Kgaswane Summit Trail

The Summit Trail is one of two 2-day overnight trails in the Magaliesberg at Kgaswane Nature Reserve, formerly the Rustenburg Nature Reserve. The other 2-day overnight trail is the Baviaanskloof Trail.

Beauty rating: 4/5
Difficulty rating: 7.5/10
Technical rating: Standard walking trail, with limited scrambling over rocky outcrops. Trail marking is not always evident.
Distance: 25 km

Hike Structure

The Summit Trail is a circular route. We started from Naga Hut, which is towards the far end of Kgaswane Nature Reserve, and walked in an anti-clockwise direction. The alternative is to start at Witkruiskrans Hut, near the main entrance. It may well be that the conventional way to do the Summit Trail is to start at Witkruiskrans Hut, which lies at the foot of the Magaliesberg.

One day of the Summit Trail is 14 km long while the other is 11 km. Based on time spent walking, we believe we did the longer day first and the shorter day second, but this is speculation as such details are not indicated on either the trail map or at the huts.

Kgaswane Nature Reserve

Kgaswane Nature Reserve was proclaimed in 1967. Five decades of protection later, it remains pristine highveld and bushveld. I did not see a single invasive tree, which is quite something for a hiking trail. We hiked in late February, and the veld was lush and green — it was beautiful.

What You Will See

The Magaliesberg, which usually comprises a single ridge running east to west, deviates from its usual pattern at Kgaswane Nature Reserve. For a 20 km stretch, it forms two main ridges running parallel and about 10 km apart, with a flat, high-lying valley in between. This valley forms the centre of Kgaswane Nature Reserve, containing a large vlei and expansive highveld-like grassland.

The Summit Trail circles this basin, traversing a variety of veld types. Near the summit there is open grassland exposed to the elements, where only hardy plants and animals survive. The highest point on the trail is just under 1,700 metres. Lower down you’ll find bushveld, with indigenous forest in sheltered kloofs and around southern cliffs. On the whole, the veld types are wonderfully varied, making for interesting hiking.

Animal life is similarly impressive. We saw impala, kudu, eland, zebra, red hartebeest, blesbok, grey rhebuck, and plenty of noisy baboons. We also stumbled upon two snakes, one being a python. A squirrel entertained us at Witkruiskrans Hut and we shared our hut with a bat. We didn’t see any sable antelope, although Kgaswane reportedly holds the southernmost population of this species.

Hikers will enjoy panoramic views in all directions. Kgaswane is located at a pivot in the Magaliesberg range, where the mountain changes direction from east–west to north–south. You’ll have great views north towards Rustenburg and Pilanesberg, west towards the Marico, south towards Magaliesburg, and east along the ranges.

The rock pools in Tierkloof are one of the highlights of the hike.

Hiking Challenges

The biggest challenge was the weather. We had an unusually humid weekend with unrelenting sunshine. Hikers are often exposed to the sun, and we all ended up with some degree of sunburn. The terrain is moderately challenging, with plenty of scrambling over rocky Magaliesberg terrain.

Constructive Criticism

The trail, although marked with painted footprints, can be difficult to follow at times. Large parts are faint or non-existent, which may frustrate inexperienced hikers but adds a bit of adventure for those who enjoy route-finding. It did slow us down, though, and left us exasperated at times.

As for the huts — I’m not one to complain about amenities, but some hikers may expect more. Neither hut has proper showers or nearby streams, so you’ll likely be washing in a basin of cold water, if at all. Otherwise, the huts were clean and well-stocked with decent firewood.

I digress a little, but what would be truly great is a 4- to 5-day trail from Kgaswane Nature Reserve to Hartbeespoort Dam, following the crest of the Magaliesberg. The Summit Trail is just too short.

Conclusion

For a 2-day hike near Gauteng, I liked the Summit Trail very much. It’s one of the better overnight trails in the northern part of South Africa. The landscape is varied and attractive, the views are spectacular, and wildlife sightings are abundant. It offers enough challenge to leave you with a satisfying sense of accomplishment — and it’s only about 90 minutes from both Pretoria and Johannesburg.

How to Book

Contact North West Parks Board:
Kgaswane Mountain Reserve – Tel: 014 533 2050
Email: kgaswane@nwpb.org.za
Website: www.northwestparks.org.za

A map will be provided to hikers upon arrival.