Sleeping Beauty Hiking Trail

We didn’t know about the Sleeping Beauty Hiking Trail until a few months ago when a friend of ours brought it up as she had her eye on it when driving between Knysna and Cape Town. Since then it’s been both on our radar and todo list.

We did this trail in August 2024 and it’s recommended for either March to April or August to September as the fynbos is the most beautiful during these times and the fynbos and flora was really spectacular. The weather was also very nice as it can get quite hot and cold here but always be prepared for a change in weather as usual in the mountains.

The trail starts in the Garcia Pass North of Riversdale near the old toll house that was built here in the late 1800s. You can park at the toll house, be careful crossing the road here as the cars come down the pass quite fast. The trail starts on the left hand side of the road just 140m up the road as you go up from the toll house.

Once you step off the road and into the trail you might as well step into another world surrounded by fynbos and beauty with the sounds of birds and the nearby stream filling the air.

The first section of the trail is moderate and winds up the valley through fynbos and some forest and crosses the stream a few times. At around 2.3km there is a small indigenous rainforest and here you will find two picnic benches next to the stream. This is a great spot to take a break before heading up and can also be a very nice destination for a shorter walk. If you are continuing up, consider filling your water bottles here at the stream as there is no water once you start climbing.

Shortly after the picnic spot and the forest you start climbing up the end of the valley towards the saddle between Sleeping Beauty and the Langeberg Mountain Range. This section of the trail has quite a few switchbacks or zigzags as you are climbing. These help reduce the incline of the trail which not only make it easier to climb but also plays an important role in reducing erosion, please stay in the path and do not use the shortcuts in between the switchbacks.

There is a rich diversity of flora and a variety of bird species to be heard and seen here. The Langeberg Pincushion and Cape Snow amongst others were in flower when we were there. You can see the flora change as you head higher up the mountain.

The path makes a T-junction as you climb out of the valley, you should follow the path left from here, the path to the right is closed. Once on the saddle the views South over Riversdale, Heidelberg and the patches of farmland unfold. The views stretch further as you climb and soon you can also see North over the mountains across the Karoo towards Ladysmith and the Swartberg Mountains where Towerkop and Seweweekspoort Peak beckons.

The last stretch follows a steep path up towards the top of Sleeping Beauty also known as Mosambiekkop although that is probably not as well known. Once on top the views stretch even further and you can now see Stilbaai and on a clear day even Table Mountain! Between the large rocks at the highest point there is a tin with a summit log where you can write your name and read of other’s experiences as well.

We spent some time on the summit just soaking in the views and sunshine. Three Verreaux Eagles came soaring up from lower down and soared right past us, their over 2m wingspan a sight to behold. Some other hikers from Riversdale we met on the summit told us about a local challenge, the Beast Challenge, where you see how many times you can do this trail in a day with some doing it as many as three times!

After a well deserved break on the summit we started our hike back down following the same route we came up on. As one would imagine, the downhill is not as strenuous as the uphill, however it usually takes almost as long and can be strenuous on one’s knees. Take it slow and make sure of every step, I find you are more likely to slip on the downhill.

As we descended into the lower parts of the valley the sun dipped behind the peaks. A variety of bird species that live here were out and about going about their business in the fynbos whilst singing cheerfully. Once you pass the picnic spot on your way back the trail levels out somewhat and you are in the final stretch back to the start.

We finished just in time to see the sunset and basically spent the whole day on the trail so make sure you have enough time depending on your typical pace. We started just after 8am and finished just after 5pm so about 9 hours on the trail whilst about 5 hours of that was spent walking.

It is a beautiful hike with amazing views and we would definitely recommend doing it! As always in the mountains, take warm clothes and enough food for the hike and, of course, your camera.

​Distances: 12km to the top and back
Difficulty: Moderate to the picnic spot and back. Challenging to the top and back.
Dogs: Not allowed
Route markers: None really, we saw two painted feet along the way. The trail is very well established and clear and there are a few different notice signs along the way that also confirm you are still on track.
Managed by: Cape Nature
Permits & Cost: ​Permits obtained through Cape Nature. Costs were R50pp when we did it in the winter of 2024.
Contact numbers: 
Directions: From Riversdale take the R323 towards Ladysmith and a few kilometers out of Town you will start going up Garcia Pass. About 18km from town you will pass the old toll house on your right hand side, a white building with a green roof and you can stop here. The trail starts on the left hand side about 140m further up the road.
Coordinates:
Toll house – S33°57’16.308 E21°13’32.052
Trail head – S33°57’11.952 E21°13’32.627
T-junction – S33°57’27.72 E21°11’26.555
Summit – S33°57’57.024 E21°11’46.656
Other: The water in the streams is drinkable.

Download .GPX file of the route. (50KB)