Navigating the Hippo Trail and a Cranky Companion: Our Limpopo Finale

So it was the last hike of the getaway, and we decided on the Hippo trail.

It was the Limpopo side of the canyon, but we were willing to drive an hour to risk getting eaten by crocodiles that apparently roomed with the hippos in the dam. 

This was to be one of the ' better' hikes and we were looking forward to it. Okay, I was......Salt was now milking the recovery from the previous days, but I pretended not to notice and off we went, leaving at 6 to get there as they open by 7....'cos that's how we roll!!

Upon arrival, we were greeted with the warm hospitality of...…well..... absolutely no one. Not a word, not a welcome, not even a half-hearted grunt.

We handed over our cash to an indifferent gatekeeper, who didn’t bother with formalities like “hello” or “good luck.” No instructions, no map, not even a brochure—just a vague assumption that the trail would be so well-marked that even a blindfolded squirrel could navigate it.

Honestly, it was not. Turned out to be more like a vague suggestion, with paths that seemed to appear and disappear like mirages.

We wandered here, there, and everywhere, occasionally stumbling upon a trail marker that assured us we were not, in fact, wandering into hippo and croc-infested waters. 

The landscape had its moments of stunning beauty (mainly centered around the dam), but after the jaw-dropping views of our earlier hikes, this one felt a bit flat.

I was pretty thrilled to spot those familiar rock formations we had seen in Muningi Gorge, and thought we might never see again. They weren’t as overwhelmingly present as they were in Muningi, but every now and then, we’d stumble upon one of these rocks, just sitting there, reminding us of their pebble-producing potential.   

Two hours in, we found ourselves questioning whether we should press on or cut our losses.

Our car was parked where we started, and the last thing we wanted was to hike for four hours only to realize we had to trudge back the way we came.

We checked AllTrails (thank goodness for technology) and confirmed it wasn’t a loop. 

So, with a collective sigh, we decided to backtrack.

But on the way back, we stumbled onto a much more scenic route, complete with more rock scrambling and better views.

Now, I’m convinced we went off-track earlier because this part of the hike was actually quite amazing. I was soaking it all in, relishing the unexpected adventure, while Salt, bless his grumpy soul, was not.

By the end of it, I was the one glowing with positivity (as opposed to the previous day), while Salt was playing the part of the spoilt brat to perfection.

Maybe it was the fatigue or maybe it was just too many days spent navigating cliffs and questionable trails together.

Whatever it was, let’s just say the timing was perfect for our getaway to wrap up. The cliffs were beginning to seem like inviting alternatives with all the bickering going on.

AREA - Hippo Trail Blyde Canyon Nature Reserve - border of Mpumalanga and Limpopo

COST - R 25 pp

DIFFICULTY 

I can’t really give this hike a fair rating since we didn’t complete the entire trail. AllTrails lists it as "hard," and while there were definitely some strenuous sections, who knows what we might have encountered if we had gone all the way. 

LENGTH - 13.5 km

TIME - 4h 24m

We started the hike from the gate, made our way along the road to the trail, did what seemed to be about half the trail, and then backtracked after two hours. As for what we missed by not finishing the full route, it’s anyone’s guess.

ELEVATION -  581 m

MARKERS - Badly marked

ABLUTIONS - In the hut where you pay, but the gate keeper not totally happy about sharing it

SAFE PARKING

AMENITIES - none

ON A FINAL NOTE

This experience is all so subjective. When I read the reviews, I get the feeling we might have missed out on something truly exceptional. Honestly, if we ever make it back to that part of the world, I’d love to give it another shot.