Search CapeCurated

Find your next experience across Cape Town and the Western Cape.

Browse all experiences

Jonkershoek Panorama Circuit

The flagship Jonkershoek day: a long circuit high across the Dwarsberg plateau with the valley open beneath you.

Distance17 km
Duration6 hrs
RouteLoop
TrailheadHairpin bend on the circular route, Jonkershoek Nature Reserve, Stellenbosch
TrailheadHairpin bend on the circular route, Jonkershoek Nature Reserve, Stellenbosch

Overview

The Panorama Circuit is the big day in Jonkershoek. It climbs from the Eerste River to Bergriviernek, contours high across the Dwarsberg plateau with the whole valley open beneath it, then descends Kurktrekkersnek and finishes past both waterfalls. It can be walked in either direction, and a short detour adds Guardian Peak at 1,227 metres.

It is worth knowing what the circuit shares with the rest of the reserve. Its final descent is the same path as the Tweede Waterval walk, and the high contour section is common to the Swartboskloof Trail, so anyone planning more than one long day in Jonkershoek will cover some of the same ground twice. CapeNature signposts the circuit at seventeen kilometres, though GPS traces measure closer to fourteen.

Highlights

  • The high contour path across the Dwarsberg plateau.
  • Optional detour to Guardian Peak at 1,227 metres.
  • Descends Kurktrekkersnek past both Jonkershoek waterfalls.
  • Walkable in either direction.
  • Signposted at 17 km; GPS traces measure closer to 14.

Frequently Asked Questions

How late can I start?

Entry closes at 10:00 and the reserve gate shuts at 16:00, so this is an early start. All visitors must be out of the reserve by 18:00.

Is it really seventeen kilometres?

CapeNature signposts it at seventeen kilometres, but GPS traces from hikers consistently measure closer to fourteen. Either way, allow six to six and a half hours.

What is Kurktrekkersnek?

It is the steep zigzag connector dropping from the plateau back towards the waterfalls. It is a segment of this circuit rather than a walk in its own right, and no separate permit is sold for it.

How to Get There

TrailheadHairpin bend on the circular routeJonkershoek Nature Reserve, Stellenbosch
ParkingJonkershoek Nature Reserve lies at the head of the Jonkershoek Valley, roughly nine kilometres from central Stellenbosch along Jonkershoek Road. The circuit starts from the hairpin bend on the circular route inside the reserve.
Navigate to Trailhead

Request Jonkershoek Panorama Circuit

Tell us what you have in mind and we will come back to you with availability and options.