frequently asked questions (FAQ)

A: Yes. All participants will have their body temperature recorded at the onsite registration kiosk at the start-point of each day. Mask wearing and hand sanitation will be compulsory. In addition, our partners and service providers will all sign our COVID-19 Safety Plan Affidavit to confirm that they will adhere to regulations.

A: Alert Level 3 limits gatherings to a maximum of 50 people indoors and 100 people outdoors. However, we believe that by the time that our event takes place during Tourism Month (September 2021) these restrictions will be moved back to Alert Level 2 or 1 in order to facilitate recovery of tourism revenues during this important annual month. Our event budget forecast therefore assume restrictions of 250 people outdoors and 100 people indoors.

A: The distance of 520km is correct. But that’s by road along the N2. We will be following the coastline beaches, hiking trails, and seaside roads as close to the high-water mark as possible. With its bays, lagoons, heads, and recesses, the distance is about 816km or 1.2 million walking steps. 

A: No (but you can). You can enter to walk, run, or ride for just one day (Day-Entry) or for multiple days (Multi-Day Entry). When entries open for online registration (on 01 August 2021) you can enter as an ‘Individual’ or as a ‘Group’. You’ll then select Day-Entry or Multi-Day Entry followed by selecting the days/routes that you want to join. Weekends will most likely be more popular than week days, so it’s best to register early and avoid being disappointed.

A: We posted a very basic Preliminary Route Plan in January this year but it will definitely change when we conclude the physical route inspection in July.

A: Yes. Pre-event registration is now open. Click the button at the top of this page or CLICK HERE to complete/submit the form. We will then keep you updated on developments via our ‘Walk The Talk” newsletter and auto-register you ahead of anyone else before entries open on 01 August. You’ll then receive a link via email to login and complete your entry. Of course, if you no longer want to enter when registrations open you can cancel the application. 

A: Yes and No. Yes, we will have an onsite registration kiosk at the start-point of each day from 06h00 to 09h00. But that’s to confirm the pre-booked entrants arrival. And No. If the days event is sold out, that’s it. The maximum daily participant numbers will vary depending on factors such terrain walking difficulty, eco-sensitivity or land owner restrictions.
BTW, you can even buy a coffee and muffin from the mobile canteen provider while waiting for the event to start.

A: At this stage of the event planning (June 2021), the “Walk/Run/Ride 4 Animal Rescue” Day-Entry fee is R550 per person (includes donation to beneficiary, goody bag, T-shirt, packed lunch, and bottled water. Excludes road transfer options).

The Multi-Day Entry fee works out at about R750 per person, per day (includes all Day-Entry benefits plus a 3-course seated dinner each evening and accommodation shuttle transport services. Excludes accommodation, which can be booked direct with partner hotels, guesthouses, backpackers, and camp sites, and road transfer options).

Note that we are still busy formalising supplier quotes and getting sponsors onboard, so the fee structure may change.

A: Yes. Although that defeats the objective of this event (to boost post-COVID-19 domestic tourism revenues for ailing travel trade providers in the region). You can make your own multi-day accommodation arrangements (other than the 1-Star to 5-Star TGCSA Graded options provided by our partners). If your personal finances are a concern, you can book a camp site.

A: Yes and No. Yes, you can bring a tent. No, you can’t camp on the beach. But you can book a camp site positioned close to the beach along most of the route end-points. And you won’t even need to carry the load. Just bring your tent/sleeping bag along and have your camping gear transported to the daily route-end points. And don’t worry about bringing food and cooking utensils. Your Multi-Day Entry fee includes a packed lunch on the beach and 3-course seated dinner each day at a nearby venue.

A: If you cancel within 4 weeks from the date of online registration to the chosen route start date, we will refund your fee less 30% (10% to cover admin/bank costs and 20% donation for our beneficiary). If you cancel 1 week before the chosen route start date, no refund will be applicable. Our accommodation partner cancellation policies vary, so you will need to check their terms prior to booking as payments are made directly with them. If we, as the organiser, cancel or postpone the event, you will be given the option of either receiving a refund (less 30% to cover admin/bank costs and donation for our beneficiary) or having your fee carried over to a future date when the event reconvenes. Note that we will not cancel a day/route due to rain, wind or other weather related conditions. We will walk/run/ride regardless, so never mind the weather, as long as we’re together…sing along now.

A: For those who book the service, Day-Entry participants will be shuttled from the route end-point back to the start-point where they will have parked their cars. Multi-Day Entry participants will be shuttled from the end-point to their accommodation (within a 10km radius) between 3-6pm, then collected and driven to the dinner venue (7pm), and back to their accommodation (10-11pm). The next day after breakfast, they will be collected and shuttled to the days start-point on the beach, starting at 9am for walkers, 10am for runners, and 11am for bikers. Multi-Day Entry participants will also be shuttled from their chosen end-point back to the start-point where they parked their cars. In addition, entrants can opt for a valet service at an additional fee, whereby they hand over their car keys at the onsite registration kiosk, a staff member then parks the car at a secure parkade, and then delivers the car at the entrant’s registered end-point.

A: Our transport partner will have a bicycle trailer (or large luggage trailer) that can carry about 20 bikes, so that’s no problem.

A: Yes. Our transport partner will provide an airport shuttle service at scheduled departure times for daily return transportation to/from the entrants chosen route start/end points. Participants departing from Cape Town can also use the shuttle service by taking a MyCiti Bus from the Civic Centre in the City on Hertzog Boulevard to the airport (a MyCiti Cape Town Airport Service Guide can be downloaded showing route map, timetables and ticket information).
We are planning to have the airport shuttle service stop at Somerset West, Hermanus, Gansbaai, Mossel Bay, George, Knysna, and Plettenberg Bay, so participants from these areas can also use the service. There is a fee to use this service. Prices and scheduled times/locations will be made available when the entry registration portal opens on 01 August.
PS. In the online entry registration portal, we will also have discounted airfares for domestic and international entrants to book – provided by our aviation partner, TravelStart.

A: Yes. At the end of the entry registration process you’ll be given an option to auto-create a personalised crowdfunding campaign and share this link with friends, family, and work colleagues and via social media. The idea is to get people to sponsor you on a per km basis or to make a once-off donation. There will be amazing prizes for the top ten entrants who raise the highest funds for our beneficiaries; the Garden Route SPCA and the Cape of Good Hope SPCA.

A: No. The reason being that the daily distances may be too far for some dog breeds to cope with (hydration/exhaustion concerns) and some routes may not permit animals (i.e game/nature reserves). In addition, you would have to carry a lot more water (see question below). Multi-day (over-night) walkers will also not be able to walk with their pets due to a lack of pet-friendly accommodation.

A: Depending on factors such as body weight, terrain difficulty, and ambient temperature, you’d need to drink about 500ml every 30 minutes or 2.5km if walking at an average speed of 5km per hour. So, considering the average daily route distance of 30km, you’d need to carry 6 litres of water. Runners and off-road cyclists will need to drink a bit more due to higher physical exertion and perspiration. But don’t worry, you won’t have to carry 6-8 kg of water weight all of the way. We’ll have water stations at each day’s lunch stop.

A: Less than hand full of adventurous individuals have walked the Western Cape coastline either solo or as a couple. So yes, this will be the first time that a mass participation multi-day walkathon has been organised anywhere along Africa’s coastline. In fact, that’s our long-term aim, to replicate coastal walkathon events along the entire Africa continent and its ocean island states – covering 40 countries, over a total distance of 40,000 km / 52 million steps.

A: Yes. This is not a race – it’s a leisurely walking pace (at 5 kmh) so the average day will cover 30km over 6 hours, starting at 09:00am and ending between 3-5:00pm. Runners will start at 10am, and bikers at 11am. This will allow for frequent stops to view points of interest and listen to cultural, historical, marine ecology or biodiversity stories recounted by qualified tourist/marine guides. There will also be daily lunch stops when the support staff will be waiting at predetermined points along the beach with packed lunches & beverages for participants to enjoy while they rest & to top up water bottles. At the daily end points, we may even organise foot massages before day walkers depart and multi-day participants are shuttled to their overnight accommodation.

A: Yes, SA Paramedics (ALS Paramedics) is being contracted to provide a paramedic to walk with the group each day and supported by a fully equipped ambulance within close proximity. They will act as first respondents to any medical incidents and will inform the injured persons private medical provider for further assistance (via the event entry form medical information database). In addition, will be able to purchase Medical Emergency Evacuation Insurance on a daily basis at R50 per day via the registration portal (must have medical aid cover in place to qualify).

A: One Security (Cape Town based) is being contracted to provide armed security personnel. One guard will walk with the group and another guard will follow in a 4×4 vehicle as backup while both will be in two-way radio contact with their head office team and the event organiser. As per the medical plan above, they will act as first respondents to any security related issues and call the local police where necessary.

A: Wednesday 01 September 2021 at 09h00 from Keurbooms Beach in Plettenberg Bay. If you don’t live in or close to Plett, you can arrive the day before (Tuesday 31 August) for onsite registration (venue to be announced) and book an over-night stay at one of our accommodation partners. That way, you’ll be fresh and ready for the start.
Below is a countdown to the start day.