Kingdom Hiking Trail

About

Kingdom Trails – a 2, 3 or 4 day hikes are available

Basecamp or Overnight

Camps:

• Slagthoek Camp
• Klip Camp
• Grootdraai Camp
• Kingdom Camp

Kingdom Trails is a 15,000 ha privately owned nature reserve, one of the largest in Mpumalanga and South Africa. This pristine nature area is about 120 km north-east of Pretoria and Johannesburg. Hidden within a natural amphitheater of the Olifants River Gorge, it encompasses the confluence of the Olifants and Wilge rivers in the escarpment break above Loskop Dam. It is an area of outstanding natural and scenic beauty that includes Highveld grasslands, red granite cliffs with seasonal springs, bushveld woodlands and dense riverine vegetation.

Activities at Kingdom Trails include hiking trails of differing durations and challenges, bird watching, game viewing, on 32 km of unspoilt river frontage. Accommodation facilities include four choices. One of these, a rustic base camp on the banks of the Wilge River, offers accommodation for up to 30 hikers in several separate huts.

Numerous indigenous wildlife species occur on the Kingdom Trails property, including kudu, impala, buffalo, hippo, crocodile, leopard, wildebeest and zebra. Only 1.5 hours from O.R. Tambo International Airport and Pretoria via the N4, Kingdom Trails is easily accessed by road. The last 10 km, however, are on farm tracks which sometimes require 4WD during the rainy season or after rain showers.

Kingdom Trails is a malaria-free area.

• Part of the idyllic nature of Kingdom trails is that there is no cell phone reception and no electricity.
• In order to enjoy your stay we strongly advise that you plan your trip to the farm carefully and have a clear understanding of where you want to hike and take your maps with you.
• The manager of the farm is very hard to reach because of the lack of cell phone reception so please plan your visit well in advance and pay attention to detail.

Animals

There are wild animals at Kingdom Trails

• • Beware of crocodiles and hippo’s in the rivers (especially in rainy season)
  • Beware of free roaming leopards and buffalos (They have walked across from the Loskop Dam Nature reserve)
  • During the summer months please be careful when it comes to snakes, they are everywhere!

They have never had a serious incident with any of the above-mentioned animals. 

Please be vigilant and careful

Travelling to Kingdom Trails

Trails

• There are various routes you can use between camps.
• Ensure you are clear as to which route you are using.
• You must take your hiking trail map with you.
• To help you find your way we have numbered various trail intersections so that you can easily orientate yourself using your map.

River Crossings

• There is only one place to cross the river when it is in flood. It is a low level car bridge
• During the rainy season if this low level crossing is also under water there is NO other safe river crossing.
• We advise some form of water proofing for your bag when you cross the river at any time of year

Recommended 3-4 day options

• Arrive and spend first night at Slagthoek.
• Day 1: Hike from Slagthoek to Grootdraai.
• Day 2: From Grootdraai to Kingdom.
• Day 3: From Grootdraai back to Slagthoek (3 day option).
• Day 3: From Grootdraai to Klip Camp. Day Four: Klip Camp back to Slagthoek (4 day option).

OR

• These trails can also be started from Kingdom Camp – keep in mind you need Bakkies/ 4×4’s to get to Kingdom camp specially in rainy season.

Accommodation – Camp Information (4 Camps)

• No power
• Bring own cutlery, crockery, pots and pans
• Bring own toilet paper
• Donkey showers except for Grootdraai.
• 4×4 or high clearance vehicles is needed to get to Kingdom Camp
• There are no fridges or power at any of the camps

Don’t forget to bring:

• Torches or some form of lighting (No electricity available)
• Sleeping bags or bedding
• Cutlery and crockery
• Hiking maps and directions (Cell phone reception limited to the top of the mountains)
• Wood to cook at your base camp (wood can be ordered for the camp you are hiking to, orders must be made at least 3 days in advance)
• Toilet paper

Kingdom Camp – Entrance A: Sleeps 30  

Donkey Showers

4×4 or high clearance vehicles only

Visarend (Own kitchen, share with Slangarend) Sleeps 4

• Outside shower & toilet (cold water) + communal bathrooms Donkeys
• 1 Double & Single beds                                

Slangarend (Own kitchen, share with Visarend) Sleeps 5

• Outside shower & toilet (cold water) + communal bathrooms Donkeys
• 1 Double and 3 Single Beds

Bosvark (Dorm style) – Sleeps 6. Own lapa

• 6 Single Beds

Boekenhout – Sleeps 8

• 2 Bedrooms with 4 single beds in each
• Communal kitchen, bathrooms (donkey), outside braai

Papierbos – Sleeps 7

• 2 Bedrooms: 1 Bedroom x 4 single beds and 1 Bedroom x 3 single beds
• Communal kitchen, bathrooms (donkey), outside braai

Slagthoek Camp – Entrance B:  Sleeps 18

• Large old farmhouse
• Donkey showers and toilets
• Outside braai
• Preferably 4×4 or high clearance vehicle especially during raining season

KLIP KAMP – SLEEP 24  Donkey Showers. On Foot

Outside braai

Entrance 1 and 2

On right just before communal kitchen/lounge 2 Rooms 

• 1 x 4 Single Beds
• 1 x 4 Single Beds

2 Rooms: Just before pool – bottom left

• 1 x 4 Single beds – sleeps 4
• 1 x Double and 2 single beds – sleeps 4

At pool

• 2 x single beds – sleeps 2 (cement slabs)

At top

• 2 x single beds – sleeps 2 (cement slabs)

Honeymoon Suite:

• Sleeps 5

Grootdraai – Sleep 16.  On Foot

• One large hut with 3 walls
• No shower
• EnviroLoo
• Water in  20l drums provided