Estate Living Magazine Invest SA - Issue 41 May 2019 | Page 40

C O M M U N I T Y
L I V I N G
SLACK-
PACKING
So you want to go on holiday without neglecting your
exercise habit, and maybe get out into nature for a good
cardio workout. An unspoilt location, good food and wine,
a decent bed and a shower at night are essentials. Pretty
flowers, wildlife and interesting cultural attractions are a
bonus. And you’d prefer for someone else to take care of
logistics. Is that too much to ask?
No, it’s not. Slackpacking is the answer –
backpacking without the schlep. Having your
overnight stuff transported means that you can
hike multiday trails carrying only a daypack.
Not having to carry your own gear means less
planning and more home comforts. Instead
of wearing the same clothes for five days and
paring your food down to oats and dehydrated
pasta, you can hike in style. As a result, long-
distance hiking becomes more appealing, and
accessible, to a range of people including the
not-so-fit, families, and those who don’t want to
be burdened by a heavy pack – those who enjoy
a good walk by day, but appreciate their creature
comforts at night.
In South Africa there are nearly 60 slackpacking
trails that vary enormously in terms of difficulty and
degree of pampering. Some routes are exclusive
to slackpacking groups. Others follow paths
less travelled, can be tailored to the fitness and
interests of the group, and include other activities
such as canoe/boat trips, 4x4 excursions, canopy
tours and spoils such as wine tastings.