Our popular mountain walking tour of the spectacular escarpments and peaks in South Africa's premier mountain range. A good balance of vigorous hiking, unfrequented trails, comfortable and always interesting accommodation and good food makes for a quality experience. One or two ascents are on steep ground and require sound footwork and confidence.
The Natal Drakensberg is a dramatic escarpment extending for about 180kms and rising almost sheer to a sensational 3000m. The midwinter months of June and July are ideal for hiking with mostly settled weather, warm sparkling days and cold nights.
We travel south to north along the escarpment enjoying long days (7-9 hours), fresh air and robust airy walking. Great mountain days - a foray into Lesotho, an energetic ascent of the horn on Rhino's Peak, the steep summit scramble onto Cathedral Peak and the daunting chain ladder access to Mont Aux Sources.
The top of Sani Pass is the border post between South Africa and Lesotho, thus passports are a must. Once inside Lesotho we visit a Sotho tribal village, and interact with the local people before enjoying lunch at the highest pub in Africa, perched right near the edge of the mountain, it has few rivals in terms of pub views. Lesotho is a fascinating country, landlocked and entirely surrounded by South Africa, it covers 30 355 square kilometres and is the only independent state in the world that lies entirely above 1000 metres in elevation. Its lowest point is 1400 metres, with over 80% of the country lying above 1800 metres above sea level!
