Fanie Botha Hiking Trail

The Fanie Botha Hiking Trail is situated in the Sabie area in Mpumalanga. It is located on the Drakensberg escarpment and provides hikers with marvelous views over a variety of landscapes far below.  This is one of most well known back pack trails in Mpumalanga and ideal for the more fit and experienced hikers.

From Gauteng, take N4 to Mpumalanga, turnoff at R539 to Sabie – or alternatively via Schoemanskloof. Traveling Belfast via Lydenburg – is also an option. From Lydenburg, take the Longtom Pass route to Sabie. When entering Sabie follow the signposts in the direction of Graskop. Mac Mac Forest station is situated 15km from Sabie on the Graskop road.

MAIN ATTRACTIONS

  • Birds–more than 200 bird species have been identify and listed over the past 5 years, bring your SA Bird list and binoculars.

  • Although the area traversed by the hiking trail is, comparison with the Lowveld, not richly endowed with wildlife, a fairly extensive diversity of game occurs along the route.

  • On the grasslands, especially at Hartebeesvlakte, oribi, grey caracal, rhebuck, mountain reedbuck and klipspringers may be encountered. Buck like bushbuck and duiker make their homes in the forests and plantations. Baboons and monkeys are common along the trail. Wild animals which are not so easily detected, but are definitely present, are leopard black-backed jackal, serval, civet, otter, porcupine, badger and mongoose. Dassies are often to be seen on rocky ridges while bush pigs dig up the plantation floor in search of the larvae and pupae of several types of insect. He brightly-colored green and red larvae of the pine emperor moth are often visible on the pine needles in plantations. A wide variety of butterflies is to be seen.

Hut Facilities:

Ceylon, Maritzbos, Stables, Mac Mac, President Burger and Graskop have in common:

  • 24 bunker beds, hot water (solar geyser), no pots and pans, undercover braai area, firewood and toilets.

  • President Burgers hut has electricity and hot water.

  • Mac Mac hut has no shower, 2 long drops and water in a big tank.

  • Ceylon, Martizbos, Stables, Mac Mac & Graskop have no electricity

  • NB:  Starting points: Parking is only available at these points:

  • Ceylon Forest Station (Ceylon Hut)

  • Mac Mac Forest Retreat (President Burger Hut)

Trail Options: Refer To Your Trail Map (2 Night Options)

Mac Mac 2 Night Trail

  • Parking: Park at the Pres. Burger Hut and start hiking immediately to Mac Mac Hut.

  • Distances: Pres. Burger – Mac Mac Hut 6km;MacMac Hut – Graskop Hut 13.6km

  • Graskop Hut – Pres. Burger Hut 23.1km ;Difficulty: Moderate to difficult

Graskop 2 Night Trail

  • Parking: Park your car at the Graskop Police Station

  • Distances: Graskop Hut – Pres. Burger.  Burger Hut 23.km

  • Pres. Burger – Graskop 13.6km.  Difficulty: Moderate to difficult

Hartbeesvlakte 2 Night Trail

  • Distances: Ceylon hut – Maritzbos 8.7 km; 

  • Maritzbos – Stables 13.3 km Stables – Ceylon Plantation Office 8 km; 

  • Difficulty: Difficult. (Only for very fit hikers)

Pres. Burger 2 Night Trail

  • Distances: President Burger – Graskop 19.6 km

  • Graskop – President Burger 23 km (via Mac Mac Pools and Falls)

  • Difficulty: Difficult (Only for very fit hikers)

Bonnet/Mac Mac Pools 2 Night Trail

  • Parking: Park your car at Graskop Police Station

  • Distances: Graskop – Mac Mac 23 km (via the Mac Mac Pools and Falls)

  • Mac Mac – Graskop 19.6 km; Difficulty: Difficult (Only for very fit hikers)

Maritzbos 2 Day Trail

  • Parking: Park at the Ceylon Workshop.

  • Distances: Ceylon – Maritzbos 8.7 km

  • Maritzbos – Ceylon 9 km. Difficulty: Easy/ moderate

Trail Options: Refer To Your Trail Map (3 Night Options)

Pres. Burger 3 Night Trail

  • Parking: Park at the Pres. Burger Workshop; 

  • Distances: President Burger – Graskop 19.6 km;  Graskop – Mac Mac Hut 23.1km; 

  • Mac Mac Hut – Pres. Burger Hut 6km Difficulty: Difficult

Lone Creek 3 Night Trail

  • Parking: Park at Ceylon Workshop and start hiking immediately to Martizbos

  • Distances: Ceylon Hut – Maritzbos Hut 8.7km;  Maritzbos Hut – Stables Hut 13.3km

  • Stables Hut – Mac Mac Hut 16.3km; Difficulty: Difficult

Hartbeesvlakte 3 Night Trail

  • Parking: Park at Ceylon Workshop.  Distances: Ceylon Hut – Maritzbos Hut 8.7km

  • Maritzbos Hut – Stables Hut 13.3km;   Stables Hut – Ceylon Hut 8.5km

  • Difficulty: Difficult

Maritzbos 3 Night Trail

  • Parking: Park your car at Ceylon Workshop.  Distances: Ceylon – Maritzbos 8.7 km

  • Maritzbos – Stables 13.3 km;  Stables – Ceylon 8 km Difficulty: Difficult.

Mac Mac 3 Night Trail

  • Parking: Park your car at Pres. Burger Workshop and start hiking immediately to Mac Mac Hut; 

  • Distances: Pres. Burger – Mac Mac Hut 6km;MacMac Hut – Graskop Hut 13.6km; 

  • Graskop Hut – Pres. Burger Hut 23.1km;  Difficulty: Difficult.

Trail Options: Refer To Your Trail Map (4 Night Options)

NB: Should you do a 4 or 5 day route, please arrange slackpacking as it’s not a circular route. Book in advance – can be arrange at extra cost. Get the rates from our office.

Ceylon 4 Night Trail

  • Parking: Park your car at Ceylon Workshop;  Distances: Ceylon Hut – Stables Hut 2km

  • Stables Hut – Mac Mac Hut 16.3km;  MacMac Hut – Graskop Hut 13.6km

  • Difficulty: Difficult.

Maritzbos 4 Night Trail

  • Parking: Park your car at Ceylon Workshop;  Distances: Ceylon Hut – Maritzbos Hut 8.7km; 

  • Maritzbos Hut – Stables Hut 13.3km; Stables Hut – Ceylon Hut 8.5km

  • Difficulty: Moderate to difficult

Mount Moodie 4 Night Trail

  • Parking: Park your car at Ceylon Workshop and start hiking to Maritzbos Hut immediately.

  • Distances: Ceylon hut – Maritzbos 8.7 km (Sleep first night at Maritzbos not Ceylon);  Maritzbos – Stables 13.3 km;   Stables – Mac Mac 16.3 km;  Mac Mac – Graskop 13.6 km;  

  • Graskop – Depart ;Difficulty: Difficult.

Trail Options: Refer To Your Trail Map (5 Night Options)

NB: Should you do a 4 or 5 day route, please arrange slack packing as it’s not a circular route.

Pres. Burger 5 Night Trail

  • Distances: Ceylon – Maritzbos 8.7 km;  Maritzbos – Stables 13.3 km

  • Stables – Mac Mac 16.3 km;  MacMac – Pres. Burger 6km;  Difficulty: Difficult.

Graskop 5 Night Trail

  • Distances: Ceylon – Maritzbos 8.7 km;   Maritzbos – Stables 13.3 km

  • Stables – Mac Mac 16.3 km;   Mac Mac – Graskop 13.6 km Difficulty: Difficult.

RATES:

Rate Description Details
RATES R225.00 P/P/P/ NIGHT (All ages)
TRAIL DESCRIPTION THIS TRAIL GIVES ALL HIKERS, ALL LEVELS OF FITNESS THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME AND DO HIKES IN THE MOST BEAUTIFULL PARTS OF MPUMALANGA (Passing several well know waterfalls)