFI.
  • Grootdroom:
  • Big stone built double story farmhouse with 3x bed rooms & 1 bed room under the deck, 2 bath rooms & extra showers and toilet outside. Fully equipped kitchen, fridge/ freezer, micro wave. 12 Volt photovoltaic solar panels for lighting and fridge. Donkey boiler for hot water showers etc. Braai facilities.  Splash pool outside. Cell reception and WIFI.
  • Arendsnes:
  • New building in progress: (hiker’s house) 3 x separate bed rooms, No electricity
  • 2 x bath rooms and donkey boiler for hot water. Braai facilities and basic cooking utensils.
  • NO fridge. An extra tent is available for “snorkers”.
  • Rietvlei:
  • Old school, 2x class rooms with beds and mattresses, Basic: 1X gas plateburner & kettle, zinkfor cooking & eating utensils, small bar fridge and braai facilities. 2X toilets, but no shower.   Solar panel for lighting and to recharge cell phones.

NOTE:

  • All the guest houses, farm houses and overnight camps are equipped with cutlery, crockery and cooking utensils. They all have gas stoves with ovens

  • EXCEPT:

  • Arends nest has a 2 plate gas burner only.

  • 2 X 8Kg bags of wood are provided at each camp, (free of charge).

  • If you need more wood, it can be order and paid on arrival at the reception.

  • All houses and overnight camps have safe braai facilities.

  • There are good cell phone reception on most parts of the trail and at all overnight camps except at the Old Skooltjie, Rietvlei.

THE BACK PACK TRAIL:

  • This trail gives hikers the opportunity to hike:
  • A. 68km over for 5 days(6 x nights) OR
  • B. 45km over 4 days (5 x nights).
  • Hikers arrive and spend the first night at Boplaas Guesthouse.
  • From Boplaas the hike is 12,9km to Middelplaas.
  • Middelplaas to Arendsnest is 9,8km.
  • From Arendsnest to Rietvlei is a long trek of 15,4km. Start early!!
  • The same goes for the hike between Rietvlei and Grootdroom, 15,3km.
  • From Grootdroom back to Boplaas hikers can do a 14,3km or 12,8km trek.

  • It is recommended to spend another night at Boplaas as you will not finish early enough to travel on before dark.

  • NOTE: (The shorter option of 4 days 5x nights)

  • Boplaas – Middelplaas – Arendsnest – then to Grootdroom (+-10km) and back to Boplaas(+-13km).

  • EXTRA OPTIONS:

  • Boplaas and Grootdroom Guesthouses can be used as BASE CAMPS for 2 more extra DAY WALKS as they both have 2 x extra day trails (From and back to each).

  • NB: Hikes/ overnight camps must be booked in advance.

  • The trail runs across a functioning sheep farm but some game and many birds are to be seen.

  • The hiker is graced by magnificent, diverse and varying scenery of typical mountain-Karoo landscape while the silence, tranquility, peace and open sky at night is something special to experience. It is more than a hiking trail; it offers an authentic Karoo experience!!

GENERAL INFO:

The Karoo is an enormous semi-desert with the greatest variety of succulents together in the world, a huge and diverse flora as well as a variety of primate, game, reptiles, invertebrate and birds. Rooiheuwel is a safe and ideal getaway destination throughout the year for hikers.

 

The Karoo with its unique landscape and wide open spaces is a place where the visitor is graced by a magnificent authentic Karoo experience, diverse and varying scenery consisting of mountains, valleys, kloofs, plains and rivers with perennial pools and fountains. The silence, tranquility, peace and open starry sky at night is something special – a place where you can listen to the heartbeat of the Karoo.

Temperatures start increasing during November and remain high until February. It decreases by April to become cold in the mid-winter months of June and July. Snowfalls may sometimes occur as late as September – October.

Rates:

Accommodation/Service Price Additional Info
Boplaas Guesthouse R280.00 per person per night 4 bedrooms, extra flat, 2 bathrooms, fully equipped kitchen, braai facilities, Eskom electricity.
Middelplaas Guesthouse R280.00 per person per night 4 bedrooms (2 en suite), extra bathroom, fully equipped kitchen, indoor/outdoor braai, WIFI, Eskom electricity.
Grootdroom Farmhouse R280.00 per person per night Stone built, 3 bedrooms, 1 under deck, 2 bathrooms, solar power, donkey boiler, braai, splash pool, WIFI.
Arendsnes Hikers House R280.00 per person per night 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, donkey boiler, braai, basic cooking utensils, no electricity, extra tent available.
Rietvlei (Old School) R280.00 per person per night 2 classrooms with beds/mattresses, gas burner, kettle, small fridge, braai, 2 toilets, solar lighting, no shower.
Back Pack Trail (per person per night) R280.00 All ages. 68km (6 nights) or 45km (5 nights) options.
Slack Pack Option (Transport of bags) R3250.00 per group (1-10 persons) For 1-5 days.