Tag: Drakensberg Hiking

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] South Africa Adventures' Best Hiking Trails in the Drakensberg South Africa is home to some of the most beautiful scenery in the world, and we have hand picked the best hiking trails in the Drakensberg just for you! Discover the immense beauty and serenity of hiking in the Drakensberg Mountains. From misted mountain passes to enchanted fern forests and cascading waterfalls, to vast open space. There will be moments when you think you are dreaming-having stumbled into a fantasy world that will ignite not only your senses but open up Pandora’s Box of imaginative splendor. It is no wonder Tolkien was inspired by these ‘Dragon Mountains” to create the Misty Mountains in his world famous book. To hike the Barrier of Spears you are going to need to be prepared. The best hiking trails in the Drakensberg are multi day hikes that cover more than 40km with elevation gains of over 2000m on some of the routes.  And the hiking is way different to other hikes within South Africa. If remoteness and solitude is what you seek, the Drakensberg is a must for any avid hiking enthusiast.  In fact on most of our hiking tours, we are the only hikers on the mountain. And the routes are also not very defined. So navigation and an intimate knowledge of the area are key in the ultimate success and safety of the hike. And accommodation is not in the Hilton. On all of these routes we make use of tents or caves. This also means that there are no showers, toilets or baby sitters to come and tuck you into bed with your favorite teddy bear. Hiking the proper way!! Our passion and home is the Drakensberg. Let us take you on an adventure of a lifetime, in your drop-jawed stupor,

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] South Africa Adventures Guided Drakensberg Hikes [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/3"][vc_column_text] Our guided Drakensberg hikes are extremely popular!. The Drakensberg Mountains are considered as the best hiking destination in South Africa. The range extends for over 1000km around the mountain Kingdom of Lesotho. Most guided Drakensberg hikes however only cover the 230 odd kilometer stretch from the Southern Drakensberg in Underberground through to the Northern Drakensberg area of the Amphitheatre. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/3"][vc_column_text]Within this area there are over 50 various routes that hikers can take. Some of the routes are pretty straight forward day hikes where little hiking experience is needed. And then there are the more challenging multi day hikes like Mafadi and the mini traverse, that cover the ‘Middle Berg’ and ultimately the ‘High Berg’. Many of the routes on the multi day hikes do not have clear paths and a clear understanding of navigation and map reading is essential if you are looking at embarking on these hikes.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/3"][vc_column_text]Not only are the paths virtually non- existent but they can be very confusing when they branch off into multiple directions. Now add thick mist to that scenario and hikers can get themselves into a dangerous situation. And then there is the   top of the escarpment which averages just over 3000m and takes sometimes 3 days to reach. You can imagine how the risk factor increases because of the remoteness and lack of emergency infrastructure. Does this mean don’t go trekking in the Drakensberg? Absolutely not![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Here are some things to consider when planning your guided Drakensberg hikes. Should I organize myself or is it best to go on guided Drakensberg hikes with a reputable company? The answer to this question is pretty simple. If you are an experienced hiker who has been on multiple hikes before and are comfortable in the

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Amphitheatre hike in the Drakensberg with South Africa Adventures As many intrepid hikers the world over know, the Drakensberg mountains in South Africa are fast becoming one of the most  popular hiking destinations . In fact, these ancient spires of ancient rock are rated in the top 10 hikes to do on this jagged planet we call Earth. One of our most popular hiking tours in the Drakensberg by far is to the top of the Amphitheatre. Over the past 15 years we have taken over 2000 hikers on this tour. And why would this tour be so popular many people ask us?  In our opinion, there are various reasons for this which we will discuss in this article. I remember 10 years ago when we basically had the whole mountain to ourselves but that is quickly becoming a thing of the past as more and more people are discovering the awesomeness of this area. Amphitheatre Hike - Accessibility The Amphitheatre hike is the only hike in the Drakensberg where the escarpment can be reached within a few hours. The hike starts at a place called the Sentinel Carpark which is already situated at 2600m. The average height at the top of the Amphitheater is about 3000m depending on where you go. So there is only a 400m height gain. On all of the other various Drakensberg hikes, the escarpment can only be reached in about 2 days covering sometimes over 30km. This hike is relatively easy in comparison. The hiking distance to the top is only about 4km and only takes a hiker of average fitness about 3 hours to complete. If you are new to hiking and are not ready for an intense hard core hiking experience, then this hike is a definite. Amphitheatre Hike - is