Candlewood Camp

Candlewood Camp is one of five hiking camps built along the Num-Num hiking trail on a spectacular site with views over the Brankspruit gorge and the dramatic Uitsug waterfall that falls 275 feet.

This is strictly a hiking facility and guests are expected to hike between camps. These camps are overnight facilities and are not suitable for longer stays. There is a shuttle service to transport your luggage and food between camps.

This ‘green’ camp is not electrified, and an old style donkey geyser supplies hot water. The camp accommodates a maximum of 20 persons in two romantic corrugated iron construction-style dormitories from the days of the gold rush, with a well-equipped kitchen and an internal braai as no exterior fires are allowed during winter to prevent fires in this pristine grassland.

The Pongola Express to Candlewood Loop consists of two equal sections starting at either camp. Both sections are about 8 km long and include some steep climbs, and is very dramatic with a wide variety of terrains. Starting from the Pongola Express, hikers follow the Num-Num Day 1 Bergbas Roete to the first link and join the Escarpment trail to the Candlewood camp.

From Candlewood, this loop starts on the Escarpment trail and takes the link at the swing bridge onto the Day 4 of the Num-Num the Pompon Way. Hikers can then choose to take the tar road back to the Pongola, or continue a little further and enjoy the walk to the next link to the Express. For the very fit, continue along the Pompon to the next link which joins with Day 5 of the Num-Num trail, the Kokoboom Pad, and back to the Pongola.

God's Window camp to Candlewood Loop is for hikers that can follow a map, as the trail goes backwards in terms of the markings along the trail. There are a few markers associated with this route for reassurance along the way. Starting at Candlewood, the trail follows the Escarpment route down to the waterfall and along the Bankspruit following the path past the boardroom pool and over the Skurwerand to God's Window Camp.

From God’s Window camp, the trail goes backwards along the Day 1 of the Num-Num trail, The Bergbas Roet, to link with the Day 4 of the Pompon Way and continues backwards along that route to Candlewood.