Walking in the Drakensberg

Map key

Overview map

INTRODUCTION

Geography

Geology

Mammals

Snakes

Birds

The habitats

Bushman paintings

The Development of the Park

About the walks

Getting there

Fuel, cash and permits

Accommodation

The climate – when to visit

Health matters

Safety

Security

Communications

Maps

Using this guide

1 Royal Natal National Park

Walk 1 The Cascades

Walk 2 Fairy Glen

Walk 3 Plowman’s Kop Loop

Walk 4 The Crack and the Mudslide

Walk 5 Gudu Bush and Gudu Falls

Walk 6 Witsieshoek via Mahai Falls

Walk 7 Thukela Gorge Walk

Walk 8 Policeman’s Helmet

Walk 9 Camel’s Hump

Walk 10 Sunday Falls

Walk 11 Surprise Ridge and Cannibal Cave

Walk 12 Top of Thukela Falls and Mont-aux-Sources (3282m)

Walk 13 The Sugar Loaf (2085m)

2 Cathedral Peak

Walk 14 Doreen Falls

Walk 15 Mushroom Rock

Walk 16 Rainbow Gorge

Walk 17 and 17B Ribbon Falls

Walk 18 Xeni Cave

Walk 19 The Tarn Hill Circuit

Walk 20 Tryme Hill and the Contour Path

Walk 21 Organ Pipes Pass and Cleft Peak

Walk 22 Baboon Rock

Walk 23 One Tree Hill

Walk 24 One Tree Hill and the Contour Path into the Mlambonja valley

Walk 25 Cathedral Peak (3004m)

3 Monk's Cowl

Walk 26 Nandi’s Falls

Walk 27 Hlathikulu Forest

Walk 28 Crystal Falls, the Sphinx and Verkykerskop

Walk 29 Blind Man’s Corner and return via Keartland’s Pass

Walk 30 Matterhorn (1995m)

Walk 31 Amphletts’ (2620m)

Walk 32 Sterkhorn (2973m)

Walk 33 Injisuthi to Monk’s Cowl via Van Heyningen’s Pass

Walk 34 iNtunja/Gatberg (2408m)

Walk 35 Blue Grotto

Walk 36 Van Damm’s Cascades

Walk 37 uMakhulumane Stream, the Little Berg and Hlathikulu Nek – The smugglers’ path

4 Injisuthi

Walk 38 Poacher’s Stream

Walk 39 Van Heyningen’s Pass to the viewpoint

Walk 40 Grindstone Caves

Walk 41 Cataract Valley

Walk 42 Battle Cave

Walk 43 Marble Baths

5 Giant's Castle

Walk 44 Main Caves and River Walk

Walk 45 Langalibalele and Bannerman Ridges

Walk 46 Giant’s Hut: up via Giant’s Ridge and down via Oribi Ridge

Walk 47 Over Beacon Ridge to the viewpoint with an optional extension to Meander Hut

6 Highmoor

Walk 48 Foulton’s Rock

Walk 49 Aasvoëlkrans (Vulture) Cave

Walk 50 Caracal Cave

Walk 51 Giant’s Castle viewpoint

7 Kamberg

Walk 52 Game Pass Shelter

8 Lotheni

Walk 53 eMpophomeni Falls and Eagle Rock

Walk 54 Emadundwini Trail

Walk 55 Jacob’s Ladder Falls

Walk 56 Gelib Tree

Walk 57 Zwelele

9 Cobham

Walk 58 Trout Beck and return via By-pass Ridge

Walk 59 Pinnacle Rock

Walk 60 Emerald Dome

Walk 61 Ndlovini

Walk 62 Pholela River Walk to Boundary Rock

Walk 63 Allen’s Shelter and Tortoise Rocks

Walk 64 Mzimkulwana Hut, Siphongweni Stream and Rock

Walk 65 Stromness Hill, Ngenwa Pool and the Gxalingenwa River

Walk 66 Nelson’s Column and Balancing Rocks

Walk 67 Salt ‘n Pepper

Walk 68 Hodgson’s Peaks (S 3256m: N 3251m)

10 Garden Castle

Walk 69 Sleeping Beauty Cave and Engagement Cave

Walk 70 Magnificent Valley and Swiman Ridge

Walk 71 Hidden Valley

Walk 72 Three Pools and Bushman Rock

Walk 73 Pillar Cave and the Annexe

Walk 74 Rhino Peak (3056m)

11 Bushman's Nek

Walk 75 Twin Pools

Appendix A Walk summary table

Appendix B Facilities within the Park areas

Appendix C Useful contacts

Appendix D Further reading

For walking maps of the Drakensberg there is a series at 1:50,000 scale published by KZN Wildlife and last revised in 2003. In this book they are referred to as KZNW maps. The geographical areas covered by the six available maps are as follows (with some overlap):

Hiking Map 1 – Royal Natal National Park Hiking Map 2 – Cathedral Peak and Monk's Cowl Hiking Map 3 – Giant's Castle and Injisuthi Hiking Map 4 – Highmoor and Kamberg Hiking Map 5 – Cobham and Lotheni Hiking Map 6 – Garden Castle and Bushman's Nek

The Giant's Cup Trail is a long-distance hiking route which, although in some places a little distant from the high ’Berg, makes a fine walk either in its entirety or in stages. Conventionally hikers take five days to make the 60km journey from the start in the Sani Pass to the finish at Bushman's Nek and make overnight stops at the strategically sited KZNW huts, Pholela, Mzimkhulwana, Winterhoek and Swiman, finishing at Bushman's Nek. You may start this hiking tour only at an official starting point and may stay only in overnight facilities provided for this purpose. Tents are not permitted. The cost of the overnight hut stays is subject to change and places must be reserved beforehand. Enquiries and bookings can be made by telephone or letter to: Reservations Officer, KwaZulu-Natal Nature Conservation Service, PO Box 13069, Cascades, 3202, tel (033) 845 1000, email: bookings@kznwildlife.com.

The 1:50,000 scale is acceptable for walking trips in this area. Unfortunately this Drakensberg series has limitations in that some paths and other features are incorrectly plotted, sometimes significantly so in navigational terms. Later editions of the maps may correct inaccuracies. Note that in the current edition all references to caves with Bushman paintings have been excluded to reduce the possibility of vandalism.

The routes in this guide are accompanied by sketch maps. Red dashed lines are used to illustrate routes that have been walked and validated. Red dotted lines are either alternatives that have been explored (indicated on the sketch) or just other paths you may encounter.

Maps are drawn to scale and based on GPS-derived information but they are just sketches and should be used in conjunction with the appropriate map. A map and compass should be regarded as essential equipment.

November 2019

Walk 20

October 2019

Walk 18 Xeni Cave

Pick of the Month - Adventure Travel

This handy guidebook is jam-packed with 75 incredible walks set within the stunning Maloti-Drakensberg Park, in South Africa. A land of spectacular beauty, the Drakensberg is full of dramatic landscapes, staggering mountain ranges, captivating wildlife and intriguing plant life. The park is also home to some fascinating ancient history, including the Bushman rock paintings which are hidden away in remote caves and spread widely across the park.

The book includes detailed route information, maps, interesting facts, handy tips, and 'must see' recommendations.