Classification: a 2-day open-ended guided and fully catered trail with transport back to start

Environment: Pristine

Accommodation: Luxury

Facilities and safety: Good

Difficulty Rating: Easy

Basic Trail Description:

The Eve's trail is situated in the Western Cape, and stretches along the coast between Yzerfontein/Ysterfontein and a viewpoint overlooking the Langebaan Lagoon in the West Coast National Park. The trail is situated within the central core area of the Cape West Coast Biosphere (CWCB) Reserve.

The CWCB was designated a Biosphere Reserve in 2000 by the UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere programme. It is a territory with beautiful landscapes, a considerable abundance of species of fauna and flora, a unique cultural mix where there is a harmony between development and the natural environment.

Every effort is being made to have all development projects truly sustainable. Various types of land use occur. The landscape consists of a sandy coast with (mostly) stabilized coastal dunes inland; underlain by granites with dolerite intrusions as well as calcrete layers. These layers have made this area famous for its fossils - hence the name of the trail derived from a fossilized human footprint - and supposed to be that of Eve.

The dominant vegetation type is that of the Swartland Granite Rhenosterveld, which status is classified as being "critically endangered". Various plant, animals and bird species are either endangered or vulnerable. The Kelkiewyn (Geissorhiza radians) e.g. is an endangered plant the Black Harrier (Circus maurus) is a "near threatened endemic South African bird".

The major attraction of this area is the spring flowers. The accommodation is in the West Coast National Park's Duinepos chalets. The trail is fully catered and guided. Hikers carry only their daypack with them. The trail is Green Flag accredited and is classified as being "easy".

Download the brochure for this trail (PDF, 1.2 MB)

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Trail Information