This entry was posted on 2015-12-02 by Schalk.

Summer has arrived! Time to brush off those winter blues and head out with your furry friends. Venturing out into the big wide world of nature with your pooch can be a bit of a challenge, not all places are pup friendly and it is not easy to find dog friendly hiking trails in cities like Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban. Most of them also have leash regulations that have to be strictly adhered to. That’s why we decided to help you out.

Johannesburg:

1. Faerie Glen – Pretoria

Faerie Glen is rated as one of the best places in Gauteng to take your pooch for a walk. The area is enormous consisting of many different walking tours to choose from. Its the ideal place for young pups and adult dogs looking to socialize. Unfortunately you will have to keep your pooch on a leash at all times, but this is still an incredible place to take your dog. The entrance fee is R5 per person.

Address: General Louis Botha Road, Faerie Glen, Pretoria.
Opening hours: 06:00 to 18:00 seven days a week.

2. Echo Dog Park – Fourways

The Echo Dog Park in Fourways, Johannesburg is the ideal place to take both young pups and adult dogs. This is an area where dogs can socialise and run freely without a leash to their hearts content. The park also provides weekend dog training sessions for owners who need a bit of a helping hand. There are even Sunday Morning hikes every week that you and your pooch can take part in.

Address: Riversands Farm, Fourways, Johannesburg.
Opening hours: Saturdays and Sundays from 07:00 until late.

3. Walkhaven – Zwartkop

Walkhaven definitely lives up to its name of being the perfect park for dog owners and their wet nosed friends. The park has a dog friendly restaurant and bar as well as twenty-two hectares of magnificent grasslands where your dogs are allowed to romp freely off-leash. The entrance fee is R10 per kid and R20 per adult.

Address: Plot 77, Zwartkop, Johannesburg.
Opening hours: Seven days a week 08:00 to 18:00

Keep a look out on our website for some more dog friendly hiking trails in Johannesburg.

Cape Town:

4. Green Point Park – Greenpoint

Green point Park is a beautiful place to take your pooch for a run or brisk walk. This is a relatively large park but unfortunately your pooch has to be on a leash. Many families who have kids and pets use this park. There are many playground areas, lots of paths and a track that leads you right around the park. Conveniently the promenade that is also pet friendly is located just across the road, for those of you that want to continue on a slightly longer walk. There is no entrance fee.

Address: 4 Wiltshire Crescent, Greenpoint.
Opening hours: 07:00 - 19:00.

5. Blackburn Ravine - Hout Bay

If you enjoy mountainous walks then this is the walk for you and your pooch. A stunning and gentle 4km walk overlooking Hout Bay. The views are incredible and your dog is allowed to run freely off-leash. Make sure you bring lots of water for you and your pup as the path doesn’t have any shade. Once you reach the ravine there is plenty of shade and fresh mountain water for you and your pooch to cool off in.

Address: The trail starts in the East Fort car park just before Chapman's Peak Drive toll booth.
Opening hours: 24 hours.

6. Noordhoek Beach – Noordhoek

As one of the longest beaches in Cape Town, Noordhoek beach is a great place to take your dog for walks. You are allowed to let your pups run freely but just make sure you are always in control of him, so as to not upset anyone. People often ride horses on this beach so keep a look out for them incase your pooch decides to startle the horses.

Address: Beach Road, Noordhoek
Opening hours: 24 hours.

Durban:

7. La Mercy Beach - La Mercy

Ideal for early morning or lazy Sunday afternoon walks, this beach doesn’t have any leash restrictions allowing your dog to romp freely and socialize with other dogs. Additionally there is a lovely picnic area where you and your pooch can enjoy a bite to eat or even just a quick chill before continuing your exercise.

Address: South Beach Road, la Mercy
Opening hours: 24 hours

8. Trafalgar Beach – Trafalgar

Trafalgar Beach isn’t actually very well known but is one of the most ideal beaches to take your dogs for a walk in Durban. This is a fairly secluded beach where you can defiantly let your pooch run around without a leash.

Address: Travel along the R61 until you reach San Lameer then take the next turnoff on the left.
Opening hours: 24 hours