Amphitheatre to Cathedral Peak Hike
This 5-day hike features some of the most dramatic scenery in the whole of the uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park. The route passes through the Amphitheatre, Mbundini, Mnweni, The Rockeries, The Saddle and The Cathedral range.
The first day’s hike takes hikers up the chain-ladder to the top of the Amphitheatre. From here, the route heads inland and along the escarpment, offering views of impressive vistas of buttresses and pinnacles that characterise the Drakensberg escarpment. The route then crosses the Senqu river, one of the source-rivers of the Orange river, and heads along the stunning Rockeries Pass, offering stunning views of all of the eight peaks of the Rockeries.
On the final day, the route descends 1500m along the Mlambonja Pass to the Cathedral Peak Hotel.
Listing Details
Day 1: The start of the trip is from the Sentinal car park (Witsieshoek) which is at an altitude of 2500m. From here you climb for two hours up to the escarpment and then up the chain ladder. Total hike distance is 6km. (The chain ladder can be avoided by ascending a gully.) From the top of the chain ladder the path heads south to the high plateau which forms the famous Monte-Aux-Sources Amphitheatre. This first night is usually spent in an old hut on top of the Amphitheatre or in a tent.
Day 2: The route hugs the escarpment edge for the next 15 kilometres at an approximate altitude of 3000 m. To the east the landscape drops away dramatically into the KwaZulu-Natal Province of South Africa. To the west are rolling mountains of the small land-locked Kingdom of Lesotho. The area to the east is called the Mweni and is perhaps the most spectacular area of the whole range. Most of the rest of the trip is spent walking along this high plateau. Camp in tents at the summit of Fangs Pass.
Day 3: This day starts with a long 6km climb (2 hours) around the “Mweni cutback” (3212m, highest point of trek) and then a gradual down hill for 9 kilometres to Ledgers Cave. This cave has one of the best views in the entire range, as it is perched right on the edge of the escarpment.
Day 4: An easy walk up past the huge rock peak of “Mponjwana” and then a gradual climb up and over the “Saddle ridge” to Twins cave. Another spectacular view awaits. Total distance of 16 kilometers.
Day 5: From Twins cave (2800m) you descend Mlambonjwa Pass to Cathedral Peak Hotel (1400m). Total distance of 11 kilometres.