Queen Rose Adventure Camp & Trails

Set in the breath-taking Makhonjwa Mountains between Barberton and Badplaas the Queen Rose hiking trail is considered to be one of South Africa’s most spectacular. Tucked away just 30 km from Barberton, the Queens River Adventure Camp plays host to the Queen Rose Hiking Trails.

Dormitory Accommodation

This Is Ideal For School/ Youth/ Adventure And Bigger Groups.

  • 4 x dorms: Bush Buck – 7 rooms, Crown Eagle – 6 rooms, Civit Cat – 7 rooms, Leopard – 7 rooms. Sleeps 50 each

  • Each with its own ablution block with 4 x toilets, 4 x showers and 4 x wash basins.

  • Electrical geysers. Lighting and plug points are electrical.

  • Fully revamped dorms with steel bunker beds and matrasses with fitted sheets.

  • Bring your own bedding, (Sleeping bags & pillows)

  • Access to wood fired braai.

  • Please bring your own food, toiletries and towels.

Rates Available On request Only

Hikers House

  • A modern house, five star hiking house standards. Sleeps 20.

  • Fully self-catering – kitchen with a stove, microwave, two fridges, all pots and pans and crockery,

  • 6 rooms with comfortable beds with mattress protectors,

  • Bring your own bedding,

  • All lighting, geysers and appliances are electrical

  • 3 toilets and 3 showers,

  • Two dining hall tables,

  • Gas braai, wood fired braai

  • Please bring your own food, toiletries and towels.

Old Farm Guest House

  • An old farm house dating back from the mid 1900’s. Sleeps 14.

  • A very welcoming old house that still has wooden floors.

  • Basic but clean and comfortable

  • Fully self -catering – kitchen with a stove, microwave, fridge, all pots and pans and crockery.

  • 4 rooms with comfortable beds with mattress protectors,

  • Bring your own bedding,

  • 2 toilets and 2 showers,

  • All lighting, geysers and appliances are electrical.

  • Two dining hall tables and a

  • Wood fired braai

  • Please bring your own food, toiletries and towels.

Nelshoogte Forestry Station Log Cabin

  • An old style forestry log cabin that has been fully revamped inside

  • Electricity

  • Fully self-catering – kitchen with a gas stove, microwave, fridge, all pots and pans and crockery,

  • 4 rooms with single and bunkers beds with mattress protectors,

  • Bring your own bedding,

  • 1 toilet and 1 shower and 1 bath with a gas geyser

  • Wood fired braai with a big outside area/lawn

  • Please bring your own food, toiletries and towels.

  • Sleeps 14.

Matumi Lane Cabin:

  • The New Matumi Lane Cabin is the place to stay! Sleeps 28 in total.

  • The Matumi Lane Cabin looks like it has been plucked straight from the pages of a fairy-tale.

  • 4 x rooms with 2 x bunkers beds and 3 x single beds (able to sleep 7 people per room) with mattresses and fitted sheets

  • Bring your own bedding.

  • Each room has crockery and cutlery for the 7 occupants.

  • The hut is built on stilts with 2 outside ablution facilities with solar lighting, a gas geyser, a flush toilet and a wash basin each with a great view of the indigenous bush while utilising the ablution facilities.

  • There is solar electricity for lighting and cell phone / camera charging in the cabin rooms.

  • A gas two plate burner and a kettle, pots and pans under the cabin.

  • A braai area in the Boma in the next-door Matumi Lane Bush Camp.

  • Please bring your own food, toiletries and towels.

Camping At Matumi Bush Camp

  • For the nature lovers!! Matumi Bushcamp is situated 7km from the Queens River Base Camp in the Queens River Nature Reserve.

  • It is a 2500 square meter fenced off camp on the banks of the Queens river.

  • The surrounding natural forest have a mystic look and feel.

  • There is ample spots for the brave to have a swim in our cold mountain water.

  • The camp have a large boma to sit around the fire at night and share stories about the days hike.

  • The ablution area is camped off with an enclosed flush toilet and a gas heated shower, both are open to the canopy.

  • There is no electricity but lots of water on tap.

  • Bring your own camping gear or enquire about ours

  • The Matumi Lane Bush Camp is very popular with those who have roof-top tents or 4×4 caravans.

  • Campers report to the Caretaker at Queens River Adventure Camp and a vehicle will accompany you down to the Matumi Lane Bush Camp.

  • Please note only 4×4 vehicles will be able to travel to and from the Bush Camp. Booking is essential!

  • ALL RATES AVAILABLE ON REQUEST ONLY.

Hiking Trails:

  • Get lost in the mystic Nelshoogte Forest Reserve…

  • Easily considered as one of the most scenic trails in the region, several trails start at Queens base camp and lead hikers on an amazing route that traverses over river crossings, pools and wooden bridges, through pine and natural forests.

  • Bird life is in abundance and you have the opportunity to spot one of the 350 plus bird species.

  • Although some degree of fitness is needed to navigate the forest terrain, the tranquillity and sublime relaxation experienced is therapeutic. Your body can do anything, it’s the mind that needs convincing…

  • Feel completely safe at Queen Rose, all our hikers groups are issued with a two-way radio that is monitored at Queens Base Camp.

  • The beauty of our trails is that anyone can do it, as long as you have a reasonable level of fitness and a pair of sturdy hiking boots.

  • Some of the climbs may leave you a little short of breath but the views from the top will certainly take your breath away!

  • Our hiking trails have it all, the spectacular views, incredible wildlife, entertaining river crossings and perfectly placed natural splash pools and waterfalls. What’s more, anyone can enjoy it from babies in backpacks to senior citizens.

  • Yet the real beauty of the trails is that it enables you to slip away from the stresses of modern-day life and reconnect with nature.

  • If you should experience any medical issues a vehicle will be dispatched to pick you up where possible.

  • If you are unfit and do not feel capable to finish the trail, don’t stress for a small fee we will send a vehicle to collect you.

  • Slack-packing is available on all trails.

1 DAY TRAILS: iseal for day visitors and “base Camp hikers.

Ram Pump Trail: (Marked with teal trail boards)

  • Distance: 1.6 km;  Max Elevation: 1333m;  Min Elevation: 1280 m

  • Overnight Venue: Optional before & after hike

  • For those with a limited level of fitness who would like to spend some time away from it all, the Ram Pump Trail is just for you, or if you are interested in engineering and would like to see how a pump works without electricity nor an internal combustion motor, this trail is a must.

  • The trail takes you through a small grassland and natural bush bordering on a Pine plantation.

Cupids Trail: (Marked with light blue trail boards)

  • Distance: 3 km;  Max Elevation: 1306 m;  Min Elevation: 1159 m

  • Overnight Venue: Optional before & after hike

  • This is a short trail starting at Queens River Base Camp to Cupids Waterfall

  • (A stunning cascade waterfall with a total drop off of 300 m over a kilometre)

  • Ample spots to relax and cool down in one of the natural pools.

  • A downhill trail to the falls and uphill back to camp.

Matumi Lane Trail: (Marked with white trail boards)

  • Distance: 6.5 km;  Max Elevation: 1317 m;  Min Elevation: 933 m

  • Overnight Venue: Optional before & after hike

  • You need to be dropped off at the starting point at the Matumi Lane Bush Camp.

  • This trail starts in the Queensriver Nature Reserve and follows the Queens River for 6.5 km back to Queens Base Camp.

  • There are several river crossings with wooden bridges, natural pools to cool down in and a spectacular cascade waterfall. This trail has areas that compare to a scene out of a fairy tale movie.

Devils Knuckles Trail: (Marked with dark blue trail boards)

  • Distance: 13 km;  Max Elevation: 1431 m;  Min Elevation: 1198 m

  • Overnight Venue: Optional before & after hike

  • You need to be dropped off at the starting point at the Nelshoogte Forestry Station Houthuis and you will hike the 13 km back to the Queens Base Camp.

  • The trail also offers two separate dams for those interested in bass fishing.

  • The trail takes you through Pine plantations and natural bush with an option of passing a beautiful waterfall and a natural pool to cool down.

Ou Kraal Trail: (Starts with yellow trail boards & then back with white trail boards)

  • Distance: 13 km;  Max Elevation: 1358 m;  Min Elevation: 931 m

  • Overnight Venue: Optional before & after hike

  • This trail starts and ends at Queens River Base Camp, it offers a bit of everything, starting off with a pine forests trail that continues all the way to the top of the mountain, through grasslands and a special rock outcrop (our very own Stonehenge), passing a spring where you can fill up with ice cold mountain water.

  • It then descents down the mountain with a zig-zag, this can be tough going down, we suggest wearing tight shoes or two pairs of socks.

  • The trail then joins the Matumi Lane Trail back to camp for the next 6.5 km.

Back Pack Trails:

  • Slack-packing available on all trails at extra cost.

  • Several trail options are available.

26km Two day Montrose Overnight trail

  • (Starts with orange signs and back with white signs)

  • It winds 26km through mountain passes, indigenous forests and with 26 stream crossings (some with wooden bridges), through the Montrose Valley, Queens River Nature Reserve anNelshoogte Plantation.

  • The first day is a 16km trail with two options on accommodation, For those that enjoy being out in nature the Matumi Bush Camp is a fenced camp in the Queensriver Nature Reserve. Situated on the banks of the Queens River which offers a basic camping experience, the brave can cool down in the river pools, a lapa to sit around the fire at night, a flushing toilet and a lots of hot water with a gas heated shower. Tents and mattresses can be rented if needed or bring your own.

  • The second day is a 10km trail that follows the Matumi Lane Trail back to camp.

  • Along the route you will be treated to a wide variety of indigenous plants and animal species, including the 350 types of birds that are found here.

  • The beauty of the Queen Rose hike is that anyone can do it, as long as you have a reasonable level of fitness and a pair of sturdy hiking boots.

  • Some of the climbs may leave you a little short of breath and the views from the top will certainly take your breath away!

  • The Queen Rose hiking trail has it all, the spectacular views, incredible wildlife, entertaining river crossings and perfectly placed natural splash pools and waterfalls.

  • What’s more, anyone can enjoy it from babies in backpacks to senior citizens. Yet the real beauty of the trail is that it enables you to slip away from the stresses of modern day life and reconnect with nature.

48km Three to Five day Overnight trail

  • (Starts with dark blue, then orange signs and back with white signs)

  • This trail can be customised to suit, from a one day to a five day trail.

  • This trail starts at the Nelshoogte Forestry Camp hikers Cabin and is perfect for those that don’t want to drive the 7km gravel road to queens base camp.

  • The road to the log cabin is tarred all the way.

Trail options are:

  • To stay at the log cabin and explore Devils Knuckles, a mountain edge that divides Nelshoogte and the Barberton Basin. It has similar views to Kaapsche Hoop with views over the Barberton valley, a vertical drop of up to 500m on most knuckles. It also offers two separate dams for those interested in bass fishing.

  • Hike the 11km Devils Knuckles Trail to Queens Base Camp (It has an option passing a waterfall and a natural pool to cool down), overnight there and then do the 14km Ou Kraal and Matumi day trail.

  • Overnight the second night at Queens Base Camp and hike back the third day to Nelshoogte Log Cabin.

  • Hike the 11km Devils Knuckles Trail to Queens Base Camp on day one

  • (It has an option passing a waterfall and a natural pool to cool down), overnight at Queens Base Camp and then do the 16km Montrose Trail on day two, overnight at the Delfonte Huts, walk the 10km Matumi Lane trail back to Queens Base Camp on day three, overnight at Queens Base Camp and hike on the 11km Devels Knuckles Trail on day four back to the Nelshoogte Log Cabin.

  • Options are to add a night before or after at Nelshoogte Forestry Cabin

Queens River Adventure Leap Center:

All Rates Availa On Request/ Quotes & Bookings.

LEAP CENTRE – Learner ship, experience and adventure program.

  • Queens River Adventure Camp strives to bring kids from all backgrounds to experience nature, hoping to make a big impact on their future, leaving them with memories that will last a lifetime.

  • We are based on the SAFCOL Nelshoogte Forestry Reserve (18 000 hectares) and can accommodate up to 200 students and 30 teachers/facilitators. We have sole use of the Queens river Nature reserve for our trails and bushcamps (4000 hectares).

  • Our kids safety is of utmost importance to us, therefor we have a full time nurse with 40 years experience heading our medical team with qualified medics as needed per group

Accommodation:

  • Queens River Adventure Camp has 4 dorms, each with its own separate ablution block consisting of 4 showers, 4 toilets and 4 was basins.

  • Two houses in Queens River Adventure Camp that sleeps 20 and 14 each.

  • Houthuis on the Nelshoogte Forestry Station that sleeps 20.

  • A fully equipped industrial kitchen and dining hall seating 140 people big hall that can accommodate 200+ people

  • Bush camp in the Queens River Nature Reserve that can accommodate 150+ people

  • A small but fully stocked and manned clinic

  • A boma for sitting around the fire at night

  • A Tuckshop stocked with sweets and chocolates, cold drinks and crisps

  • A 2-way radio network that ensures all staff can be in contact with the Base Camp at all times.

  • A back-up generator for lighting for those “loadshedding” times.

Camps Offered:

  • Environmental Camps

  • Old type Veld School Camps

  • Leadership Camps

  • Hiking Camps

  • Fun Holiday Camps

  • Customised Camps as per school requests

  • Church group Camps

  • Corporate team building camps

  • Matric exam study camps

  • Sport Camps

  • We can use our Facilitators or alternatively you can use your own.

  • We have various Hiking Trails, Camp Sites, Picnic Spots, an obstacle course, abseiling spot down the waterfall and much more

  • Catering for the hungry tummies can either be done by our team or by yourselves, renting our kitchen if you so wish.

  • We can tailor make most any type of camp. Contact us with your request and we will look into how we can assist you in making your camp a reality for your groups.

  • What can we say more?? This must be on top of your “visit soon” list. You will arrive as a stranger but leave as family and friends!