14 Days 13 Nights
South Africa
12
Drakensberg Grand Traverse (4-17 May 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 Drakensberg Grand Traverse Hike is a spectacular 14 day hike which traverses the entire Drakensberg.
Because this is such a long hike, we do transport to the starting point (below the Drakensber Amphitheatre) the day before the hike starts!
We start in the Amphitheatre in the Northern Drakensberg and finish at Bushman’s Neck in the Southern Drakensberg.
During this incredible adventure we cover about 230km of unbelievable mountain scenery while staying at an average of 3000m above sea level. Please read a blog written by one of the ladies that joined a grand traverse a few years ago here https://www.drakensberghiker.co.za/why-i-hiked-the-drakensberg-grand-traverse/
To complete the Drakensberg Grand Traverse Hike we need to walk up 5 of the major Drakensberg Peaks
The first Peak is Mount-Aux-Sources at 3287m, near the top of the Amphitheatre.
Following this we hike up Cleft Peak, overlooking the Cathedral Peak range. The views from the top of Cleft Peak are lovely.
Afterwards, we head up Champagne castle, which at 3377m is the 3rd highest peak in South Africa.
From up here, we can size up our next peak, Mafadi Peak which is the highest peak in South Africa at 3450m.
The last, but highest peak, we climb is Thabana Ntlenyana.
This is the highest peak in Lesotho. It means ” pretty little mountain” and is 3482m above sea level.
Most of the time we camp in tents near clear mountain streams. However, there are also some opportunities to sleep in caves, which is an amazing experience.
The route we take as we complete this epic follows the Drakensberg Escarpment edge and the watershed border between Lesotho and South Africa. This is also where the views are the best.
Usually, we take a full 14 days to complete this incredible hike.
You need to be well prepared to complete a hike like this so be sure to familiarize yourself with our Hike Planning Page!
To complete this epic hike, you need to have a great sense of adventure and a love of wild and open spaces. Additionally, a good level of fitness definitely makes the hike more fun.
Drakensberg Grand Traverse Hike Difficulty: Extreme