Nieuwoudtville is a wellness enthusiast’s best friend. If you’re a wellness junky planning to visit the small town but don’t know where to start, then this article is for you! You could start by taking the Rameron Pigeon Trail, a beautiful hike that showcases the best of the Karoo landscape, wildlife as well as plant life.
During the blooming season, this trail becomes one with the flowers and you become one with nature. As you lay under a starry sky after a long day of hiking, you cannot help but feel alive. So, what would you say if I asked you to go and hike the Rameron Pigeon Trail to get your heart pumping again? If your answer is ‘Yes!’, then believe me, you are in for an adventure!
The First 2 Days
If you’re looking for a rigorous hike in the beautiful Oorlogskloof Nature Reserve, The Rameron Pigeon Trail is perfect for you! It is one of two trails in the reserve and can take anything from four to seven days to complete, depending on your fitness level.
Your evenings are spent in campsites under the beautiful Karoo night sky. Day one starts in Groot Tuin. This 5.9 km hike takes a course through an indigenous forest on the banks of the Oorlogskloof River to the campsite in Kareebos. Day one is easy to moderate for hikers. When day 2 arrives, you hike from Kareebos to Kameel se Gat along the river bank until you reach a waterhole.
On the second day, you encounter the Rock Pigeon trail which is slightly difficult, deviating only to reach Kameel se Gat campsite
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Days 3 to 4
Day 3 is a 4.6-kilometre hike from Kameel se Gat to Suikerbosfontein. With this day’s hike continuing on the Rock Pigeon trail, you are sure to start feeling the sweety muscle ache that comes along with hiking.
After a much-needed break, continue from Suikerbosfontein on a 6.3-kilometre hike to Swartkliphuis, passing various caves and graves inhabited by ancient African tribes a few hundred years ago. The trail then turns to Draaikraal Spring where you pass numerous waterholes before heading back to the plateau.
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The Final Stretch
On day 5, you depart for the 8.1-kilometre hike from Swartkliphuis to the Bo-kloof trails on the cliffs of the Doltuin Valley until you head down using a wooden ladder. You then reach Gheling se Tenk via a couple of caves with rock paintings and a little waterfall. The stream you then cross is the last chance to fill up those water bottles. The final leg of the day leads through mesmerising boulders.
As the sun rises over Bo-kloof on day 6, you start to tackle the 7.3-kilometre hike to Olienhoutbos. This hike follows the river, passing two overhanging rocks endowed with rock paintings. It is a relatively leisurely route. The last day of the hike, day 7, is a 12-kilometre hike from Olienhoutbos to Groot Tuin. The hike moves along the river bed until you reach the Groot Tuin turnoff.
If you enjoy this article, be sure to read about the subtle guide for getting to the heart of Nieuwoudtville.
All A-Boot that Hiking Life!
The Rameron Pigeon Trail is a great option for experienced hikers who are looking for a challenging and rewarding adventure in a beautiful natural setting. Covering a total distance of 53 kilometres, you can expect to see indigenous forests, river banks, plateaus, valleys, caves and rock formations.
You can also expect to see numerous wildlife and plants such as zebras, baboons, rock pigeons and wildflowers. Although the trail is a challenge, the hike offers some amazing views of the kloof and the surrounding areas. So, if you’re all a-boot that hiking life and you are heading towards Nieuwoudtville, be sure to put the Rameron Pigeon Trail in Oorlogskloof Nature Reserve into your itinerary!
