{{Short description|Hiking trail along the Garden Route coast, South Africa}} {{Use South African English|date=March 2023}} {{Infobox hiking trail |name=Otter Trail |photo=Otter Trail03.jpg |caption=View from Skilderkrans across Bloubaai-Wes |location= Garden Route, South Africa |designation= |length_km=41 |trailheads=Storms River Mouth<br/>Nature's Valley |use=Hiking |elev_change= |highest= |lowest= |difficulty= |season= |months= |sights= |hazards= |map={{maplink|frame=yes|plain=yes|type=line|stroke-color1=#1e5833|id=Q7109422}} }} {{Otter Trail}} The '''Otter Trail''' is a hiking trail along the Garden Route coast of South Africa and is named for the Cape clawless otter<ref name="sayb15">{{cite book |title=South Africa Yearbook 2007/08 |editor=Delien Burger |publisher=South African Government Communication and Information System |edition=15 |pages=548 |chapter=20. Tourism |isbn=978-0-621-37568-8 |url=http://www.gcis.gov.za/docs/publications/yearbook/2008/ |access-date=2009-02-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090402173205/http://www.gcis.gov.za/docs/publications/yearbook/2008/ |archive-date=2009-04-02 |url-status=dead }}</ref> which occurs in this region. This trail is widely regarded as one of the finest in the world and stretches from Storms River Mouth in the east to Nature's Valley in the west, is 26 km long as the crow flies and 44 km as the hiker walks. Walking the trail takes 5 days, and the 4 nights are spent in comfortable huts with superb views. The route is located entirely within the Tsitsikamma National Park, which protects an 80 km long strip of coastal mountains, forest and beaches.
The trail traverses a very scenic landscape, never straying far from the shoreline, but often climbing steeply and then descending to the beach or a river crossing. Vegetation along the way is either fynbos, dense gallery forest or open, rocky sections near the sea with an abundance of wildflowers.
==Trail landmarks== * Storms River Mouth <small>{{coord|34|01|15.6|S|23|52|48|E|region:ZA_type:landmark|display=inline|name=Storms River Mouth}}</small> * Ngubu huts <small>{{coord|34|01|2.9|S|23|50|31.2|E|region:ZA_type:landmark|display=inline|name=Ngubu huts}}</small> * Oakhurst huts <small>{{coord|33|59|42.7|S|23|44|2.5|E|region:ZA_type:landmark|display=inline|name=Oakhurst huts}}</small> * Scott hut <small>{{coord|34|00|22.4|S|23|47|10.1|E|region:ZA_type:landmark|display=inline|name=Scott hut}}</small> * André huts <small>{{coord|33|58|45|S|23|37|5.3|E|region:ZA_type:landmark|display=inline|name=André Huts}}</small> * Grootrivier, Nature's Valley <small>{{coord|33|58|56|S|23|34|36|E|region:ZA_type:landmark|display=inline|name=Grootrivier}}</small>
==Trail stages== * Day 1 - 4.8 km (± 2 hours) Storms River Mouth - Ngubu * Day 2 - 7.9 km (± 4 hours) Ngubu - Scott * Day 3 - 7.7 km (± 4 hours) Scott - Oakhurst * Day 4 - 13.8 km (± 6 hours) Oakhurst - André * Day 5 - 9.8 km (previously 6.8 km) (± 3 hours) Vasselot - Nature's Valley * Total distance 44 km
==Elevation distances - vertical climb and descent== * Day 1 - 561 m total vertical - Climb 188 m - Descent -373 m * Day 2 - 1480 m total vertical - Climb 746 m - Descent -734 m * Day 3 - 1257 m total vertical - Climb 623 m - Descent -634 m * Day 4 - 1905 m total vertical - Climb 945 m - Descent -960 m * Day 5 - 926 m total vertical - Climb 466 m - Descent -460 m * Total elevation gain: 2 968m
==Gallery== <gallery> Otter Trail00.jpg|Tidal pools at Ngubu huts Otter Trail01.jpg|Oakhurst huts at Lottering estuary Otter Trail02.jpg|Sunset at André huts, Kliprivier Bloukrans river mouth on the Otter trail 2017 during high tide.jpg|Bloukrans river mouth </gallery>
==See also== * South African National Parks
==References== {{reflist}} * [http://www.parks-sa.co.za/parks/garden_route/camps/storms_river/tourism/otter.php Official site] at South African National Parks * [http://www.drivesouthafrica.co.za/blog/the-otter-trail-overnight-hike-general-information/ General Information on the Otter Trail]
== External links == {{commons category}} {{GeoGroupTemplate}} * [http://www.ralphpina.com/kml/Otter-Trail.kmz Download - Google Earth trail route KMZ file] * [http://www.sanparks.co.za/parks/garden_route/camps/storms_river/tourism/otter.php SANPARKS - Otter trail page] * [http://www.sofar.co.za/otter-trail-guide - The Otter Trail Guide] *[http://theotter.co.za/ - The Otter Trail Run page] * [http://www.otterhikingtrail.co.za/ - Otter Hiking Trail]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Otter Trail}} Category:Hiking trails in South Africa