4 Day Drakensberg Mafadi Hike – Highest Mountain in South Africa!

Are you up for a challenging trek in the Drakensberg? Then maybe you should consider joining our 4 day guided hike to summit of the highest mountain in South Africa, also known as Mafadi. The hike covers about 52 kilometers over 4 days with an altitude gain of over 2,500m. So as you can imagine, your fitness levels required for this trek must be above average. The terrain in this part of the Drakensberg is on ‘single track’ paths and involves not only some challenging ascents up Judges Pass but also involves some pretty steep descents as well.

This hike is not recommended for novice hikers and it is highly recommended that you have some sort of hiking experience before taking on the challenge of conquering the highest mountain in South Africa-Having said that, there are no technical or ‘climbing’ activities involved in the trek. To put things in perspective, you will need to be able to handle, on average 7 hours of hiking per day. On the second day we gain over 1200m over 13 kilometers. Yes a long day, but in some of the most remote and scenic parts of the Drakensberg.

What does the 4 Day Drakensberg Mafadi Hike involve?

We spend 4 days and 3 nights in one of the most incredible and remote areas of the Drakensberg. We have the whole mountain to ourselves. Rarely do we see any other people expect for the Basotho shepherds on the escarpment.  Our accommodation is in tents and includes a night in the Upper Injasuthi Summit cave. Our source of water is from the many mountain streams and rivers that flow abundantly in the area.

The Mafadi hike is regarded as a more ‘purist’ form of hiking and although porters are available to hire, hikers are expected to carry their own backpacks and gear. We supply the tents, meals, cooking and eating utensils, guide.  Our guides have intimate knowledge of the area and have led over 200 hikes into the Drakensberg. We also like to keep the hiking experience pretty interactive. Our guides will teach skills to survive in the mountains from navigation, to setting up camp, and surviving the elements involved in trekking to the highest mountain in South Africa.

Want are the Conditions like on Mafadi?

Once we have climbed up Judges Pass on day 2 and topped out on what is known as the escarpment of the Drakensberg, conditions can get pretty bleak. We plan for the worst case scenarios on this hike. In winter temperatures can drop to -15 degrees Celsius with hectic wind. . In summer expect rain, thunderstorms and hectic wind. Again, it all adds to the experience of the hike. The sense of accomplishment would not be the same if it were easy.  And of course, we are going to be equipped to handle the conditions ( rain and cold weather clothing for example)