If spectacular scenery and climbing a pass few people ever will is on your to do list, then this difficult hike is the one.

The pass is approached via the trail to Mnweni Pass. It is very easy to get lost on this if you don't know the route, so best to take a guide from the Mnweni Cultural Centre, or hike with someone who knows the area.

Getting There

From Johannesburg:

Take the N3 Durban bound till Harrismith. Take the turnoff to Clarens, and follow this for about 10km, before taking the R74 Bergville offramp. Follow this road till the town of Bergville, where you will turn right towards Rookdale. Shortly before the road crosses the dam, there is a turnoff to your left marked for a police station, take this turn off.

Watch for a right hand turn off marked amaNgwane (Mnweni) Cultural Centre, take this turnoff. After a fairly long distance, the centre will be on your right, shortly after crossing a large concrete bridge.

From Durban/Pietermaritzburg:
Take the N3 Harrismith bound. At the Bergville/Colenso offramp, turn left to Bergville. Follow this road till the town of Bergville, where you will turn left towards Rookdale. Shortly before the road crosses the dam, there is a turnoff to your left marked for a police station, take this turn off.

Watch for a right hand turn off marked amaNgwane (Mnweni) Cultural Centre, take this turnoff. After a fairly long distance, the centre will be on your right, shortly after crossing a large concrete bridge.

Route Description

Your start is from the Mnweni Cultural Centre.

Start of the pass

Lower down on the pass, Mnweni Pass visible in the distance

At Chi-Chi Bush Camp (which is barely large enough for two tents), leave the Mnweni Pass route and follow the riverbed till you reach the gully.

Directions are given for a team ascending the pass, this route is not recommended for descent. Take the river course until you hit the first waterfall, then break left onto the grass bank. Hold the grass bank for the remainder of the route.

At an altitude around 2800m on the pass

The line up the pass will be fairly obvious for an experienced hiker. Boulder fields are occasionally crossed, but don't pose any difficulty.

An idea of the gradient

Near the top of the pass, there are two caves. The lower one - Lamb Skull Cave - can sleep 4 at a push, and is up a bit of a scramble. The higher cave, which is more commonly used and doesn't require a scramble to reach, is called Pins Cave and sleeps 8.

Lamb Skull Cave

Pins Cave

The debate over what is the hardest non-rock pass in the Drakensberg has raged for decades.

I am of the opinion that Pins gets this title, beating out other contenders such as Icidi, Ships Prow and Minaret. The pass starts below 2000m and tops out at almost 3200m, it does not relent and is very difficult to cover at any sort of speed. This is not a route to be taken lightly!

It is possible to camp above the pass, although not recommended as it is on a major trade route. Pins Cave or Lamb Skull Cave are great, but far from water outside of summer.

Top of the pass

Looking down the pass

Essential Gear

The route does occasionally get snowed up, which would make it fairly technical, especially seeing as it is south facing. Otherwise the standard Drakensberg gear is required.