Wild Coast Homestay Huts & Local Guides

16/05/2024

I am assisting two ultra trail runners, Johan and Jana, (husband and wife) who plan to run the entire Wild Coast from the Umtamvuna River(Casino) to the Kei River (Morgan Bay). Trail running is their idea of a holiday - this is not intended as a race of any kind.

Overnight accommodation has been provided as per the table above – I am still trying to find accommodation at Mqaleni / Mngazana and The Haven. Please PM me if you can assist.

My primary motivation in getting involved is to have another good news story that presents the Wild Coast as an adventure destination in a positive light, the possibility of an Ultra Trail Run along the entire Wild Coast is still a secondary motivation as there are still many logistical and financial considerations.

Having lived in Zithulele for a few years Johan and Jana have a pretty good idea of what the Wild Coast is about.

A special shout out to thank for helping coordinate homestay accommodation. Please PM me if you are able to assist in any way. (Once accommodation is sorted I will be reaching out for “watering holes / check points” along their route. For those who would like to follow I will start posting to Instagram

01/08/2023

Planning a slack packing adventure holiday along the Wild Coast has never been easier. https://bit.ly/Homestay_Huts

Meet up at any of the homestays, leave your vehicles and then hike, mountain bike or even paddle to your end point. (Your guide will organise a shuttle to get you back )

All you need carry is a daypack with your lunch – which is provided by the homestay!

Six villages (15 Wild Coast Homestay Huts) between Port Edwards >> Port St. Johns and Hole in the Wall offer clean, comfortable, catered accommodation. (Click on the homestay to book)

For the most part they are all within 10Km/15Km hiking distance of each other along the route.

Mix and match Wild Coast Homestay Huts and Hotels

https://bit.ly/Homestay_Huts

11/07/2023

Ntshangase Wild Coast Homestay Hut has been added to the Umzila Ka Bawo Heritage Route ( https://bit.ly/UmzilaKaBawo )

The most authentic Camino styled adventure heritage route in South Africa. Stay in Wild Coast Homestay Huts owned by the Magic Mamas and walk the trails with their sons.

Mama Ntshangase is renowned for being one of the best bakers along the Wild Coast – If ever there is a reward for a hard day of walking it has to be Mama Ntshangase’s hot, freshly baked cakes!

One of my favourite stories about how the Homestay Huts have come into existence is the one I tell about the Msikaba Wild Coast Homestay Huts where the Mom’s started out with one hut. To share the love, they took turns in hosting and in time built the next homestay hut.

Mama Ntshangase’s homestay is on the left, a short walk up the road from the Msikaba River – you can’t miss it, on a hot day she’ll have the umbrella up in front of the homestay with freshly baked treats, fruit juices, tea and coffee waiting for you.

Copy and paste the link below - it will take you to Google Maps Explore her facilities in 360° Google Maps Street View and see exactly what to expect.
https://goo.gl/maps/ifPEFydk4N8NkXsEA

08/06/2023

Explore and book Zanele's Wild Coast Homestay Hut on Google Maps Street View - one of fifteen Wild Coast Homestay Huts on the Umzila Ka Bawo Heritage Route ( https://bit.ly/UmzilaKaBawo ) that are now live and bookable from Google Maps Street View - with thanks to Wild Coast ZA

Slackpacking along the Wild Coast has never been easier; all you need is a daypack and a guide.

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

08/06/2023

Sh🌍wcasing the existence and beauty of the Wild Coast on a global platform☀️
https://www.traveltalkmag.com/international-travel/unearthing-the-trail-of-ancestors/

Traveltalk, Australia's favourite travel magazine writes about the Wild Coast coming to life on Google Maps Street View BY:Jenny Megan Evans Traveltalk

Mike Baker has spent the last 4 years working to create the Umzila Ka Bawo Heritage route, a Camino style walking trail on South Africa’s Wild East Coast and not only that, he’s also photographed it and put it on Google maps.

07/06/2023

Xolobeni Dunes - If the dunes disappear we loose another piece of the Wild Coast disappears too. It's an UNKNOWN place to Google How can we possibly get the world to rally behind us if nobody knows where it is and how the dunes are more valuable wild than becomming a mine? https://conta.cc/3MXA9q4

We have a story to tell and we can tell it live on Google Maps for the World to explore: If you have a story and and exact location please email [email protected]

29/07/2022

Please help Keep the Wild Coast Wild. We are going to capture and upload all the unmapped roads, tracks, adventure trails and the magnificence of the Wild Coast and upload to Google Maps Street View. https://conta.cc/3S9Yef3

The Umzila Ka Bawo Expedition is an expedition to capture and upload the unmapped roads, tracks and adventure trails of the Wild Coast to Google Maps Street View     Hey Mike, It feels like years sinc

07/06/2022

Lusiki Farmers Market
Feel, Taste, experience the Wild Coast

04/06/2022

26/05/2022

On a micro level this is just one tiny annual event that, by design, ensures tourism equity transformation within the involved tourism enterprises. And it’s a win, win for all who participate.
a. R150,000 is being spent on accommodation and guides : 2 Hotels and 2 homestays and 1 guide
b. After the series (three back to back events) the route will be managed by the local guide:
a. If bookings are made directly with the guide, the guide will make the bookings with the hotels and homestays
b. If the bookings are made with the hotel or homestay, the hotel or homestay will make the booking with the guide
c. As is the case with all events, the marketing they do for the event is marketing for the Wild Coast (With Google Maps Street View in place the effect of bringing the attention of the wild coast is increased exponentially)

And we get to do it again next year.

The series will be delivered by Living Colour as a bespoke mountain biking adventure for small groups of up to 10 mountain bikers Breaking News: New Wild Coast Mountain Biking Series CHASING WATERFALL

19/05/2022

19/05/2022

Umzila KaBawo (The path of our fathers) Expedition is starting

An expedition to map the Wild Coast on Google Maps Street View

So that people around the world can explore the Wild Coast ONLINE, see exactly what to expect and book directly with places to stay and things to do/visit like; hotels, guest houses and homestay huts and local guides

602,000 360-Degree images
A cultural and environmental snapshot
The Wild Coast exactly as it is today

Visitors will have correct directions and know what to expect every step of the way

They will also know exactly what to expect when they get there

Emergency and recovery teams will know exactly where they are going, how to get there and what they are dealing with when they arrive

With the support of the Wild Coast Holiday Association we tested the concept, its feasibility and loca support. The results surpassed all expectations and the Umzila KaBawo expedition is preparing to get underway.

During the feasibility trials we captured/uploaded 360-Degree Street View Images for
130km of Roads: https://goo.gl/maps/G4j1mmFYaShgEee26
5km of hiking trails: https://goo.gl/maps/mQAh14ARE3QknmDFA
10 Attractions and places: https://goo.gl/maps/aNufwFHJ6Jgvry1U7

These have had over 200,721 views to date - people around the world are exploring sections of the Wild Coast that have never been available on Google maps before.

EVERYONE IS INVIITED TO JOIN US ON ANY ASPECT OF THIS EXPEDITION
TOGETHER WE CAN BRING PROSPERITY TO THE VILLAGES AND KEEP THE WILD COAST WILD

19/05/2022

18/02/2022

WELCOME Unathi Mpinyane
NQF Level 2. Nature Site Guide

Helping keep the Wild Coast wild

DO THE RIGHT THING!
If you’re exploring the Wild Coast take a certified Wild Coast guide with you.

You get to discover places you never knew existed

Your guide you in terms of local customs and traditions when introducing you to land owners and Homestay moms who own the land you are passing through

DM or contact us ☝️For more info or to find a local Wild Coast guide or to book a Homestay

18/02/2022

WELCOME Unathi Mpinyane
NQF Level 2. Nature Site Guide

Helping keep the Wild Coast wild

DO THE RIGHT THING!
If you’re exploring the Wild Coast take a certified Wild Coast guide with you

You get to discover places you never knew existed

You wil be guided in terms of local customs and traditions when introducing you to land owners and Homestay moms who own the land you are passing through.

You will be bringing the benefits of mainstream tourism to the villages and local guides of the Wild Coast. together we can keep the Wild Coast wild.

DM or contact us ☝️For more info or to find a local Wild Coast guide or to book a Homestay






















🇿🇦

09/12/2021

Homestay dinner
Everything homegrown
Tender Chicken
Madumbies
Spinach
Rice
Beetroot
Salad
Carrots

30/11/2021

Experience the pulse of the Wild Coast this festive season

29 wild Coast homestay huts

R375 INCLUDING 3 meals!!

24/11/2021

Zanele’s Wild Coast Homestay Huts Northern Gateway to the Wild Coast Waterfalls adventure Route

If you get here in time (before the Toll Road comes) you will be witnessing the passing of an era! If your children have already started walking they may get to witness what we are about to lose – your grandchildren will only hear about it through them.

You have only to look at an aerial snapshot today and see the amassing settlement on the far bank that will flood over the Mzamba River gorge just as soon as the Toll Road to progress opens.
For now, Zanele’s Homestay Huts are the Northern Gateway to the Wild Coast Homestay Huts. Literally a stone’s throw from the Mzamaba River gorge (3,5km from the Wild Coast Sun), Zanele’s are the first Wild Coast Homestay Huts into the Northern start to the Wild Coast Waterfalls Route.

Get there!! Once you’re at Zanele’s one of your life’s most memorable adventure’s will begin. You have choices to get there, how you continue along the route is entirely up to you. Zanele has three Land Cruisers to shuttle you to places that Google has yet to discover
As a true adventurer; you need no more than a daypack with a sarong, a few T-shirts, water bottle and a headlamp you can fly into King Shaka International airport, hop on the shuttle to the Wild Coast Sun, walk across the Mzamba suspension bridge and up the rocky path to Zanele’s Land Cruiser waiting at the top.

Press-gang option; a few friends, drive down the N2, park at the Wild Coast Sun, grab your daypack (leave a change of clothes in the boot for a few days of poolside pampering on your return) and hit the trail for a few days.

Kitted option; drive to Zanele’s with your adventure toys of choice and take it from there!

You, your children, family and friends will come back with memories that will become stories of legend.

A cautionary note: like no other region in South Africa the Wildness and freedom of the Wild Coast is addictive; a few weeks ago I took a selfie on the very spot where I sat as a young buck of 18 amidst a prehistoric fossil bed – today I am the other side of 60 – and already planning another visit

24/11/2021