Fully revised and updated, and with 60 new trails added, this fifth edition of Hiking Trails of South Africa is an essential resource for every hiker. Written by well-known author Willie Olivier, this extensive guide describes more than 500 trails across magnificent landscapes, from the iconic fynbos of the Western Cape to the majestic slopes of the Drakensberg. Whether you choose to hike close to civilization or explore a more remote area, take a short, hour-long walk or tackle an overnight hike of several days, there is a trail for you. Trail information includes: Distance and average hiking time; facilities, accommodation and activities available; points of interest and notes on flora and fauna. The book also includes advice on selecting hiking equipment, staying safe on the trail and dealing with emergencies. Sales points: Over 500 trails, with 60 new ones added; fully updated booking and permit information; trails to suit every level of fitness and ability; expert advice on planning, preparation, nutrition, equipment, first aid and general safety.

South Africa has a unique set of characteristics that make walking safaris in big game areas one of the safest and most rewarding outdoor experiences: a huge expanse of protected habitat richly populated with wildlife; excellent tourism facilities; a favourable climate; and expertly trained trail guides. Seasoned hikers, Hlengiwe Magagula and Denis Costello describe more than 50 guided walks across 22 parks and reserves in South Africa – from short dawn and dusk walks and multi-day outings from a base camp to backpacking trails that span several days. Facilities range from ultra-luxurious to ‘wild camping’, either in tents or under the stars. Also included is a series of first-hand accounts that vividly illustrate the magical experience of exploring the bush on foot. An advisory section gives a rundown of when to go, what to pack, what to wear, and the dos and don’ts of walking in areas with big game. Both a practical guide to walking in the wild and a lodestar to the wonders and restorative powers of the natural world. Sales points: Multiple trail types, durations and difficulty levels to suit all needs; experts’ selection of safe, affordable walks led by professional guides; practical advice, inspiring first-hand accounts, and full-colour images.

With stories of 50 incredible hiking routes in 30 countries, from New Zealand to Peru, plus a further 150 suggestions, Lonely Planet’s Epic Hikes of the World will inspire a lifetime of adventure on foot. From one-day jaunts and urban trails to month-long thru-hikes, cultural rambles and mountain expeditions, each journey shares one defining feature: being truly epic. In this follow-up to Epic Bike Rides and Epic Drives, we share our adventures on the world’s best treks and trails. Epic Hikes is organised by continent, with each route brought to life by a first-person account, beautiful photographs and charming illustrated maps. Additionally, each hike includes trip planning advice on how to get there, where to stay, what to pack and where to eat, as well as recommendations for three similar hikes in other regions of the world. Hikes featured include: Africa & the Middle East: Cape Town’s Three Peaks (South Africa) Kilimanjaro (Tanzania) Camp to Camp in South Luangwa National Park (Zambia) Americas: Angel’s Landing, Zion National Park (USA) Skyline Trail, Jasper National Park (Canada) Concepción volcano hike (Nicaragua) Asia: 88 Sacred Temples of Shikoku Pilgrimage (Japan) Markha Valley (India) Gubeikou to Jinshanling on the Great Wall (China) Europe: Wordsworth’s Backyard: Dove Cottage and around Rydal and Grasmere (UK) Alpine Pass Route (Switzerland) Camino de Santiago (Spain) Oceania: Sydney’s Seven Bridges Walk (Australia) The Routeburn Track (New Zealand) Kokoda Track (Papua New Guinea) About Lonely Planet: Lonely Planet is a leading travel media company and the world’s number one travel guidebook brand, providing both inspiring and trustworthy information for every kind of traveller since 1973. Over the past four decades, we’ve printed over 145 million guidebooks and grown a dedicated, passionate global community of travellers. You’ll also find our content online, on mobile, video and in 14 languages, 12 international magazines, armchair and lifestyle books, ebooks, and more. Important Notice: The digital edition of this book may not contain all of the images found in the physical edition.

What are the world’s greatest destinations? Where are the best places to travel solo? From airport fashion to road trip rules, professional traveller Brooke Saward shows us where to go, what to do and how to get that holiday feeling without even leaving home. Full of beautiful photographs that will ignite the imagination and featuring enduring favourites like Paris, New York, and London, this is the book that will inspire you to make every day an adventure.

With this detailed guide, you can save valuable time when planning your hiking adventure in South Africa. For three years, the authors explored and recorded 837 kilometers (523 miles) of astonishing hiking trails and walks in amazing landscapes, encountering giraffes, zebras and rhinos, magnificent valleys, and unique people and culture. Most trails can be completed in 4-6 hours as day trips from Pretoria and Johannesburg. The more than 120 hiking trails in this guidebook have been grouped into the following geographic areas: • Pretoria and surroundings; • The Magaliesberg Mountain Range (northern and southern slopes); and • Johannesburg and surroundings. The book provides easy to understand custom-made hiking maps and trail descriptions. Users of the book also have access to a unique collection of GPS E-trails. Trails in the guidebook are classified either as a wildlife or nature hike/walk. A trail can be easy, moderately difficult or best suited for advanced hikers. Although most trails can be completed without a GPS device, owners of the book can download carefully recorded E-trails (1,136 waypoints) to maximize their time on the trail, exploring the hiking grounds using GPS devices and GPS enabled smart phones and tablets. Users of the book also have access to the Day Trip Finder and the Itinerary Planner. These interactive planning tools provide hikers easy access to trail descriptions based on many search criteria including waterfalls, historic sites, wildlife (zebras, giraffes, wildebeests, rhinos, etc.) and other interesting artifacts on the trail. The guidebook has been written with the independent traveler in mind, but is also a valuable source of hiking ideas if you plan to organize your holiday with a travel company. --- With the Cape Peninsula, Garden Route, Kruger Park and the Drakensberg Mountain Range, South Africa is a major tourist destination. Millions of tourists explore these magnificent places annually, bringing home memories of a beautiful and diverse country. Less known are the incredible national and municipal parks, numerous private nature reserves and the many little towns in the northern part of South Africa in and around Pretoria and Johannesburg that offer equally interesting experiences. If you visit South Africa beyond the major tourist centers or if you live in the major metropolitan areas, you will be amazed what the country presents in terms of its people, culture, nature, wildlife sightings, hiking, walking, food, wine, local craft beers and entertainment. Unknown to many, the nature reserves and wildlife parks in and around Pretoria and Johannesburg have outstanding hiking opportunities that can easily compete with other destinations in South Africa. --- Travelers will find South Africa: Hiking Trails in and Around Pretoria and Johannesburg and its multimedia resources an invaluable "next generation" resource guide to explore the region from a truly unique perspective.

Whether it be through far-flung deserts, luxuriant forests or majestic alpine terrain, when we choose to walk rather than fly or drive, something wonderful happens: our awareness and appreciation of the natural world begins to grow. It can be the faint sound of a gently meandering stream, the distinct smell of decaying leaves on a crisp autumn morning, or even a bowl of cereal that never tasted better than when eaten on a mountaintop at sunrise. Whatever your hiking dreams and goals may be, this book will inspire you to plan and realize your your journeys.