Drakensberg, South Africa

Destination

3 Days

Duration

710

Physicality

14-60

Age recommendations

Enjoy an incredible 3 Day Mnweni Drakensberg Hike with us!

The Mnweni Drakensberg hike is considered one of the most scenic hikes in the area. The tour covers about 42km of sheer awesomeness. The hike starts at the cultural center and follows the route up the Mnweni Pass and down the spectacular Rockeries Pass. Day one is a 14 km hike to Shepard’s Cave which is situated at the base of the Mnweni Pass. Day two is a hike up to the escarpment. The hike only covers about 8km but with an elevation gain of about 1200m.

What makes this Mnweni Drakensberg Hike so special?

A definite highlight of this hike is sleeping in Ledgers cave on the second night. There is nothing to describe the mind blowing views from this cave. It is nestled about 30 metres under the edge of the escarpment. On the final day, hikers will descend over 1200m via Rockeries Pass which is home to incredible mountain scenery. The back end of Cathedral peak can be seen looming in the distance.

The Mnweni hiking routes are pretty unique in that it is the only area that does not fall under the restriction of the Natal Park Board and has therefore become one of the most remote hiking areas of the Drakensberg. And we are super keen to support the community by bringing hikers to this incredible place.

Drakensberg FAQ

What food to take on a Drakensberg hike
What food to take on a Drakensberg hike - All you need to know One of the biggest questions we get asked- ‘what kind of food do I need for a Drakensberg hike ?’ We have been hiking in the Drakensberg for over 20 years and understand the crucial factor food and nutrition plays in a successful and relatively pain free hiking experience. We have included some ideas that we have picked up over the years to assist you with maintaining your strength and vitality in the mountains. The article includes an eating plan on how to maintain your weight
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5 tips for staying warm in the Drakensberg Mountains
5 tips for staying warm in the Drakensberg Mountains I have been around for 40 years and have been hiking in the Drakensberg mountains in South Africa for 20 of those years. And what have I learnt? Well they are quite simple really. They are only 3 guarantees in life. You are going to die. You have to pay taxes and there will be rain and mist when you go trekking in the Drakensberg. Wet clothing can be potentially dangerous as they conduct heat away from your body thus making you very susceptible to hypothermia-a life threatening condition that can
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Trekking equipment for the Drakensberg Mountains
Our advice on trekking equipment for the Drakensberg Mountains Making sure you have packed the correct trekking equipment for the Drakensberg Mountains can sometimes be a bit of a challenge. How much weight should I carry? What size backpack do I need? Do I really need my hairdryer? Most hikers have these questions leading up to a Drakensberg hiking adventure. We have been guiding hiking tours into the Drakensberg for over 10 years and not only that, in all types of weather conditions. And yes we have seen it all? We love our pre climb backpack inspection as we are
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Tips for hiking in the Drakensberg
Tips for hiking in the Drakensberg What to expect on a Drakensberg hike and how to prepare? A hike into the Drakensberg is not to be underestimated. We have been involved in organized hiking tours for over 10 years and have experienced most of what human nature and the mountains can throw at us. The most common question we get asked? How hard is the hike? How long is a piece of string? Until we actually get to hike with our clients or train with them we have absolutely no idea how hard the hike is going to be for
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Drakensberg Hike Fitness
How fit do I need to be for a hike in the Drakensberg? Drakensberg Hike Fitness - not only is this one of the most frequently asked questions about our hiking tours in the Drakensberg but is also a topic of concern for us as a guiding company as well. A lot of people underestimate hiking in the mountains. There are so many factors at play that the average person does not take into account when booking for a hike. We have written this article to hopefully give our clients a rough idea of what to expect, how to train
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Best time to hike Drakensberg
Best time to hike Drakensberg Hello!!! My name is Darren and I have been leading hiking tours into the Drakensberg for the past 10 years. In fact my first ever hike into these majestic mountains was at the tender age of 10. My brother and I spent a whack of time exploring these ‘Barriers of Spears’. My passion for the Drakensberg eventually blossomed into the creation of an Adventure Travel business. These are my thoughts on the best time to hike. A common question we always get asked: When I the best time to hike in the Drakensberg mountains, South
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Why climb mountains?
A idiots guide to what I think and why I climb Mountains. Climbing big mountains basically has the human experience condensed into a very, very small period of time. Maybe it’s a 3-week climb. Maybe it’s just a 3-day hike in the Drakensberg. One thing for sure is that all the core aspects of our personality come forward in a condensed and direct way. Everything is so intense and highlighted that it gives us an opportunity to really practice and shift and change behaviors if we desire to. What was that? If we desire to? Yeah so that’s where the
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Additional information

Number of Tickets	1 ticket @ R9500, 2 tickets @ R5700 pp, 3 tickets @ R3900 pp, 4 tickets @ R3700 pp, 5 tickets @ R3200 pp, 6 tickets @ R2700 pp, 7 tickets @ R2600 pp

Our tours begin and end in Johannesburg

(SELF DRIVE OPTIONS AVAILABLE)

Day 1

Travel day. Our scheduled trekking tour of the Drakensberg starts at 05H00. You will be met by your guide, load up the vehicle and take the 5 hour drive down to the Mnweni Cultural Village. Upon arrival we will take a short break and prepare for the hike ahead. The hike today covers about 10km over about 5 hours.

We have lunch at the Mnweni Pools. Our campsite for the night is at the base of the Mnweni Pass. If Shepard’s Cave is available we may also decide to use that for the night. But this cannot be guaranteed as the local Shepard’s may be using it. Because this part of the Drakensberg is not controlled by the Natal Park Board but is considered ‘community’ land, we have zero control over the availability of the cave.

Day 2

After breakfast we start our ascent of the beautiful Mnweni Pass. The height gain today is just over 1000m and is basically straight up. Yes today is going to be tough, but we promise you the reward will be well worth the effort. Hiking distance is about 6km and takes about 5 hours to reach. This part of the Drakensberg is rated by local hikers as one the most secluded and beautiful areas of the Drakensberg.

Some of the main peaks to look out for include the Inner and Outer Mnweni Needles as well as Pinnacles. We will spnd the night in Ledgers Cave which us regarded as THE most scenic cave in the Drakensberg. As with most of our hiking tours, we follow the plan of leaving camp early and getting into camp early. That gives hikers the afternoon to recover for the following days hike.

Day 3

After breakfast, we begin our descent back into South Africa via the Rockeries Pass which is situated about 2km from our camp site. The route down is pretty steep. There is nothing technical about it and ropes are not needed, but it may still be slow going as we are going to drop nearly 1000m in altitude over about 3 km. We start the hike as early as possible as the hiking distance is about 16km over 6 hours. Hopefully we are down at the Cultural Centre by 13H00. And then we take the 5 hour drive back to Johannesburg.

Incredible Drakensberg Scenery

The Drakensberg is a world heritage site

Isolated and remote hiking experience

Spend a mind blowing night in the best cave in the Drakensberg-Ledgers

Authentic South African hiking experience

INCLUDED
Return transfers Johannesburg to Mnweni Cultural Village Return (unless self-drive option selected)
Hotel Pick Up
1 Nights’ accommodation in tented camps
1 night on Ledgers Cave (depending on group size and availability)
All climbing permits
Tents, sleeping mats, cooking and eating utensils
Breakfasts and dinners on the mountain
Basic first aid kit
Guide for the duration of the tour
Dedicated Trip Planner
Local Taxes

NOT INCLUDED
Flights and airport taxes
Hiking Equipment (can be hired)
Items of a personal nature
Visas for South Africa
Health requirements (if any)
Optional but highly recommended travel and medical insurance.
Snacks, personal medicine
Meals & drinks not specified

Guided Drakensberg Hikes 3 Day Champagne Castle Hike_14

Drakensberg 3 Day Hike FAQ’s

What you need to know about a 3 day Drakensberg Hike The pick-up location for the tour? The pick-up location for the tour is “THE

Guided Drakensberg Hike Champagne Castle_7 South Africa Adventures Guided Tours

Guided Drakensberg hiking tours from Johannesburg

What food to take on a Drakensberg hike

Drakensberg Hike Fitness

5 tips for staying warm in the Drakensberg Mountains

Trekking equipment for the Drakensberg Mountains

Tips for hiking in the Drakensberg

Best time to hike Drakensberg

Why climb mountains?

Tour Reviews

5.00 based on 3 reviews

Lulu Chen

May 10, 2018

Hi Darren,
Thanks for the amazing trip, it was the perfect way to recharge the mind and soul (but not so much the body)! You guys have proven again that you are great at what you do and we would love to join you guys on another trip in the future.
To recognize the gone wells and areas of development:
a) Food: Very satisfied with the breakfast, the peanut butter was a good touch. Dinners were creative and tasty!
b) Portions: We would have loved to have more dinner so bring on bigger portions.
c) Tents: Clean, good! Just double check for wear and tear.
d) Stupid jokes? yes. Too many? Should you stop? no 
e) Pre-trip feedback: Glad we had the WhatsApp group for questions.
f) Ease of booking: Convenient payment method. Would like to have seen a group booking step because we couldn’t see all our bookings at a group level. We wanted to confirm that everything everyone had booked/rented was acknowledged.
g) Overall, I am very happy with your services. Really like how everything was prepared and little admin was required by us. Really appreciate how calm everything was handled, it was just the atmosphere we all needed. Ways to be more awesome: give explicit timeframes for pause/lunch breaks at stations so we don’t have the same situation again and delay others.
Huge thank you to the team!

Alli and Kathryn

July 18, 2018

This trek was absolutely incredible! The views were stunning and worth all the hard work. This adventure was the best way to reflect and detach from daily stresses and to become more intune with nature. It was isolated and remote in the best way possible to reconnect with oneself.

We also felt really comfortable and motivated with Darren as our guide. Not only was he extremely knowledgeable and experienced but he also provided ridiculous jokes and great conversation — not to mention delicious food. Thanks Darren for such a wonderful and memeorable experience.

-Alli and Kathryn

Graeme Bingham

June 15, 2019

Overall, a very enjoyable hike. Scenery was spectacular throughout, and whilst the hike was challenging physically (in particular the climb on day 2), it wasn’t technically difficult, so ideal from my perspective. Sleeping in caves on both nights was an unusual experience – definitely better than using the tents, and with fantastic views as an additional plus. Quite cold on the second night, but fortunately still above 0. Shade and Patrick were both excellent guides and the organisation was flawless. The only difficulty we encountered was keeping to the overrun trail on the first day – clearly this route is not overly used, which made keeping to the path challenging at times. Would definitely use South Africa Adventures for another hike in the Drakensberg. Thanks again!

Darren

June 19, 2019

Hi Graham, thankyou for the great feedback. We are super stoked that you had a fantastic experience in the Drakensberg. Safe travels and hopefully we get to see you soon

3 Day Mnweni Drakensberg Hike