Country Life January 2012 by Fiona McIntosh
‘slackpacking began on the Wild Coast – and the two are made for each other’
‘I’m often asked what’s the best slackpacking trail in South Africa. And given that there are now some 60 to choose from, it’s not an easy question to answer. But if I had to pick one it would be the Wild Coast Meander. It’s not just the spectacular topography and colourful local people that influence my choice, it’s the sense of history. For this was where local slackpacking all began.’
Getaway Magazine– 2011 by Lisa Johnston
This was just the beginning of an Eastern Cape epic, which had been a tailored by the good folk at Wild Coast Holiday Reservations.
For starters they sent me hiking, a prime taster of the southern end of the region. Mine was a deviation of the Wild Coast Meander and Wild Coast Amble put together. Both are hiking trails covering the southern part of the region’s coastline
Volksblad 2009 by Anton de Klerk
Geniet die perfekte gesinsuitstappie aan Wildekus Beleef onvergeetlike week in ’n stukkie paradys
Toyota Zone 2008 by Geoff Dalglish
If you fancy a change of pace, why not park the car and stroll for a few days down the pristine beaches of the Wild Coast?
For days the song kept playing in my head and eventually I could ignore it no longer, following the advice of American rock musician Lou Reed to “Take a walk on the wild side.”
In my case it meant getting me to East London, from where I was transported to the start of the Wild Coast Meander, a popular five-night package that involves hiking some of the most beautiful Eastern Cape beaches, with a friendly family hotel welcoming you each day.
Wild Life Conservation Magazine 2008 by Margaret Shakespeare
White breakers glare like the bared teeth of a pitbull gang, and the surf churns a guttural warning. Wind kicks sand in my eyes, against my shins, into my shoes and socks. Then it slaps me back and forth across the face and pushes and shoves like a bully as I retreat from the rosy sand beach to climb a steep green slope. Welcome to the Wild Coast! I have come to South Africa’s Eastern Cape Province to walk along the Indian Ocean for a week or so. Right away, the coast challenges me with untamed terms, which I happily accept. For the Wild Coast, extending 200 miles from Port Edward west to East London, remains one of those notable places where asphalt and automobiles have not intruded much. Instead, gently worn paths lace together huddles of brightly painted sod huts of Xhosa villagers and a handful of simple hotels that host fishermen, families on holiday, and hikers like me. Last May, West Coast Holiday Reservations arranged for me to join seven fellow hikers at Kob Inn, a three-hour drive from East London.
Vision Magazine 2008 by Geoff Dalglish
If your idea of bliss is strolling down pristine beaches without another soul in sight, how about a gentle six-day hike along the Wild Coast?
If you sometimes wonder what you’re missing as the world flashes past your car windows at 120km/h, how about a change of pace, following Lou Reid’s advice to “Take a walk on the wild side.”
What I’d like to tempt you with is the Wild Coast Meander, a popular five-night, six-day stroll along some of the most beautiful beaches on the planet, with a friendly family hotel awaiting your pleasure each evening.
Few sensory experiences are more deliciously indulgent than the feeling of soft sea-sand beneath bare feet and the caress of a warm ocean as you stroll along deserted beaches, where the rolling green hills of the Eastern Cape tumble down to the sea.
AA Traveller 2008 by Fiona McIntosh
So you’re a keen hiker who likes to get out into the wilderness but still enjoy a few of life’s luxuries like a soft bed, a beer and a good meal at the end of the day? Well, allow me to let you in on a little secret. There are now a number of luxury overnight trails where you can get exactly that. Welcome to slackpacking. Slackpacking is backpacking without the schlep; the key feature being that trail organisers transport your bags between overnight spots so you can really backpack in comfort. Not having to worry about weight or space you can set off on a five-day hike with sets of clean clothes, toiletries, books and even your favourite tipple. There is no better way to experience the Wild Coast.
Odyssey Magazine 2006
If you want to re-connect with your environment, what better way than joining the Wild Coast Meander or Amble? A tanned and fitter Geoff Dalglish reports on both hikes.
Signing up for a six-day walk on the wild side is an important gift to body, mind and soul, leaving the stresses of busy city lives behind and connecting with the wonders of the Universe again. Of course, you could argue that it would simply be a few days of exercise in the fresh air against the backdrop of stunning Wild Coast scenery, with the option to choose the Meander, Amble or newly created Hole-in-the-Wall hike.
Africa Geographic, March 2006
Wild-side Walking
Intro: In a complete change of gear, Geoff Dalglish and Adelle Horler swapped their tyres for takkies and took a walk along the former Transkei’s Wild Coast.
If you’re the sort who is never too far from a 4×4, do you also sometimes wonder what you’re missing as Africa flashes past your car window?
So, for a change of pace, we took Lou Reed’s advice and signed up for a “walk on the wild side”, a slow five-day hike along the deliciously isolated bays and beaches of the former Transkei coast, where rolling green hills tumble down to the sea and cattle are the only others sharing the sand.
Billed the Wild Coast Meander, the trail pioneered the concept of walking from one beach hotel to the next.
Country Life 2006 by Chris Marais
Just before the Christmas break of 2005, SA Country Life did a tour of four coastal establishments, some older than others. It was organised by Helen Ross of Wild Coast Holiday Reservations. and it took us a week to tour this fascinating part of the world. The Transkei is arguably the poorest area in South Africa in terms of material wealth, yet possibly the richest in coastal wilderness and pristine beach-assets. Let’s hope the developers and miners can see the sense of steering clear of the Wild Coast, and that simple grass roots-, adventure- and family tourism brings in so much money nobody needs to rip the earth up for profit – or pave it all over. Let’s just hope…
Out There Magazine- 2006 by Fiona McIntosh
The luxury, fully catered and guided trails The Wild Coast suite of trails are run by Wild Coast Holiday Reservations
Wild Coast Meander… It seems fitting to start where slackpacking began in SA, on the beaches of the Transkei. Nita Ross had been hiking this coast for years but it was inaccessible, and even frightening to outsiders. Queen Nita, as those working on the trail fondly call her, had an idea – why not train up and employ local people as guides and porters and launch a five-day trail overnighting in the friendly, quaint Wild Coast hotels? At the end of the 1990s she did just that and the Wild Coast Meander has gone from strength to strength. It’s hardly surprising – not only is the scenery unbelievably beautiful but this remote area of the country remains relatively untouched by the trappings of civilisation.
Mango Juice Magazine 2006 by Karena du Plessis
A walk on the Wild Side…
Hiking from one Wild Coast hotel to another is a wonderful way to spend a holiday. After months of being housebound with a young baby, Karena du Plessis decided to break loose and stretch her legs on the untamed Eastern Cape coast. The Wild Coast Meander gives hikers the best of both worlds. You get to walk the beautiful coastline, but at the end of the day there’s a comfy bed, hot shower and fabulous food waiting for you. The trip takes five days and the distances vary enormously. Overall it is 57kms, but some days are as short as 6km, while the longest day is 22km. The names of the hotels – Kob Inn, Mazeppa, Wavecrest, Trennery’s, Seagulls and Morgan Bay – are reassuringly familiar. Somehow they occupy a comfortable spot in the psyche of many South Africans and seem to belong to a different era along with Scope magazine, Springbok Radio and Squad Cars on a Friday night.