Trailinfo | Swart Tobie Hiking Trail

The Swart Tobie (Red Beak Oyster Catcher) Hiking Trail is approximately 4 hours from Cape Town and offers a unique coastal experience. The route winds through breathtaking scenery along the different rock formations and beaches along the West Coast. An abundance of interesting sea-birds and specifically the Red Beak Oyster Catcher is to be seen as well as interesting coastal features and formations.

This is a nature trail with rustic overnight shelters and toilets along the way. It is +-80km long and stretches over 5 days. Shorter sections can also be selected. It covers +- 18km per day. All backpacks and tents are transported by vehicle to the next overnight spot. and hikers thus carry only their daypacks with the needed necessities for the day. Fresh drinking water and firewood is being supplied by the trail manager. The route can accommodate 20 hikers. Caution should however be taken with incoming tides on the beaches where hikers run the risk of being trapped by water if not cautious. Hiking by low tide is also much easier than walking over loose sand at high tide.

The trail manager provides very interesting environmental information whilst guiding the hikers on three of the five days.Caution should however be taken with incoming tides on the beaches where hikers run the risk of being trapped by water if not cautious.