DrakensbergHiker FAQs
Answers to our frequently asked questions…
Answers to common questions about our hikes...
-
We offer guided hikes in the Drakensberg Mountains ranging from easy family-friendly hikes to challenging multi-day adventures. Overland 4×4 tours of Lesotho and KwaZulu-Natal can also be combined with your hike.
When you look at any of our hikes, you will see these symbols which designate how difficult each hike is likely to be:
Intermediate to Challenging Hikes
-
Although previous hiking experience is always an advantage, we do have options for beginners, intermediate hikers, and experienced adventurers.
-
Yes. Some hikes are perfect for families and older hikers. Others are designed for fitter individuals.
Look for this symbol, which shows that the hike is an Easy Hike, these are usually perfect hikes for families with children.
-
All our hikes are led by experienced, certified local mountain guides.
-
Fitness requirements depend on the route, but we strongly suggest that in the months leading up to the hike you increase your levels of physical activity to prepare for the hike and get the most out of your Drakensberg Hiking experience.
Preparation with a weighted backpack of about the same weight as the package (Gold – 4kg, Silver – 14kg or Bronze – 22kg) is recommended for all our hikes.
Tougher hikes like our Challenging and Extreme require very good fitness levels.
What if I’m not sure which hike matches my fitness level?
Contact us and we will help you choose the right hike for you.
-
Essentials include your own hiking boots, warm clothing, toiletries, water bottle, your own snacks, back pack for Bronze or Silver Packages (or day pack if you are joining a Gold Package).
You can also bring an optional camera and power bank.
Remember that tents are provided and we can provide rental sleeping mats, sleeping bags, hiking poles, etc.
-
You can join a planned or scheduled upcoming hike by using the booking form on each hike.
You can also browse through our hikes, and see which one would be best for you, our most popular hikes also have the scheduled hikes on the hike pages here, so you can see when we are next running that hike or (if the dates don’t suit you), ask us for a private hike date on the page.
Otherwise please contact us if you have other requirements.
-
Yes. Our guides are trained and experienced. Safety is always the top priority.
-
Yes. Solo hikers are welcome to join any of our upcoming or scheduled hikes, we can also do a private hike for you as a solo traveler, although the costs will be higher than joining a group for a scheduled hike.
-
Our guides often take photos during the hikes, and may share them after the hike. Other hikers on our scheduled hikes also carry cameras so you will be able to share photo’s amongst the group after the hike.
-
Yes. Custom tour and hike itineraries and private hikes and tours can be arranged with us, please use our contact form to let us know what you would like to do!
Please tell me more the DrakensbergHiker package options?
-
All three options (Bronze, Silver & Gold) include full catering, and the supply of your tent.
Gold: Fully portered hike; you carry only a light day pack which weighs approximately 4kg (depending on what you put in it!). Our porters will put up and take down your tent at the overnight stops.
Silver: Partially portered hike; you carry a medium-weight back pack which weighs approximately 14kg. Our porters will put up and take down your tent at the overnight stops.
Bronze: Non-portered hike; you carry all your gear and food which weighs about 22kg. You will put up and take down your tent at the overnight stops.
For a reminder about what the packages include look for the Gold, Silver and Bronze package description about the contact form on all our hikes!
Drakensberg Hiking Package Options
We have differentiated between options for porters for your hike using ‘Gold’, ‘Silver’ and ‘Bronze’ as the options to choose from, so remember to select the correct option on your enquiry or hike form when you contact us.
We understand that the Gold, Silver and Bronze packages might seem a bit confusing, so we have done some calculations to assist you with which one will be most suitable for you, and to ensure that you have the most enjoyable hike possible!
It is a good idea as part of your hike preparation to do some extra walking anyway, so while doing a walk of approximately 5km, including some uphill and downhill parts, carry a pack with the pack weight listed in the description of the package you are interested in. If you are quite comfortable with that weight, then that is the right option for you.
If you find yourself battling, and don’t have time to do some more preparation, then consider moving to a different package.
All three options (Bronze, Silver & Gold) include full catering, and the supply of your tent.
GOLD
Fully Portered Drakensberg Hike
You carry only a day-pack containing your own with drinks, snacks and jacket for each day.
Includes 3 meals a day!
You will not be carrying a standard hiking backpack at all, instead we will supply you with a 35l drybag into which you will put all your personal gear for our porters to carry.
The day pack you will carry weighs approximately 4kg.
Sleeping bags, tents, etc are carried our porters who also put your tent up!
SILVER
Partially Portered Drakensberg Hike
You carry a backpack with your clothes, sleeping bag, sleeping mat, wash kit, and water bottle.
Includes 3 meals a day!
The pack weight you will carry on the Silver Package is approximately 14kg.
Tents etc are carried and put up by our porters.
BRONZE
Non-portered Drakensberg Hike
You carry your own backpack with all your personal gear, including your tent, and your share of the food.
Includes 3 meals a day!
The pack weight you will carry on the Bronze Package is approximately 22kg.
You will put up your own tent and take it down again each day.
Drakensberg Hiking Package Options
We have differentiated between options for porters for your hike using ‘Gold’, ‘Silver’ and ‘Bronze’ as the options to choose from, so remember to select the correct option on your enquiry or hike form when you contact us.
We understand that the Gold, Silver and Bronze packages might seem a bit confusing, so we have done some calculations to assist you with which one will be most suitable for you, and to ensure that you have the most enjoyable hike possible!
It is a good idea as part of your hike preparation to do some extra walking anyway, so while doing a walk of approximately 5km, including some uphill and downhill parts, carry a pack with the pack weight listed in the description of the package you are interested in. If you are quite comfortable with that weight, then that is the right option for you.
If you find yourself battling, and don’t have time to do some more preparation, then consider moving to a different package.
All three options (Bronze, Silver & Gold) include full catering, and the supply of your tent.
GOLD
Fully Portered Drakensberg Hike
You carry only a day-pack containing your own with drinks, snacks and jacket for each day.
Includes 3 meals a day!
You will not be carrying a standard hiking backpack at all, instead we will supply you with a 35l drybag into which you will put all your personal gear for our porters to carry.
The day pack you will carry weighs approximately 4kg.
Sleeping bags, tents, etc are carried our porters who also put your tent up!
SILVER
Partially Portered Drakensberg Hike
You carry a backpack with your clothes, sleeping bag, sleeping mat, wash kit, and water bottle.
Includes 3 meals a day!
The pack weight you will carry on the Silver Package is approximately 14kg.
Tents etc are carried and put up by our porters.
BRONZE
Non-portered Drakensberg Hike
You carry your own backpack with all your personal gear, including your tent, and your share of the food.
Includes 3 meals a day!
The pack weight you will carry on the Bronze Package is approximately 22kg.
You will put up your own tent and take it down again each day.
-
Enjoying dinner in Drakensberghiker’s restaurant. My scheduled hikes all have the price on the hike page. They include a gold, silver and bronze package. These are options you can choose from, depending on how much help you would like while on the hike.
I don’t include transport before the hike as people have different requirements, but we do offer transport to and from all of our hikes at an additional cost. Please let us know if you need transport to or from your hike when you complete the hike form.
So included in the price is 3 meals a day, your hiking permits, single or double tents, guide and all eating utensils.
Our gold and silver packages include having our porters set up your tents for you at the overnight stops.
We can provide additional hiking gear such as backpacks, sleeping bags, hiking poles and mats. When you complete the hike enquiry form, please let us know what you want us to provide and we will advise of the additional costs.
-
My porters are a great help carrying gear on hikes with Drakensberghiker DrakensbergHiker Porters
Our DrakensbergHiker porters are a big part of my business. Without them I wouldn’t be able to offer so many hikes. They certainly make the hikes a lot easier and therefore more fun to most hikers.
My porters live at Mnweni in the Drakensberg.
The Drakensberg is their home and they are great at helping people while on a hike. While it is work for them, they actually love their job. They get to socialize with each other while hiking and get paid to do it.
So there are 3 different options of portaging on a hike.
Not portered at all means you carry your clothes, sleeping bag and mat plus share of the food and a tent that I supply. Generally for a 4 day hike that comes to around 22kg’s or 3kg’s of tent and 5kg’s of food.
Semi portered means you carry your clothes, sleeping bag and mat and the porters will carry your tent which they also put up and your share of the food. Usually that ends up being around 12kg’s that you carry.
Fully portered is great. You just carry a day pack with water bottle, jacket and camera. The porters will carry your clothes, sleeping bag, mat plus tent and food. Your clothes bag (which I supply) including sleeping bag can weigh up to 10kg’s.
When hiring my Drakensberghiker porters you are also employing locals.
While my porters are mostly subsistence farmers they also rely on me to give them employment and they really appreciate you.
All about the meals we offer on our hikes...
-
Yes, we do 🙂
Please let us know what your dietary requirements are when you fill in the hike request form so that we can cater for them!
-
Yes. All of our hikes include three meals per day.
-
A favorite is sausages and smash with sweetcorn and gravy. Food on a Hike
Food on a hike is very important as it gives you energy to walk all day but should also taste nice and be a social event. I love cooking and actually have quite a few different suppers that I supply and cook. Most days we start supper at 5.30pm.
Butter Chicken with rice and plenty of mushrooms and onions. #1 is Butter chicken with rice, mushrooms and onions. #2 is Sausage and smash with sweet corn and gravy. #3 is Chakalaka with rice and of course cheese is also good. #4 is Pasta with cheese sauce and tuna #5 is Pasta with salami or bacon and cheese sauce #6 is Smash and gravy and thinly sliced biltong. #7 soya with taco spice and black beans over some rice. Also adding some cream. After supper we have a hot drink of either milo, coffee, rooibos or 5 roses tea and some chocolate.
I try to have a variety of food but it is not easy when we don’t have
DrakensbergHiker Lunches fridges or shops along the way.
It is fairly easy to cater for vegetarians by just removing the meat and adding for example a tin of butternut soup. I have some really good vegan dehydrated dinners to offer too vegans. I can supply vegan breakfasts and suppers but vegans would need to bring their own lunches.
Breakfasts are an important meal and I have all the tea, coffee or rooibos tea you can drink to start the day. Every breakfast has muesli and oats porridge.
It is usually a 4 hour walk between breakfast and lunch.
Noodles with tuna and a dash of hot sauce. Some people get a bit peckish so should bring a few snacks to keep them going. Peanuts, raisins, biltong or dried fruit are popular. Lunches are mostly near a river but sometimes we are on top of a ridge enjoying the views while having lunch. For those lunches my porters always bring water for some refreshing juice or tea.
You can expect provitas or salty cracks with cheese, cold meat and boiled eggs. I also enjoy peanut butter and bovril on crackers. The first few days we also get to have apples and oranges.
Delicious pasta with lots of cheese and some bacon. On other days we cook up some 2 minute noodles with tuna. The vegetarians just serve themselves before we add the tuna. Of course Nandos hot sauce is lovely to add to the noodles.
Logistics, payment, and how do I get to and from the hike I want to join?
-
Drakensberg Hike Transport.
I set up Drakensberg transport because it has to be easy to get to the start of your hike from the airport or your hotel. Unfortunately public transport in South Africa is not that great. That is why I have some vehicles available to do just that. They all have air conditioning and places for you to do your last minute charging of your phones or cameras. We even have a radio to play some music.
All my vehicles have participant liability insurance.
You just never know so it is better to be prepared. My vehicles are serviced every 10000km and when tires have 25% tread left they are replaced. Believe it or not, tires are one of the most important parts on any vehicle. Also nice to have are 2 way radios so we can chat to each other while on the way to the mountains.
So all you have to do is show up at the airport and be ready for an adventure in the Drakensberg Mountains.
Apart from organizing transport I can also book you into a hotel or B&B before / after your hike.
Sometimes people need to just relax after their long flight so catching your breath at a B&B is great. As I live in Pietermaritzburg it is a 2 hour drive to most parts of the Drakensberg. Durban airport is 1 hour away from me so easy to pick you up there. It is also possible to pick you up at Johannesburg airport.
-
Yes. We offer 4×4 overland tours in South Africa and Lesotho.
In partnership with our sister company Southern African Overland 4×4 Tours we can also take you to our neighboring countries.
-
We accept Visa and MasterCard payments using our payment gateway (PayGate), and also accept Electronic Funds Transfer Payments into our bank account.
Once we have agreed on the cost for your hike we will send you an invoice to use your card to do the deposit.
-
Booking your hike early is recommended, especially during busy seasons, we update our upcoming and scheduled hikes regularly and have hikes up to a year ahead on our website at any given time.
Our busy seasons are around the holiday times, especially April, July and December, so if you want to join an upcoming hike in these months we certainly recommend that you book early to avoid disappointment.
Safety and the Drakensberg Weather...
-
Weather in the mountains can be unpredictable, so we always monitor conditions and our experienced guides will put your safety first so they may adjust or reroute the hike for safety reasons.
We run our hikes all year round and we strongly recommend that you always have bring a set of warm gear for nonseasonal weather changes to ensure that your hike is comfortable.
For seasonal weather (like rain) we do offer rental of hiking ponchos to protect you and your gear from the rain.