The Baviaans Camino, a 4 day-95km slackpack hike over the Baviaanskloof and Kouga Mountain Ranges in the Eastern Cape, is more than just a hike.
Hikers hike from farm to farm, meeting the farmers who not only supply a warm bed, hot shower and cold beer, but three hearty meals a day as well. Come suppertime they share the meal with the hikers, telling them more about life in the mountains and the harsh conditions they are working in.
One of these farms is the Melmont Honeybush Tea farm where honeybush tea has been organically farmed and harvested for more than five generations by the Nortje family.
Trail owners Eric and Esti Stewart asked Eunice Nortje if she could offer a honeybush tea tasting over lunch when hikers get to the Nooitgedacht Farming Community, a mere 30km from Kareedouw, nestled between the Langkloof, Tsitsikamma and southern access to the Baviaanskloof.
Eunice said yes and now offers very tired hikes a pot of freshly brewed warm tea, especially popular in the colder winter months, and makes at least five types of iced tea – lemon, with honey, plain, berry or mango – whatever she finds in her pantry. And make no mistake, it is extremely tasty and popular after another hard days’ hiking with a dash of gin!
Eunice then tells the hikers of the advantages of honeybush tea, the harvesting methods, how the tea is transported to the factory where it is cut and dried, and where they sell and export to. Hikers can order tea to take home but as a departing gift, also gets a packet of tea.
Sitting under the trees or on the stoep while drinking honeybush tea in the middle of the Kouga Mountains is a memorable moment, making you forget about sore feet and another uphill waiting the next day!
For more information on the Baviaans Camino, visit www.baviaans2bayadventures.co.za or Whatsapp: Esti Stewart on 073 825 0835.
Eunice with hikers
Hikers
Around the table
