4 Days 3 Nights
South Africa
12
Mnweni Circuit Hike (5-8 Apr 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.
The Mnweni Circuit Hike
takes place in my favorite part of the Drakensberg and April is the end of summer so generally the best time to hike in the Drakensberg mountains.
On the Mnweni 4 day hike we start at the Mnweni Cultural Center and head out to sleep at the base of Rockeries pass. Walking up the valley in Mnweni is just amazing. Today is about 11km of walking which we will take about 5 hours to complete. We end up camping at 2200m altitude from about 1700m at the start. You can watch a video I made of this hike here.
Remember to ensure that you plan properly for your hike, as the weather in the Drakensberg is always unpredictable, so click here to see how to prepare for your hike.
The next day we hike up Rockeries Pass to have lunch on the border of Lesotho and South Africa. This takes up to 4 hours to do starting at 2200m and ending up at 3050m over 4km. Then we pop over to see a huge Cape Vulture colony which overlooking the stunning Mnweni area over 1000m below. I love this camp site and the timing is also great. There are a lot of vultures in this colony so we have amazing views of them flying around on their 2m wings.
Day 3 is a leisurely saunter along the escarpment and down Ntonjelana pass .
But first we walk behind the mighty North peak of the saddle and a dip in an incredible pool. From here it is uphill for a nice rest with amazing views all the way from the Devils tooth in the North to Cathkin peak in the South. Well worth the effort. Around the corner and we arrive at the top of Ntonjelana pass.
Here is a good spot for lunch.
Heading down Ntonjelana pass we often see locals with their donkeys so the pass is not too difficult. The whole day takes up to 7 hrs descending from just over 3000m down to 1500m. We must finish off with a cup of tea and a swim by the river with the last views
of the huge Saddle high above.
The final day is a relaxing stroll for 3 hrs along the river valley to arrive at our cars around 11am.
This whole area is full of Zulu culture and my porters love to show people their homes and culture.
Mnweni Circuit Hike difficulty: Intermediate to Challenging