Woodcliffe Cave Trails

About Woodcliffe Cave Trails

Start: Woodcliffe farm, near Maclear
Finish: Woodcliffe farm
Duration: 1 – 5 days, anything from 5 km to 54 km
Fitness: fit if you want to do 5 days' worth of hiking
Our tip: the farm is remote, bring all your supplies if you are self-catering, although you can get the odd provision from the Spar in Maclear

This 1 000 hectare cattle farm gives hikers direct access to the upper slopes of the southern Drakensberg. Any kind of hike is possible here. If you simply want a stroll, to do a series of slackpacker hikes using the farmhouse as your base (fully catered or self-catered), or wish to backpack in the berg, overnighting in caves and huts – the choice is yours.

The area is also well known for flyfishing and rock art. Guided flower walks happen on the farm during summer to see orchids, disas and gladiolus wild on the mountainsides.

Hikes are all circular day walks starting and finishing at the farmhouse. Combine the walks in a way that suits you, or do as many days of hiking as you choose.

Hike One
An easy stroll of 5 km up to Tok's Cave (you can use the cave as your base for the first and second night of your hike; it has a long drop toilet nearby)

Hike Two
The yellow walk, a circular walk of 13 km (brings you back to Tok's Cave)

Hike Three
Tok's cave to Reed park, 13 km that includes an 800 metre ascent (there is a mountain hut at the top of the berg with running water and a long drop loo)

Hike Four
14 km to Wide Valley includes two steep ascents (there is a hut serviced by the farm's resident shepherd, roughly 200 metres from a river)

Hike Five
A 9km mild hike in the hills, with a rather steep descent back to the farm