Today’s hike begins with a very steep climb up the escarpment; over an infamous rocky outcrop called ‘Pigs Head’. After a relaxed evening, it is already time to break into a sweat. Despite gasping for breath, panoramic views and changing vegetation herald the arrival of the plateau and its wealth of fynbos.

Most of the day’s hike ventures through indigenous Afromontane forest, traversing inland towards the foothills of the Tsitsikamma Mountains.

This afternoon our team will stop for lunch at the spectacular Staircase Waterfall, which mesmerises the onlooker with her cascading water and glistening pools. Did you know? Tsitsikamma is a Khoisan word meaning, “place of abundant water.”

It’s still a tough day’s hike to finally reach the Bloukrans hut situated on the verge of a cliff that offers incredible views of the river gorges below, the Formosa Peak and the Tsitsikamma Mountains to the North. A couple of hundred metres beneath the balcony a coca-cola-coloured waterfall tumbles away. Here rock pools and falls provide much-needed relief to aching muscles.

Amidst this magical setting, our team will gather around tonight’s campfire for their team-building exercise before finally finding a bunk bed for a good night’s sleep.