South Africa provides a treasure trove of landscapes and settings to explore outdoors. Hiking is the perfect way to fully experience this country’s natural beauty while working up a sweat.
Unsplash/Patrick Schöpflin
Whether you are a beginner or an avid hiker, there is always a way to modernise and improve your hiking experience. You can download several free apps to add a sense of safety and educational value to your trail walking experience.
Unsure which apps will enhance your hiking experience? Here are a few platforms that can help you navigate and explore outdoor trails with ease.
iNaturalist
A must for nature lovers, iNaturalist is the perfect app to download if you want to immerse yourself in nature and learn about its intricate details.
From recording your wildlife encounters on your route to tracking your walk on the platform, you’ll be able to join a community of outdoor enthusiasts and share your experiences. There are many features to educate yourself on the variety of animal and insect sightings you might stumble on.
This free app was created by reputable science-driven organisations, the National Geographic Society and the California Academy of Sciences. With it, you can hit the hiking trails and identify various species like a pro.
Available on: iOS and Android.
ALSO READ: Top hiking trails around Pretoria
Forge
A great app specifically curated for exploring and navigating your way on and through South African hiking trails, Forge is an excellent option for every kind of hiker to download. With features like offline map downloads or whether paths are acceptable for hiking with pets, you’ll get plenty of use from this nifty free app.
Another vital reason every hiker should download this app is to utilise your live GPS coordinations and in-app emergency call feature to ensure your safety.
Available on: iOS and Android.
ALSO READ: 5 easy hiking trails in Cape Town
Trailblaze
Trailblaze is a user-friendly app that is an excellent download if you’re a beginner hiker who wants to locate and orient yourself quickly on trail maps. You can download trails and use the live GPS interface to ensure you’re hiking in the right direction.
This app also indicates whether a hiking trail has an entrance fee and often includes video footage of hikes so that hikers can view specific paths beforehand.
Available on: iOS, Android and any browsers.
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