Otter Trail

{{Short description|Hiking trail along the Garden Route coast, South Africa}}

{{Infobox hiking trail

|name=Otter Trail

|photo=Otter Trail03.jpg

|caption=View from Skilderkrans across Bloubaai-Wes

|location= Garden Route, South Africa

|designation=

|length_km=41

|trailheads=Storms River Mouth
Nature's Valley

|use=Hiking

|elev_change=

|highest=

|lowest=

|difficulty=

|season=

|months=

|sights=

|hazards=

|map={{maplink|frame=yes|plain=yes|type=line|stroke-color1=#1e5833|id=Q7109422}}

}}

The Otter Trail is a hiking trail along the Garden Route coast of South Africa and is named for the Cape clawless otter{{cite book |title=South Africa Yearbook 2007/08 |editor=Delien Burger |publisher=South African Government Communication and Information System |edition=15 |pages=548 |chapter=20. Tourism |isbn=978-0-621-37568-8 |url=http://www.gcis.gov.za/docs/publications/yearbook/2008/ |access-date=2009-02-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090402173205/http://www.gcis.gov.za/docs/publications/yearbook/2008/ |archive-date=2009-04-02 |url-status=dead }} which occurs in this region. This trail is widely regarded as one of the finest in the world and stretches from Storms River Mouth in the east to Nature's Valley in the west, is 26 km long as the crow flies and 44 km as the hiker walks. Walking the trail takes 5 days, and the 4 nights are spent in comfortable huts with superb views. The route is located entirely within the Tsitsikamma National Park, which protects an 80 km long strip of coastal mountains, forest and beaches.

The trail traverses a very scenic landscape, never straying far from the shoreline, but often climbing steeply and then descending to the beach or a river crossing. Vegetation along the way is either fynbos, dense gallery forest or open, rocky sections near the sea with an abundance of wildflowers.

Trail landmarks

Storms River Mouth {{coord|34|01|15.6|S|23|52|48|E|region:ZA_type:landmark|display=inline|name=Storms River Mouth}}
Ngubu huts {{coord|34|01|2.9|S|23|50|31.2|E|region:ZA_type:landmark|display=inline|name=Ngubu huts}}
Oakhurst huts {{coord|33|59|42.7|S|23|44|2.5|E|region:ZA_type:landmark|display=inline|name=Oakhurst huts}}
Scott hut {{coord|34|00|22.4|S|23|47|10.1|E|region:ZA_type:landmark|display=inline|name=Scott hut}}
André huts {{coord|33|58|45|S|23|37|5.3|E|region:ZA_type:landmark|display=inline|name=André Huts}}
Grootrivier, Nature's Valley {{coord|33|58|56|S|23|34|36|E|region:ZA_type:landmark|display=inline|name=Grootrivier}}

Trail stages

Day 1 - 4.8 km (± 2 hours) Storms River Mouth - Ngubu
Day 2 - 7.9 km (± 4 hours) Ngubu - Scott
Day 3 - 7.7 km (± 4 hours) Scott - Oakhurst
Day 4 - 13.8 km (± 6 hours) Oakhurst - André
Day 5 - 9.8 km (previously 6.8 km) (± 3 hours) Vasselot - Nature's Valley
Total distance 44 km

Elevation distances - vertical climb and descent

Day 1 - 561 m total vertical - Climb 188 m - Descent -373 m
Day 2 - 1480 m total vertical - Climb 746 m - Descent -734 m
Day 3 - 1257 m total vertical - Climb 623 m - Descent -634 m
Day 4 - 1905 m total vertical - Climb 945 m - Descent -960 m
Day 5 - 926 m total vertical - Climb 466 m - Descent -460 m
Total elevation gain: 2 968m

Gallery

Otter Trail00.jpg|Tidal pools at Ngubu huts

Otter Trail01.jpg|Oakhurst huts at Lottering estuary

Otter Trail02.jpg|Sunset at André huts, Kliprivier

Bloukrans river mouth on the Otter trail 2017 during high tide.jpg|Bloukrans river mouth

References

[http://www.parks-sa.co.za/parks/garden_route/camps/storms_river/tourism/otter.php Official site] at South African National Parks
[http://www.drivesouthafrica.co.za/blog/the-otter-trail-overnight-hike-general-information/ General Information on the Otter Trail]

External links

[http://www.ralphpina.com/kml/Otter-Trail.kmz Download - Google Earth trail route KMZ file]
[http://www.sanparks.co.za/parks/garden_route/camps/storms_river/tourism/otter.php SANPARKS - Otter trail page]
[http://www.sofar.co.za/otter-trail-guide - The Otter Trail Guide]
[http://theotter.co.za/ - The Otter Trail Run page]
[http://www.otterhikingtrail.co.za/ - Otter Hiking Trail]

Category:Hiking trails in South Africa