Drakensberg Hiker
Welcome to Drakensberg Hiker, home of
Ian Shooter's guided hikes in the KwaZulu-Natal
Drakensberg
Join us in exploring South Africa by visiting the Drakensberg & KwaZulu-Natal!
We'll organise your South African adventure holiday, including guided hikes, bird-watching, trekking, canoeing, backpacking, cycling or just checking out the Bushman Rock Art in the Drakensberg & throughout KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
We present the best that KwaZulu-Natal & South Africa has to offer, from Drakensberg to Battlefields and Game Reserves, & invite you to come & share it with us.
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Contact me...
Ian Shooter
ian@drakensberghiker.co.za
tel: +27 33 396 3906
cell: +27 72 947 1174
Pietermaritzburg
KwaZulu-Natal
South Africa
If you have a particular hike in mind, or would like us to contact you with prices and suggestions for your Drakensberg hiking trip, please click here to use our handy contact form to tell us more about what you're interested in.
What do people say about their experience of hiking in the South African Drakensberg with Ian Shooter?
Thanks to Ian and his porters we enjoyed a fantastic 4.5 day hike from Mnweni Cultural Centre, up Rockeries Pass and down Ntonjelana Pass. Ian's incredible passion for the Drakensberg is infectious, and his experience and knowledge of the area, fauna and flora is superb. His porters were friendly, capable and helpful, and Ian merrily whipped up some excellent food to keep us warm and fueled at all times. The communal "mess tent" is a great idea, making dinner and breakfast a warm, social occasion with lots of good laughs! I highly recommend Ian to anyone looking for a safe, fun, thoroughly organised and personalised hiking experience in the 'Berg.
Bryn Davies, Cape Town, South Africa
"Our five day hike of the northern Drakensberg Mountain was efficiently led by Ian Shooter and supported by his helpful team of porters. The views from the escarpment were stunning every day. We had the opportunity to witness the gliding vultures and other birds of the area. The final night at the kraal of our porter Caiphus was a unique cultural bonus to this hike."
Tom Abel & Rosalie Frankel, USA
A stunning and soul-enriching 12 days with nature in an almost unspoilt wilderness, awesome pyrotechnic grumbling storm thrown in. Do it the easy way: Give a porter a job, and yourself an easy trip: a win win agreement, and everyone happy. The porters are great fun, Ian's not to bad either! (Very knowlegable guy, and very aware of safety issues). Dont think about it - DO IT! Ive done ' it' - the mighty Berg - 4 times now, and will go back again and again.
Toni, Scotland
"I had a fantastic 4 day hike with Ian in October 2010. We were supposed to be a small group, with 2 others joining us, but they dropped out, so it was just Ian, Caiphus (a guide) and Jeffrey (a porter). It had been decided in advance that I would have a porter to carry my tent and food.
Ian collected me from Ballito and we drove to Mnweni camp. On the way he took my “other” luggage to his home for safe keeping. We met Caiphus and Jeffrey at Mnweni Camp and had dinner together. Our hike then took us over Rockies pass. One of the aims was to see a colony of Cape Vultures; the other was to enjoy the mountains.
The weather was very Welsh / Scottish wet, windy, snow, sun, cold, warm. This in no way detracted from the hike. I felt at all times we were walking at my pace. Everyone was really friendly and interested in talking about their lives, at the same time interested in mine. I am really into food; this was one of the unexpected highlights, as Ian cooked all manner of tasty dishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I am also really interested in plants and birds and the knowledge of all 3 of them was great. A fear of mine is getting lost, particularly when it is misty – at all times I felt fully confident that they new the paths really well, despite the fact they were not well used. The only people we passed on the trek was a caravan of Lesotho traders (what bliss - - it felt as if we were the only people enjoying the wonderful scenery!)
I would highly recommend Ian as a guide. My friends thought I was mad when I decided to go and then said it was only me, being a single female. I think that the respect, care and attention from Ian, Caiphus and Jeffrey was amazing, I only hope that they enjoyed it half as much as I did. I hope to go back sometime with my husband,. Although he is an experienced mountaineer, we would arrange a trek with Ian as I think you get so much more out of the mountains going with some-one who knows, loves and respects them."
Sandy, England
"An excellent hike, well organised by Ian and the crew who provided good company, good food, and knew where to go to make the most of the time. The berg was fantastic, and Ian’s guiding service providing a way for me to experience some of the best of it. Travelling by myself in SA, I could’t have realistically organised more than day trips. I aim to get back."
Glenn, New Zealand
"Although blessed with fantastic mountain sceneries in Switzerland, too, I could get addicted to the Drakensberg. And this thanks to Ian Shooter.
Twice within 6 months I have hiked there with Ian as guide, and I wouldn't dream to return without him leading my next hike.
Ian is not only reliable, likes to share is broad knowledge and can provide state of the art equipment if needed, he is also fun to be with, a good cook and he really cares for 'his' hikers.
Ian's guiding and support meet my high quality expectations, and I'm convinced that he is the best guide you can hire for a hike in the Drakensberge so don't hesitate to discover the wonderful Drakensberg with him too."
Kathrin, Switzerland
May 2011 Hike:
"Our five day hike of the northern Drakensberg Mountain was efficiently led by Ian Shooter and supported by his helpful team of porters.The views from the escarpment were stunning every day. We had the opportunity to witness the gliding vultures and other birds of the area. The final night at the kraal of our porter Caiphus was a unique cultural bonus to this hike."
Tom Abel & Rosalie Frankel
"I was looking to join a group to do a hike in the Drakensberg, and I had only one week and wasnt flexible with time. After searching the net and contacting a few companies around the world unsuccessfully, I was lucky enough to find Ian who got some friends together to make up a group just for me. He and his wife, Lesley picked me up from the airport and also included me in a family lunch for her birthday the day before the start of the hike. The hike up to Champagne Castle was a fantastic experience - the weather was
varied, the hike hard and the scenery spectacular. Ian certainly knows his mountains and he can cook too! It was exactly what I was looking for."
Joan, Sydney, Australia.