Wilderness Trail information
This trail is fully catered, and all food will be transported into the wilderness trails camp on donkeys, but trailists will be expected to carry a daypack containing their personal affects, water and lunch. Personal items will, however, be transported back from the wilderness on the donkeys at the end of the trail.
Trailists are required to book in at Mpila camp by 12:00 on the first day, where they are met by the trails staff and given a trails briefing. After their bags are packed, trailists walk the approximate 7 km / 4.4 miles in to the Wilderness Satellite Camp where they will spend the following two nights in dome tents with mattresses, sleeping 2 mattresses per tent. The camp has no ablution facilities save for the traditional shower bucket of warm water, set up in a tree, and a spade, toilet paper and matches, which serve for a toilet.
Trailists walk back to Mpila camp on the third day, carrying only their personal affects and lunch. The trail ends after lunch.
The distance walked on the first day is approximately 7 km. The average distance covered on the second and third days can be up to 15 km / 9.3 miles, but is flexible depending on various factors. Trailists carry all their personal equipment on the first day. On the second and third days they carry only a light pack containing their picnic lunches and water bottles.
This trail is by no means an endurance test, but a fair level of fitness will ensure greater enjoyment.
THE WILDERNESS PARK WILL PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING:
- All food, tea, coffee, cold drinks
- Water bottles
- All bedding
- Towel
- All daypacks
- First Aid kit
CATERING
Catering is provided in the form of three meals per day, starting with dinner on the day of arrival and concluding with lunch on the day of departure. Meals are simple but nutritious, and quantities provided should satisfy most appetites. The menus have been developed with input from previous trailists and satisfy the palate of the average person. If you are a vegetarian or have special dietary requirements, please phone the iMfolozi Wilderness Trails office (035) 5508478 two weeks beforehand, and they will try to make arrangements, where possible. People with any special requirements may of course bring their own food and every assistance will be given to prepare it. Unfortunately, however there can be no reduction in the cost of the trail. Fruit and nuts are provided as snacks between meals. Trailists may also bring their own between meal snacks and refreshments.
ALCOHOLIC DRINKS
You are permitted to bring a little alcohol into the wilderness area, however no excessive drinking will be allowed for reasons of safety, and to avoid detracting from the wilderness ethic which involves quietly blending in with the environment. A good guideline is to keep within the legal alcohol limit for driving a vehicle. Remember that you need to carry this yourself on the first day.
In order to maintain the wilderness ethic and character, EKZN Wildlife’s facilities are restricted to the minimum of sophistication.
CLOTHING
Participants are requested to wear suitably coloured clothing that blends with the surroundings. The best colours are khaki and green. Inappropriate colours are white, red, yellow, orange and pink. In general, dark colours are better than light colours.
