About the Canyon Mini Camino

Step into the wide stillness of the Karoo, where the sky stretches endlessly, and time slows to match the rhythm of the land. The Canyon Mini Camino is a unique 3-day slackpacking journey that invites you into the quiet of the Karoo — where every step brings you closer to nature and the honest simplicity of farm living.

Based on a farm just outside Nieu-Bethesda, this experience is a celebration of both movement and grounding. Over three days, you’ll walk 15 – 20 km per day, exploring open hiking routes across vast landscapes, nearby plains, and private canyons — all with the comfort of returning each night to a warm bed, hot shower, and traditional farm-style meal made with care.

But what sets this Camino apart is not just the scenery — it’s the deep connection to farm life.

Wool is sheared by hand, lambs are raised with devotion, and the heartbeat of the land pulses in every stone wall and distant bleat on this fully functioning sheep farm. You’ll walk past sheep herds grazing on the open veld, catch a glimpse of donkeys and depending on the season, may witness the age-old tradition of sheep shearing or annual ram sale in action.

In between, there’s time to explore the ancient bushman rock art sites scattered across the farm — left by San and Khoi peoples thousands of years ago — and to visit the farm’s private fossil collection, curated over decades by the farm’s owners. From geology to archaeology to daily rural life, this experience offers rare and genuine insight into a part of the Karoo that few truly get to know.

The Canyon Mini Camino is designed for moderately fit walkers seeking an intimate, authentic journey through land that holds stories — not only from ancient history, but from the present-day hands that still work and live here. It’s about more than hiking — it’s about walking a living landscape.

View the Canyon Mini Camino Dates here.

The Nieu-Bethesda Connection

Nieu‑Bethesda, established in 1875 around fertile river valleys of the Gats River, grew from farmland to a bustling village ruling as a municipality by 1886 . Its agricultural success—as a hub for sheep, wheat, and barley—laid the foundation for today’s flourishing community.

Though it declined mid‑20th century, it made a vibrant comeback through farm-based tourism, filled with artisans and creatives drawn to its tranquillity and timeless beauty.

Today, Nieu‑Bethesda thrives thanks to local farms, heritage venues like the Owl House, and attractions including the Kitching Fossil Exploration Centre. Situated close to the farm, it is ideal to explore during your free time before and after the hike.  Read more here.