Hiking the Otter Trail–This Is Why I Do This

With every step, I thought that my knees were going to give out.

I had been scaling a set of stairs so steep it could have been a ladder. It felt like years since I was able to walk on level ground.

Panting, and with sweat pouring down my face, I finally reached the top of the cliff. I looked out to the South and was greeted with one of the most amazing views I had ever seen.

As far as I could see, the clean, blue-green water was pounding the rocky coast, which comprised dark grey cliffs filled with scrubby green fynbos plants.

No doubt about it, I’d found paradise.

The Garden Route–South Africa’s Eden

Don’t get me wrong, I love sitting on the beach just as much as the next guy, but it gets old pretty fast.

Add to the fact that the amount of vacation time I get at my job is laughably pathetic, and I really need to make the most of it.

I’m also a bit rebellious by nature, so when it came to planning my recent honeymoon, we decided to skip the usual suspects in the Caribbean and the North Pacific, and head to the other side of the globe to South Africa.

Sitting around is boring. Let’s go on an adventure!

Of course, friends/families/colleagues all thought this was batshit insane, but neither of us could be happier with how it turned out!

In addition to spending a good chunk of time in Cape Town (my new favorite city) and around the peninsula and winelands, we also drove out to the Garden Route for a week, which has a reputation as South Africa’s paradise.

In order to get the full experience, we decided to focus our time on the Tsitsikamma National Park, the crown jewel of the Garden Route, and hike the infamous Otter Trail.

This hike truly shows off South Africa at its most beautiful. It’s a 5-day hike through the wilderness that hugs the shore of the Indian Ocean, meandering through a wide variety of terrain from sharp boulders to sand beaches, and dense shrubbery to lush forests.

But it ain’t for the weak.

The Otter Trail is a notoriously difficult hike with dangerous river crossings, precipitous cliffs, and even some rock climbing.

Not gonna lie, this thing was rough. Particularly when my wife seemed to be able to bound up and down the cliffs and over obstacles like some kind of spider monkey.

But your reward for all this hard work is getting to experience Mother Nature at her most beautiful.

Pure rivers that you could drink straight out of. Waterfalls to go swimming under. Baboons, genets, and all sorts of wildlife. And you have it all to yourself.

Breaking Free of the Gym

One of the nine principles around here is “have fun,” particularly in the area of physical activity.

Most people, when looking to get in shape, focus solely on “gym time,” lifting a specific amount of weight for a specific number of reps and sets, or doing cardio for a specific amount of time.

But lost in this heavily-quantified view of fitness is the fact that physical activity can actually be fun.

That’s not to say you can’t get a rush from doing deadlifts or running sprints, but they’ll always pale in comparison to skiing fresh powder, riding the barrel of a wave, or even just playing a pickup game of ultimate with your friends.

Remember, “normal” people have only been going to the gym for a couple of decades. Before that, everyone got their exercise by leading more active lives on a day-to-day basis.

It’s critical that you find some physical activity outside the gym that you enjoy to do regularly.

Not only will it help to increase your fitness in a more pleasant way, but you’ll also get to enjoy the fruits of all your hard work.

What’s YOUR Plan to Have More Fun?

You don’t have to go on as big an adventure as the Otter Trail every week (though you’ll probably love doing something big like this at least once a year).

But you do need to find something active to do outside the gym on a regular basis.

Although I’ve been squandering the SoCal dream for too long and not getting out surfing (I’m recommitting myself this year and signing up for more lessons), I have still been taking advantage of many of the excellent hiking trails around San Diego.

Despite having a debilitatingly busy year, I’ve found that making time to get active outside every week is essential.

What about you? Are you already having fun like this? Have you been on any adventures lately?