Amidst the gorgeous landscapes of Hartbeespoort lies the Hennops Trails. From rugged terrains to tranquil riverbanks, this hiking paradise beckons adventurers of all levels to explore its wonders.
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My trail experience
We wanted to start our morning early to do the trail, but unfortunately, we were only able to make our way to Hartbeespoort at 11 am. Luckily it was a cloudy morning, which meant the trail would not have been so hot. We went during December, and I think this is the best time to go hiking here, as the fields are lush green with all of the seasonal rain.
This hiking trail has been on my list for a long time and oh boy, it did not disappoint! There are various trails to choose from ranging from easy to difficult. They also offer MTB trails (5km / 18-38km) and some off-road trails known as the Zonkie Trail.
The start of the trail offers quite some shade; however, once you cross the suspension bridge, you’ll be in the sun most of the time. So, I highly recommend that you take enough water while hiking, wear enough sunscreen and take a hat.
The longest trail (the krokodilberg trail) requires 2L water for the 10km hike per person.
Also make sure to take cash with you, as you never know when the card facilities may not be working.
There are some unique features on the trail which makes this hiking adventure even more fun. These include 2x suspension bridges, a cable car, great viewpoints, caves and some historical sites like the old field hospital that was used in the Anglo-Boere War.
Some information about the Hennops Trails
Here is some of the information you might want to know before embarking on your adventure:
Where is the Hennops Trail located?
Although the (📍) Hennops trail is not located in Gauteng, it is basically on the doorstep of this province. Located in Hartbeespoort, these trails lead along the Hennops River – hence the name. Only a 45-minute drive from Pretoria/Johannesburg (30km), this makes it easy to visit for the day.
There are also so many great things to do in Hartebeespoort, so you can make it a day trip or a weekend getaway.
Price
Here is a price list of all the activities you can do at Hennops (2024):
Hiking trails:
- Adult – R100pp
- School children – R50
- Pensioner and Student discount on weekdays – R60pp
MTB trails:
- Adult – R80
- School children – R50
Hiking & MTB trails:
- Adult – R100
- School children – R50
Off-road trails:
- R250 per vehicle and 2 people
- For additional people it will be R50pp
- (This is not for quad bikes)
Visit their website for updated prices.
Operating Hours
Weekdays – 07h00 to 13h00
Weekends and Public Holidays
- October to March – 06h00 to 13h00
- April to September – 07h00 to 13h00
The last submissions are at 13h00, but you’ll have until 17h00 to complete your trail.
We started our hike at 12h00 and by that time there weren’t many people on the trail as most people began their hike early in the morning. I also have to add that it was cloudy and drizzling on the day, which made it easy to hike so late.
Unfortunately, no pets are allowed!
The start of the trail
Once you’ve arrived at the car park area (GPS Coordinates), you go to the Hadeda Campsite to pay the entrance fee. There is ample parking available. Once you’ve paid the fees, they’ll indicate to you the start of the hiking trail. You’ll also receive a map showing all the trails. All the trails start at the same point, which is at the first river suspension bridge crossing.
Take note: You’ll receive an entrance arm band that has the emergency numbers on it (which I thought was a good touch.)
This area is one of the most well-maintained and clearly marked trails I’ve been to in Pretoria. There are clear signs indicating the different trails and from here on you just follow the green footprint signs along the trail.
The Krokodilberg and Dassie trail continues along the riverbank, where the Zebra trail starts by crossing the suspension bridge.
All the trails also end at the suspension bridge right at the entrance of the hikes.
The Different Trails
There are three trails available. The shortest one being the easiest trail and the longest trail being a more difficult trail. All trails are circular routes.
Dassie Trail
The Dassie trail is a short 2.5 km that’ll take about 1-2 hours to complete. This is an easy trail and starts at the suspension bridge (or you can use the cable car).
This is the perfect trail for beginner hikers or parents who want to hike with their children. The trail’s beginning point is the same as the Krokodilberg trail and here you’ll start along the river and the first stop will be the Hospital cave. Make your way down the tyre ladder to explore the cave at the bottom or watch the view of the river at the top.
You’ll also hike past Pruimpie se gat and the Dassie caves. The elevation gain is 70m.
There are clear signs indicating the end of the Dassie trail, if you decide to continue with the trail, you’ll do the Krokodilberg trail, which is an extra 8km.
Zebra Trail
The zebra trail is an easy to moderate 5km trail with an elevation gain of 110m. The trail will take 2 hours to complete and here you’ll see a variety of wildlife.
Here you’ll pass the Bokmakieries Bos, Oude Muragie and the Dassie caves.
Krokodilberg Trail
The longest trail of them all is 10km that’ll take about 3 to 4 hours to complete. The elevation gain is 400m and the trail is moderate to difficult.
The easy part
You’ll start along the river, where your first attraction will be the Hospital cave. Continue straight with the path where you’ll cross the river the first time via a suspension bridge. You’ll get to a crossroad, continue left with the Krokodilberg trail. This is also the end of the Dasie trail and the first escape route that’ll lead you back to the start of the trail.
After the crossroads, you’ll head straight to the mountain. This is where the first ascend starts and where the trail starts to become more moderate. You’ll make your way up the mountain until you get to a ladder connecting the next part of the route. Here is the second part of the trail’s escape route, and I would highly recommend you take the escape route if you are tired.
The moderate to difficult part
The next section of the trail (about 6km in) has no escape route and becomes a bit more difficult and advanced. The reason is because of the concentration needed for hiking this part. The trail has a lot of loose rocks and the trail is very slippery in certain areas. I would highly recommend that you do not attempt this part of the trail without proper hiking shoes. Especially after a rainy day. Some people took a fall (more than once) because they were not wearing the proper shoes.
Overall thoughts
I do like the escape routes this trail offers, as it makes it easy for novice hikers to start the trail and see how far they can come, and take the escape route if they feel like they’ve reached their limit.
Along this trail are various points of interest, starting with the Hospital cave, Pruimpie se gat, viewpoints, stone mounts, dolomite mines, Kalkoond and the Dassie caves.
Another great thing about this trail is that it will indicate to you how many km is left of the trail. And you’ll be glad when you see the ‘1km left’ sign.
I thoroughly enjoyed this hike and it has become one of my favourite trails in the area.
Is it safe to hike here?
This has probably been the most asked question I received for this trail. We did not feel unsafe at all while we were hiking and we were carrying around our cameras. However, I have heard of people who got robbed here (as at any of the other hiking spots). It is always important to stay vigilant while hiking and follow some safety rules.
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