Reconnect with nature, yourself and others on the Philocaly Trail – a scenic four-day nature walk designed to slow you down and fill you up.

Philocaly – ‘love of beauty’
Philocalist – ‘someone who loves beauty and appreciates it in all its forms’

The Philocaly Trail was founded in 2019 by Nikki Williamson, who wanted to create an annual event that would generate donations towards conservation organisations and give participants the opportunity to explore the natural beauty of KZN’s north coast.

Over the years, the routes have sometimes varied, with some events taking place over five days, others just two. The inaugural walk began in Durban and ended in Mtunzini; all other years have started north and ended south. Last year saw the introduction of two circular routes; starting and ending at the same location. This made the logistics easier for many attendees, which is why it was decided that all routes for this year’s event would be circular.

The 2025 Philocaly Trail takes place from Thursday, 7 August to Sunday, 10 August.

Day 1 – Mtunzini +/- 15km of coastal forest and beach
Day 2 – Amatikulu +/- 16km of beach, grassland and forests
Day 3 – Amatikulu +/- 16km of beach, grassland and forests
Day 4 – +/- 15km of beach, coastal forest and farmland

Participants can join for one, two or more days, and all levels of fitness are welcome.
Participation is R300 per person per day.
Register here: https://forms.gle/tY2RTsLyZNDcwb7SA

The organisations supported this year are Breathe Conservation and SANParks Honorary Rangers.
The Philocaly committee consists of Mike Gahagan, Hayley Browne, Dr Ang Tshering Sherpa and Sue Bamber.

For more information, contact Mike Gahagan on 083 2589696, Hayley Browne on 082 5519675 or Sue Bamber on 072 9406699.