Namaqualand's Grand Canyon

Want to sleep under the stars in a hidden canyon? Susan Skog and her friends were the first to do a new two-day trail in the Schaap River Canyon.

- Susan Skog

Our group of 10 hikers met up in Springbok. Some came from Hermanus, others from Kakamas and Vredendal. We drove in convoy to Nigramoep, a guest farm about 45 km north-west of Springbok.

Managers Suzette Louw and Johanna Dirksen van Schalkwyk welcomed us on the farm. After we unpacked, we headed out on the Vingerklip Trail (4,5 km) to warm up our muscles. The veld was scenic – the farm is known for its variety of local vegetation, including Namaqua red balloon, baboon toes and bushman’s candle.

Suzette and Johanna accompanied us on our hike. Suzette ambled along at a slow pace while Johanna moved through the veld like a klipspringer. We soon reached the finger-shaped rock formation that gives the short trail its name.

We were excited about the next day’s route. As the people of Namaqualand say: “Maak los die honne en kô stap saam!”

DAY 1 13 KM

After breakfast, around 8 am two pipe cars transported us to the starting point of the Schaap River Canyon. The veld had perked up after the first winter rains. I saw several colorful pelargoniums – apparently, up to 18 species have been recorded on the farm. Quiver trees and butter trees dotted the landscape.

We followed a footpath next to a fence. The landscape was rocky and we carefully made our way down a slope to a tributary of the Schaap River. The cliff faces around us glowed brown in the sun.

After about an hour, we took out our gas stoves, made coffee and ate biscuits. Then we slung our backpacks over our shoulders and climbed over some big, flat rocks into the sandy riverbed. We walked into the riverbed for about two hours. Quiver trees stood guard on rocky slopes that enclosed us like curtains.