B'sorah:Hiked The 18 km Trail (And Lived to Blog About It)

jeeksparties8
Apr 28
3 min read

So, how exactly did I end up doing 18 km at B’sorah? Excellent question. Honestly, it’s one I was asking myself somewhere around kilometer 14.

Let’s rewind. One of my first “I-have-no-idea-what-I’m-doing-but-let’s-go” hikes was at B’sorah. It involved my son Salt, some vague memories of pretty rocks, and a general haze of struggle. I couldn't remember a thing—just vibes and vague trauma.

So, naturally, I wanted to go back and document it properly this time. You know, for the blog (and my future self who forgets everything 48 hours later).

I originally booked a modest, respectable 10km hike with Carol from Go Hiking SA. Then came the rain… of course. Cancelled.

She really tried to reschedule to accomodate everyone, but every time she tried to reschedule, my calendar was full...because of course I don't hike spontaneously...stop

being ridiculous.

There are spreadsheets and stuff.

So when the message finally came—“B’sorah, 18 km, are you keen?”—I thought it's now or never, and said yes.

But what? It landed smack on Day 4 of a marathon hiking weekend. I could’ve stayed home, sorted photos, caught up on blogs like a responsible adult.

But noooo. Why would I do something sensible like rest? Obviously, I’d rather commit to an aggressively long hike, stumble home at 4 pm with dust in my teeth and regret in my feet, and then begin the ridiculous task of sorting photos and writing blog posts—because apparently I believe in fairy tales where that kind of productivity happens after 18 km. By midnight? Maybe. Hopefully. Realistically?

We set out bright and early—my soul was not bright, but sure, it was technically early—and by the 300-meter mark, I was already questioning every life decision that led me there.

The start was... underwhelming. A bit of a flat yawn. All I could think was, “Where’s the beauty I remember?” But I reminded myself: when you’re doing 18 km, you need a little breathing room. The trail can’t be a showstopper from start to finish—you’d pass out from over stimulation. Or die. Possibly both.

And then… it turned. Gorgeous rock formations, sneaky little rock pools, actual views that slapped me back into the moment. There were long stretches of mellow trekking (great for internal monologues and regretting life), but they were punctuated by deliciously technical bits, a few inclines that made me question gravity, and a couple of rather rude uphills that I will both curse and respect forever.

Honestly? It was amazing. It felt a lot easier than I thought it would, but still kicked your ass and filled your soul.

The final stretch took us through an absolutely stunning forest—like, actual “I’m about to befriend a talking deer” levels of magical.

So, B’sorah, 18 km later—I see you, I survived you, and I will definitely remember you this time. (But just in case...I'm putting it in the blog...maybe twice.)

RATING

AREA

Magaliesburg...naturally.

DIFFICULTY

Moderate in difficulty, but long enough to test your endurance,. A bit sneaky with some inclines, and a few technical bits.

Not for beginners, but also not quite a “seasoned hiker’s exclusive club” either. It’s that sweet spot where you might not die, but you’ll definitely know you’re alive by the end.