5 Days 4 Nights
South Africa
12
Cathedral Peak Circuit Hike (28 Feb – 3 Mar 2024)
*Please note that these base hike prices are subject to change; and private hike prices will differ from our scheduled hike prices. Your quote for this hike may differ, depending on equipment you may need to hire from us, or additional services you request such as accommodation before / after your hike and transport to and from the hike organised by DrakensbergHiker.
The Cathedral Peak Circuit Hike
is a 5-day hike via Windy Gap into Organ Pipes Pass, where we sleep below Cleft Peak. We meet at Didima at 8am to sign the hiking register and then it is off to the mountains. We leave the car park below Cathedral Peak Hotel and pop in for a dip at Doreen falls. After cooling down nicely, we go up a bit of a hill past Ribbon Falls for lunch at a small stream while looking up at Cleft Peak.
While having lunch we can look all over at the mountains towering above us.
Cathedral Peak is on one side and Cathkin Peak on the other. Life doesn’t get better than this! Our first camp is right at the base of the Windy gap trail with incredible views overlooking the foothills below and the huge mountains above us. It really is an amazing campsite. The next morning is spent walking up the steep Windy Gap to join Organ Pipes Pass. Lunch is on top of the pass and then a gentle stroll to our campsite. Here we camp with a view looking straight on to Cleft Peak. Click here to see how to prepare for your hike with us.
The next day we walk over Cleft Peak for unbelievable views…
We can really see for miles. Then it is a walk along the escarpment past the Elephant and the Cockade to camp next to a beautiful stream above Mlambonja Pass. We also have an option of sleeping in Twins Cave. The next day is a bit longer along the Bell Traverse which is a bit exposed, but as a result well worth the effort when you see the views.
We have lunch at the base of Cathedral Peak and, best of all, the possibility of climbing the famous peak. If the Bell Traverse is not an option we descend via Mlambonja Pass. After climbing Cathedral Peak we walk down the valley to camp on the ridge below. Here we look back up to where we just came from. The last day is about 3 hours into the foothills to finish at Cathedral Peak Hotel, and we would have just finished the famous Cathedral Peak Circuit Hike.
Cathedral Peak Circuit Hike Difficulty: Challenging