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Die Hel, Groot Winterhoek

Klipspringer Cottage, Die Tronk to Die Hel

Grootwinterhoek Nature Reserve, Porteville, Western Cape

You will need to spend 2 nights minimum if you would like to spend a day hiking to Die Hel waterfall area.

Your first day from car to cottage is 14km, it is an easy hike but very long...with lots of little up and downs over rocks on the trail. With a couple of water spots to either fill up your water bottle or have a quick dip along the way, there is very little shade, so the swimming spots are a delight!

Day 2 will be an easy hike to the waterfall, with a very steep (moderate to difficult) climb down to the water and back up again. This is an epic place to visit and spend a few hours!

Day 3 will be back to the car on the same trail you came in on.

This is a spectacular hike with lots of little ups and down's over rocks, would be recommended to start training your calf muscles for this one! Through fynbos, over hills, past streams and having a wonderful oasis of a rock pool to stop for a refreshing dip and a break.

This hike is long and easy to moderate, becoming difficult on the last leg (and on your last legs) towards Die Tronk, as it is quite an uphill. Plan to start early so you can enjoy the scenery. As you near the edge the path leads to the left by a large rock, it is not clearly marked - DO NOT go straight towards edge of cliff, make sure you take a left towards the steps.

The hike to Die Hel is worth the effort, although easy up to the steep steps down the biggest rock pool in the Western Cape. Where you can spend hours swimming in the enormous black water. Taking a tube will help getting you across to the waterfall, as the water is quite chilly. Enomous boulders decorate the valley with lots of nooks and crannies to picnic and suntan. And then another steep climb back up the steps.