Rim of Africa

Rim of Africa South Africa Trekking. Rim of Africa is a 62 multi day hiking traverse from the Cederberg to the Outeniqua in the Cape Fold Mountains.

The Rim of Africa High Mountain Traverse starts on the 24th September each year and follows a series of wild fynbos ridgelines from the Cederberg to the Outeniqua. It comprises nine different traverses of varying lengths from 7 to 10 days. The Rim of Africa aims to rekindle the love of nature, reconnect people with the earth, with health and put vitality back into the journey of life. The Rim of

Africa Initiative hosts an annual traverse of the Cape Fold Mountains, fostering experiences which support personal and cultural reconnection to nature, whilst encouraging the conservation of these remarkable mountains and their rich biodiversity. We work in partnership with supportive landowners, local conservation and tourism groups and in cooperation with CapeNature.

Cederberg area open already
18/05/2026

Cederberg area open already

Foremost in all of our minds at the moment is the devastation caused by the wind and rain this week. Just one example is...
15/05/2026

Foremost in all of our minds at the moment is the devastation caused by the wind and rain this week. Just one example is this photo by Dawie Burger in the Cederberg the flood cut through a recently repaired mountain pass road. Everywhere it is the same, expensive and time consuming damage to well built infrastructure.
As hikers and mountaineers we stand with the landowners and farming communities that we have got to know through their welcoming generosity, allowing us to enter these wild places, use their roads and helping us when we are in need.
We acknowledge their strength and fortitude, we are humbled by their ability to accept the setbacks and keep going.

Last weekend, before the massive storm that hammered the Western Cape, scores of mountain lovers descended on Driehoek f...
14/05/2026

Last weekend, before the massive storm that hammered the Western Cape, scores of mountain lovers descended on Driehoek for the annual Keeping It Wild weekend hosted by Sustainable Ceder and LoveOurTrails.

This year the main themes were post-fire overview of the situation in the Cederberg (a large part was burnt in summer 2025/26) and developing a new mountain tourism and hiking corridor to the east of Tafelberg, an area that was not burned. The content presented as a real opportunity for Rim of Africa to explore new routes so as to keep our way wild, take pressure off burned and popular routes as well as engaging and benefitting communities along our Traverse.

Blake Dyason of Love Our Trails, also a committed Rim of Africa guide, was largely responsible for organising the weekend together with Dawie and Lizette from Driehoek. An organised camping site at Langkloof makes a lot of sense for those who wish to see the Cederberg in all its original glory. To kickstart this project they have set up a Back-a-Buddy campaign called Help us put Langkloof on the map, to which Rim of Africa Trust has made a small contribution from our Mountain Restoration fund which is largely funded by Rim hiker donations, thank you all. The other way to support is to put Langkloof and the eastern Cederberg on your bucket list .
Pics:
1. Blake leading the charge at the campsite rehabilitation
2. Rim hikers Cecilia and Athol who showed up to help on the day
3. Monique Rutherford, Cape Nature Cederberg manager, enjoying the assistance of more than 100 volunteers making light work of things
4. Rim Guide Kieron taking a break from beserking the slangbos out of there
5. Rim Guide Jurgen and team who cleared path from the camp to the rock art site
6. Excerpt from Ralph Taylor's map, first printed in 1952, not much has changed
7. The overlap of the Ralph Taylor map on Traverse 1 and the 2025/26 burn scar in orange.
Read the full story on the Articles page of our website at www.rimofafrica.co.za

September is 5 months of winter away. Rim of Africa's traverses will test our gear and legs. As we go into the dark we n...
05/05/2026

September is 5 months of winter away. Rim of Africa's traverses will test our gear and legs. As we go into the dark we need to step up our training and test our equipment. This last Saturday's gale force north-westerly certainly did that. And the clear air and warm sun that followed was the reward. We will be posting additional Training Weekend dates via the newsletter. A great way to get to know more about your readiness as well as keying in to the Rim of Africa.

Our latest blog (link in bio) considers the critical layer between our soft skin and the occasionally hard and magical e...
17/03/2026

Our latest blog (link in bio) considers the critical layer between our soft skin and the occasionally hard and magical environment we walk through. On the High Mountain Traverse we walk in sun and sleet, your choices will influence your own enjoyment of the hike as well as the safety of the group. We are just naturally excited at the progression from khaki and black (pic 2 is our co-founders back in 2008🙄) to all the colours under the 🌞

We kicked off the Rim of Africa 2026 Season with the first of four Training Hikes last weekend. Starting at Simonskloof...
10/03/2026

We kicked off the Rim of Africa 2026 Season with the first of four Training Hikes last weekend. Starting at Simonskloof Mountain Retreat we were led by Jurgen and Graeme up a 970m ascent to Naudesberg 1644m and on to our camp in the sky. The gear talk was an eye-opener for us all. Everyone does something smart and something else when it comes to packing for a hike. The mountain gifted us with sweat and beauty, we traded for several ringbarked wilding pines and a hundred invading hakea. Thanks to our guides and the group for putting their best feet forward. Sign up for a training hike this year to get a sense of what lies in store on our high mountain traverses in spring - link is on the website or message us.

I get terribly sentimental about tents, sleeping bags and hiking boots. We have at least five tents at home, and retired...
05/03/2026

I get terribly sentimental about tents, sleeping bags and hiking boots. We have at least five tents at home, and retired boots curl up comfortably at the back of the cupboard. Some of our gear belonged to our parents or grandparents who took us hiking. Their old gear was built tough and still gives service, and their spirit walks with us today.
Enough of that sentimentality. I am learning to give retired (functional) gear away to groups who introduce youth to the wilderness, or tramps, sleeping rough in the city. If our gear survives our use of it then the fault lies with us for not getting out into the hills more often or giving it away. Use it hard and lend it out, so that your gear and your legs come home scratched and torn.
Getting ready for the Rim of Africa High Mountain Traverse is a forward looking activity that demands a degree of practicality. Carry your sentiments in your heart (they're safe there) and beg, borrow or steal the lightest, toughest, newest kit you can get your hands on.
For the full list of essential personal camping gear read the post on our website or sign up for the newsletters.

Poetry has always been a part of Rim of Africa — as essential as breathing: the in-breath of inspiration, the out-breath...
26/02/2026

Poetry has always been a part of Rim of Africa — as essential as breathing: the in-breath of inspiration, the out-breath of expression. It allows us to relive our experience once home, and to give others a small taste of where we’ve been and of who we are.
In this spirit of sharing and in response to the beautiful words heard over the years, we’re now gathering poems, songs and poetic reflections inspired by your time(s) walking on Rim. There’s no fixed outcome yet, the form will emerge from what you send us. The intention is simply to harvest, honour and celebrate the poetic voices that live between us as Rim of Africa, and what they reveal of the Cape mountains.
If you’d like to contribute (and we would really love you to) please DM us or email your writing when you get a chance. Include a title, the year and the section of the traverse which inspired the writing where that makes sense.

After a dry winter, fire moved through parts of route last year. These fires did not affect hikers on the 2025 Traverse,...
20/02/2026

After a dry winter, fire moved through parts of route last year. These fires did not affect hikers on the 2025 Traverse, but they did leave their mark, particularly in the Cederberg, where older veld burned through large sections of the landscape.
In the weeks ahead, we’ll be supporting Love Our Trails and CapeNature in assessing trail conditions. Our 2026 Guide Team will, as always, walk the route again closer to the time, reading the land carefully to find the best and safest way through.
The data presented here is courtesy of NASA Earth and their VIIRS instrument which is also well presented in real time by AFIS in SA. The greyed blobs represent fires from 2012 and the darker background has not burned since 2012.

Preparation Hikes are organised ahead of the Traverse to support new Rim hikers in assessing fitness and gear before com...
19/02/2026

Preparation Hikes are organised ahead of the Traverse to support new Rim hikers in assessing fitness and gear before committing to the journey. These weekends offer a realistic taste of what the Traverse demands, in a supportive and unpressured setting.

Previous Rim hikers are always welcome to join, with a 50% reduced fee (R425). These weekends are as much about reconnecting with the Rim community as they are about checking in with your body, your kit, and your confidence. Expect good walking, good conversation, and unhurried time in the hills.
**links to website and booking form in profile

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Claremont

Opening Hours

Monday 08:00 - 17:30
Tuesday 08:00 - 17:30
Wednesday 08:00 - 17:30
Thursday 08:00 - 17:30
Friday 08:00 - 17:30
Saturday 08:00 - 17:30
Sunday 08:00 - 17:30

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+27826008117

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