HIKING TRAIL

The Unplanned 25km Hike: Vergenoeg to Van Gaalen Trail

There may not be an end in sight, but at least there are stunning views along the way.

I got a call from a friend who is also my hike partner about a trail. Although it has been a couple months since I hiked, he rallied me, and I thought it was an excellent idea since it was only a 10km trail.

Besides, the last trail we hiked was 14.5 km, which was my longest hike, so a 10km hike should be a piece of cake. It was an hour’s drive from the city centre. We stopped by a garage to get some snacks and some water — we each got two bottles of water, chocolate bars and some peaches, which in hindsight, was not enough for what we were about to face.

It was my first time hiking in about two months, and except for the usual ‘daily’ exercise, I only had a little training. Well, I thought I didn’t need that much training for a 10km hike.

We were in for a treat!

The Vergenoeg Hiking Trail is located in the Magaliesberg Nature Reserve, overlooking the Skeerpoort valley and the Hartbeespoort Dam in the Northwest Province of South Africa. The trail is approximately a 10.5km loop hike that takes you through some of the most beautiful scenery in the country. The trail starts at the Vergenoeg Dam and winds up to the top of Vergenoeg Mountain.

Over 200 bird species, the Cape vulture and more than 50 indigenous trees have been identified on the Vergenoeg Trails. The route options were:

• Yellow (easy) trail: 3km (80m elevation)

• Red (moderate) trail: 5km (360m elevation)

• Black (advanced) trail: 10km (680m elevation) ✅

Along the way, we got stunning views of the reserve and the surrounding mountains and valleys. The trail is considered moderate in difficulty and takes an average of 4–5 hours to complete.

What started as a casual hike with a friend went much further than intended. After about an hour of hiking, we reached about 200m above ground level. It was awesome, but by then, we were feeling pretty tired and thirsty and decided to have a quick water break and continue up to 650m.

The first 4km is death with aspects of rock climbing. Generally, well-marked until you reach the summit, where you are on your own. That is what makes this trail adventurous and challenging.

We finished our first loop and realized we had taken a wrong turn on the way back. We tried to retrace our steps, but after a while, it became clear that we were lost. We must have gone off the trail without realizing it.

We decided to keep going and see if we could find our way back. We walked for hours, and the sun started to go down. We were getting tired and still had yet to find our trail back. We began to worry about spending the night in the wilderness without food or water.

Finally, we found a sign that we thought would lead us back to our trail, but instead, we were on a different route altogether, the Van Gaalen trail, one we didn’t plan for and now would have to walk another 15km to where our car was parked.

The Van Gaalen trails cross over 30 private farms with over 80km of single-track throughout the Skeerpoort Valley. With loads of shade and a lush green river trail, the farm offers opportunities for mountain biking, trail running, hiking & birding.

I was quite amazed by how challenging it was, considering it did not have proper hills to climb. It is well marked though hiking between the reeds makes you feel like hiking through a maze.

I never thought I could push myself that hard physically and mentally, but the 25km hike from Vergenoeg to Van Gaalen’s trail proved me wrong. It was an unplanned hike — we had initially only planned to hike 10km — but we got lost and went much further.

Although we took breaks often to catch our breath and rest our tired muscles, even so, it was a challenging and strenuous hike. By the end, my legs were shaking, and I was covered in sweat, but it was a fantastic feeling to know that I had pushed myself to my limits and made it to the end.

This is one tough hike. It’s technical and requires patience, stamina and awe of what’s around you. The route instantly goes from 0 to 100 really quick. Make sure you hydrate and prepare yourself for a real challenge. The views at the top are exceptional, which makes all worthwhile. They still have to improve on route markings, and a map would be nice.

We finally returned to the parking lot just as night was falling, feeling all exhausted but also relieved and grateful that we had safely made it. We often thought to call the emergency number but decided to take it a km at a time. I learned much about myself on that hike, which I’ll never forget.

It was tough at times — we had to push ourselves physically and mentally to make it to the end. But it was worth it, as the views from the top and the scenery were incredible. We’ll definitely be planning another hike soon — but next time, we’ll be better prepared!

I learned that sometimes the best adventures are those you don’t plan for and that it’s important to be open to new experiences. It was a great adventure, and I loved being able to explore more of the area than I had initially planned.

This hike was one of the most challenging hikes I’ve ever done but also the most rewarding mentally and physically. I’m so glad I decided to go on this hike, and I encourage others to step out of their comfort zone and try something new!

It was definitely an adventure that we’ll never forget!

If you’re considering taking a long hike, go for it! You might surprise yourself with what you’re capable of. Hiking is one of the best, if not the number one, option to explore a country and its landscapes.

Making contact with nature makes the experience better than going for a walk.