Wild Coast Hikes

Guided hikes from Port St. Johns to Coffee Bay

The Port St. Johns to Coffee Bay Hiking Trail goes through some of the most beautiful hiking landscape in South Africa. The trail hugs a stretch of coastline along the former Transkei homeland, and is unspoilt and barely touched by development. You will walk along rolling grassy hills dotted with colourful huts, idyllic beaches, estuaries flanked by thick coastal forest and cliffs with stunning sea views. Hikers sleep in hikers’ huts and village accommodation. You will also learn a little bit of Xhosa Language and experience the Xhosa food. If you’re hiking at the right time of the year, you will most likely see dolphins and whales.

The duration of the hiking trail is five days with four overnight stops.

These videos have footage of horse riding. Please note that Wild Coast Hikes does not offer horseriding.

Xhosa culture

The hike passes through no less than eight rural Xhosa villages, giving you a chance to explore the rich culture of the Xhosa people. The guides are local Xhosa themselves and they will give you more insight into the daily life, rituals and customs of the people. During the day's hike, the guides will point out local plants and tell you about their medicinal use and at night, they will entertain you with stories.

Your guides and hosts

The main services offered along the hiking trail - guiding, accommodation and meals, are all supplied by Xhosa locals and communities. The benefits of such a community developed, environmentally sensitive tourism will be felt not only by the hikers on the trail, but by the people of the communities – the guides, local shops and entrepreneurial enterprises along the route.

Accommodation and meals

Overnight accommodation is provided in hikers' huts or in Xhosa huts in the villages. The huts are well located to provide for a good day’s hike along the coast and are beautifully situated. When accommodation is provided in a village, you stay with the community in a separate hut with a shower and toilet.These guest homes provide basic service standards and traditional hospitality. Your stay in the villages will give you a chance to meet and befriend the communities.

Accommodation includes overnight stay, bedding, breakfast and dinner.

Massage

On the fourth night a massage service is available on request at a more than reasnable price.

Trail route

The hike departs from Second Beach in Port St. Johns and heads towards Sugarloaf Rock. The trail then veers slightly inland towards Sicambeni. You stop for lunch at the Umngazi River Mouth. After lunch, the trail closely follows the coast. After stopping at a beach for a refreshing swim, you reach the Mngazana River in the mid afternoon. Here you can canoe on the estuary and explore the lush mangroves (if requested).

The hike departs early in the morning from Madakeni Village and traverses indigenous forest towards Brazen Head. You stop for lunch in the inland village of Njela. After lunch, relax and swim at Sinangwana Beach before heading out to Tsweleni Village which you reach in early afternoon. You’re at your leisure to rest or explore the beach.

Day 3’s hike leads through the undulating hills of Ginqi to the Mnenu river. After lunch, the hike continues to Hluleka Nature Reserve. You reach the village where you are to stay the night in early evening.

After a very early start, you have breakfast on the river as part of a 2 hour canoe trail. You then continue hiking inland to Mamaolweni for lunch. You arrive at Mngcibe in the early evening.

Hike from Mngcibe Village down to Mdumbi River. You cross the river by ferry and can enjoy a morning swim on Mdumbi beach. You then head out to the Mthatha River and another ferry crossing. The trail heads towards Maphuzi, over the cliffs and ends in Coffee Bay.

Guides

Jimmy Selani Registered guide since 1998 Won Best Emerging Guide in South Africa Award 2004 Contact tel from within South Africa: 082 507 2256 Contact tel from outside South Africa: 00 27 82 507 2256

Mbuyi Mangala Guiding on this trail since 2000 Registered guide since 2004 Best Tourist Guide OR Tambo Region - 2009 Contact tel from within South Africa:084 725 5904 Contact tel from outside South Africa: 00 27 84 725 5904

Contact the guides

E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Contact the guides on their cellphone number or send a text message to 078 632 4305 (00 27 78 632 4305 from outside South Africa).

Rates

A maximum of 22 people can be accommodated per hike.

No. people	Description	Individual costs	Total costs
1	Guide	R240 per day x 5days	1200
	Accommodation	R200per night x 4nights	800
	River crossing	R70.00	70
	Total		R2070
2	Guide	R140 per day x 5days	1400
	Accommodation	R200per night x 4nights	1600
	River crossing	R70.00	140
	Total for the group		R3140
	Total per person		R1570
3	Guide	R105 per day x 5days	1575
	Accommodation	R200per night x 4nights	2400
	River crossing	R70.00	210
	Total for the group		R4185
	Total per person		R1395
4	Guide	R95 per day x 5days	1900
	Accommodation	R200per night x 4nights	3200
	River crossing	R70.00	280
	Total for the group		R5380
	Total per person		R1345
5	Guide	R90 per day x 5days	2250
	Accommodation	R200per night x 4nights	4000
	River crossing	R70.00	350
	Total for the group		R6600
	Total per person		R1320
6	Guide	R85 per day x 5days	2250
	Accommodation	R200per night x 4nights	4500
	River crossing	R70.00	420
	Total for the group		R7770
	Total per person		R1295
7	Guide	R75 per day x 5days	2625
	Accommodation	R200per night x 4nights	5600
	River crossing	R70.00	490
	Total for the group		R8715
	Total per person		R1245
8	Guide	R70 per day x 5days	2800
	Accommodation	R200per night x 4nights	6400
	River crossing	R70.00	560
	Total for the group		R9760
	Total per person		R1220
9	Guide	R70 per day x 5days	3150
	Accommodation	R200per night x 4nights	7200
	River crossing	R70.00	630
	Total for the group		R10980
	Total per person		R1220
10	Guide	R70 per day x 5days	3500
	Accommodation	R200per night x 4nights	8000
	River crossing	R70.00	700
	Total for the group		R12200
	Total per person		R1220

Bookings & payment

Contact the guides directly by sending a text message to their cellphone. The guides have neither internet access nor are they within constant cellphone reception. Leave a message with your name, the date you would like to leave on the hike and the number of people in your group. The guide will then get back to you with further information.

A booking is secured with a non-refundable deposit of the guiding fee. This payment can be made into the guide’s bank account. Find their details below. The balance of the guiding fee and the accommodation and river crossing fee will need to be paid during the hike.

Jimmy's bank details: Bank Name: Standard Bank Account Name: Jimmy Sebenzile Selani Account Number: 386763674 Branch: Mthatha West Branch Code: 052621 Account Type: Savings Swift Code (for payments from outside South Africa: SBZA ZA JJ

Mbuyi's bank details: Bank Name: Standard Bank Account Name: Mbuyiselo Mangala Account Number: 086379569 Branch: Mthatha West Branch Code: 052621 Account Type: Savings Swift Code (for payments from outside South Africa): SBZA ZA JJ

Departure time & place

The trail starts at Second Beach in Port St. Johns. You will be picked up either at your place of residence or at an pre-arranged spot in Port St. Johns. The hike departs at 9:00a.m.
If you’re using public transport to get here, you can take the Baz Bus or mainline coaches to Mthatha and catch a shuttle with either Amapondo Backpackers or Jungle Monkey Backpackers to Port St. Johns. Please pre-book the shuttle to guarantee a space.
There are also several minibus taxi routes that end in Port St. Johns. If you’re using minibus taxis, please remember to do your homework beforehand.

What to bring along

Please bring along sleeping bags, rain suits, hiking boots, sun cream, mosquito repellent cream and coins for when you make river crossing using the ferries.
Please don’t bring too much food with you, as there are small shops at each stopover.

If you need a porter to carry your belongings, one is available on request.

What weather to expect

Summers in the Wild Coasts are very hot and sunny. Mid summer temperatures (in January) peak at 28°C. However, November and December is the rainy season, so remember to bring along some waterproofs.
Winter is mild and warm during the day with daytime lows of 17°C. Evenings are cooler with night time lows of 9°C.

More about Wild Coast Hikes

Wild Coast Hikes is an initiative of Backpacking South Africa, Eastern Cape. Backpacking South Africa (BSA) is an organization tasked with improving the experience of backpackers visiting South Africa. Visit their website for more information.
The residents of villages along the Wild Coast rely on subsistence farming and state welfare for their livelihood. The aim of the project is to create an opportunity for the communities to benefit from tourism, such as stocking of local shops for tourists; employment of ferry operators; provision of meals; selling of crafts; and traditional and cultural interactions with tourists.
Initially, an informal network of guides in Port St. Johns operated along the trail. They were largely responsible for their own marketing. BSA is assisting in the marketing and promotion of the guides, facilitation of specific training needs, improvement of service standards and business administration support.