Policeman's Helmet Hike
Starting at the Gorge car park this 6km hike to Policeman's Helmet with an elevation gain 340m along the way offers great views.
Listing Details
The amphitheatre, flanked by the Eastern Buttress and the Sentinel, dominates the scenery, with the Policeman's Helmet standing proud in the foreground. The sandstone structure is visible from afar and it doesn’t take much imagination to see where it got its name.
From the Tugela Gorge car park head along the Tugela George Trail with the Vemvaan River on your left. A path comes in from the Thendele camp on your right, keep going straight. Follow the main trail for about 300 metres and then take a path heading off to the left. You are now heading up the Vemvaan Valley. The trail now swings to the left and begins to climb, eventually reaching the ridge where you will find Policeman’s Helmet.
Follow the ridge to the end and to the base of this huge sandstone rock. From along the ridge, you can get a photograph of the Policeman’s Helmet with the Amphitheatre and Sentinel in the distance.
GPX track map
Elevation (altitude) diagram of the track
Track length and Trackpoint information
| Information | Calculated value |
|---|---|
| Overall distance (metric) | 6 km |
| Overall distance (imperial) | 3.8 miles |
Elevation / altitude data (metric)
| Information | Calculated value |
|---|---|
| Altitude range (highest-lowest point) | 318 m |
| Minimum altitude (lowest point) | 1500 m |
| Maximum altitude (highest point) | 1818 m |
| Uphill (addition of positive altitude changes) | 340 m |
| Downhill (addition of negative altitude changes) | 40 m |
Elevation / altitude data (imperial)
| Information | Calculated value |
|---|---|
| Altitude range (highest-lowest point) | 1043 ft |
| Minimum altitude (lowest point) | 4921 ft |
| Maximum altitude (highest point) | 5965 ft |
| Uphill (addition of positive altitude changes) | 1115 ft |
| Downhill (addition of negative altitude changes) | 131 ft |
