Five Assegais Hiking Trails

Five Assegais Country Estate features a spectacular 50km network of 1 and 2 day hiking trails on this 1500ha nature conservancy. Rated by Green Flag as moderate to difficult with pristine landscape.

QUICK VIEW OF HIKING TRAILS

All trails go through spectacular scenery including ancient grasslands, yellow wood forest, waterfalls and sand stone mazes. Routes are rated as moderate to difficult. Make sure you get an early start – 8am.

THE ESCARPMENT TRAIL (1 day)

Distance: ±13.5km
The whole day 13.5km trail is a moderately difficult self-guided trail with a 400-metre rise to ascend. The trail starts at Aloe Kaya Camp descending the Bankspruit canyon to the foot of the ‘Uitkomste’ waterfall, the second highest in Mpumalanga and follows the spruit past pools and rapids and through the unique sandstone maze that is the Skurwerand. You can spot game in the late afternoon in the sandstone mazes.

HELL’S BELLS TRAIL (1 day)

Distance: ±8.4km… we strongly recommend taking the short cut, this is still a good 4 hour walk.
Descending from Aloe Kaya camp this 8.4km trail descends the magnificent Hell’s Kloof, through a pristine section of yellow wood forest filled with bird life, past secret and special places. The trail drops 400 metres through a kaleidoscope of terrain down to the fish eagle dam with a moderately difficult ascent back to base.

PONGOLA EXPRESS TO ALOE KAYA CAMP LOOP (1 day)

Distance: ±15km
This trail can start from either Pongola Express or Aloe Kaya camp and is a clockwise hike that traverses the edge of the Skurwerand before plunging down the valley through the ‘Cathedral’ and along the river and past the Mac Falls amongst many others.
Starting at the Pongola you take Day 1 of the Num-num Trail The Bergbas Roete to Aloe Kaya from Aloe Kaya you follow the Escarpment trail till the junction at the road where you join the Num-num Trail Day 4 The Pompon Way. You can then choose to take the tar road back to the Pongola Express or go a little further and take the link back to the Pongola. Those that are very fit can choose to go even further and join The Num-num Day 5 The Kokoboom Pad that is an extra 4km at the next link.

OOM PAUL’S BACKPACKERS ROUTE (2 days)

Distance: ± 20km
This trail is a moderately difficult 2-day backpackers, starting either from Aloe Kaya or Bermanzi completing a 20 plus km circular route between the two camps. Great views of Uitkomste Falls and some stunning sandstone mazes. Note that the signs change on this route. Five Assegais are little yellow or green hands and Bermanzi has red, white and black signs with a buck on them. Watch for the Bermanzi signs and go up when you are at the Boardroom Pool.

PONGOLA EXPRESS AND CANDLEWOOD LOOP (1 day)

Distance: ± 16km
This loop consists of two equal sections starting at either camp. Both sections are about 8km long and include some steep climbs, very dramatic with a wide variety of terrains.
Starting from The Pongola Express hikers follow the Num-num day 1 Bergbas Roete to the first link and join the Escarpment trail to the Candlewood camp.
From Candlewood this loop starts on the Escarpment trail takes the link at the swing Bridge onto The Day 4 of the Num-num the Pompon Way. Hikers can then choose to take the tar road back to the Pongola, or go a bit further and enjoy the walk to the next link to the Express and for the very fit continue along the Pompon to the next link which joins with day 5 of the Num-num Trail The Kokoboom Pad back to the Pongola.

ALOE KAYA- CANDLEWOOD CAMP LOOP

This trail is for hikers that can follow a map as the trail goes backwards in terms of the markings along the trail. There are a few markers associated with this route for reassurance along the way.
Starting at Candlewood the trail follows the Escarpment route down to the waterfall and along the Bankspruit following the path past the Boardroom pool and over the Skurwerand to Aloe Kaya Camp.
From Aloe Kaya the trail goes backwards along the Day 1 of the Num-num trail The Bergbas Roete to the link with day 4 the Pompon Way and goes backwards along that route to Candlewood.