The Drakensberg mountain range is located in the central area of the Republic of South Africa. Located west of the range is the small land locked country of Lesotho. The range forms a natural eastern international border between Lesotho and the Republic. Lesotho is very sparsely populated and is one of the poorest countries in the world. East of the mountains, the South Africa province of KwaZulu-Natal is located.
The Drakensberg is usually accessed from South Africa via a good network of highways and district roads. However foreign visitors may find that getting to the entry points for trekking can sometimes be confusing, as there is not a good trekking information service for the Drakensberg. Distances by road from point to point can also be longer than European visitors are used to.
If flying to South Africa, Durban International airport gives the best access. Johannesburg can also be used but is not quite as convenient. Pietermaritzburg where Peak High Mountaineering is located, also has a small airport where domestic flights from Johannesburg can be caught. See www.saairlink.co.za
If not travelling with a guided party or by air, it is best to hire a car at the point of arrival, as there is not a good public transport system to the mountains. See www.hertz.com; www.avis.co.za; www.imperialcarrental.co.za; www.budget.co.za
Luxury busses are available from Johannesburg to Durban or Pietermaritzburg. See Springbok Atlas on www.springbokatlas.com, Mega Coaches on www.megacoach.co.za or Greyhound on www.greyhound.com. These coaches stop in the town of Harrismith. If doing a trek in the northern Drakensberg, this can be a useful place to get off. The guide can fetch you from the bus stop.
Durban and Pietermaritzburg are large, modern, westernised cities with good hotels, B&Bs, entertainment and outdoor shops. For hotels in Durban contact City Lodge, cldurb.resv@citylodge.co.za; www.goblepalms.co.za or www.20palmgrove.co.za
If flying to Durban or Pietermaritzburg to meet up with a Peak High guide, we recommend staying in Pietermaritzburg the night before starting the trek. This is especially so if landing in the late afternoon. Peak High usually puts clients in Gateside Guest House. This is an up market B&B run by Rhett and Phillipa Bains. www.gateside.co.za The cost is not included in the guiding package.
Cellular phones can be rented at the airports. The 3 cellular phone companies are Vodacom, Cell C. and MTN.
The South African currency is the Rand, with one hundred cents to the unit. Foreign currency cannot be used in shops.
There is no hazard of malaria in the Drakensberg or Durban areas. Mountain porters are not easily available except in some of the northern areas and even so must be booked a week or so in advance.
The foothills are inhabited by Zulu speaking, indigenous people. They should be treated courteously at all times.
There are many hiking and trekking Clubs in South Africa. Perhaps the most important of these is the Mountain Club of South Africa, (MCSA).
The MCSA is made up of thirteen different sections located throughout southern Africa. For more information on the Natal/Drakensberg area the KwaZulu-Natal Section may be contacted on secretary@mcsa.co.za or the website: http://kzn.mcsa.org.za.
The Drakensberg
The “Berg” as it is usually referred to, is a trekker’s paradise. There is a good network of paths from the lower altitudes up to the 8000ft level. Above this level the vegetation is usually quite short making for easy cross-country trekking. At high altitude one can do multi day treks along the escarpment edge in a true wilderness area.
The range consists of a high 180km long escarpment, in-cut by deep valleys that run easterly toward the Indian Ocean. In-between these valleys, peaks rising to 3300m are found. The lower slopes between 1500m and 2200m are usually called “The Little Berg”. In addition several peaks stand free from the escarpment forming serrated ridges and massifs. To the west of the escarpment lie large rolling mountains inhabited by Basotho herdsmen. ie. Lesotho.
Access to most peaks is controlled by the Kwa Zulu Natal Wildlife , who manage much of the Drakensberg Park. The park is a World Heritage Site. In order to enter these areas it is necessary to obtain a permit from the office of the ranger-in-charge of the relevant area. Rescue registers are located at all offices and must be completed. Information on camping rules and restricted caves can be obtained from the ranger’s office.
On most guided trips, clients need to carry their own rucksacks with their cloths, sleeping bags, mattresses, food and some communal items such as tent-poles and pots. Trekkers usually stay in 2 man tents or in caves. Staying in caves overnight is usually a new experience for international clients. However caves have been used by local trekkers and climbers for many years. They are infact more like large overhangs of rock. The caves which are used actually offer better accommodation than a tent. They are large, roomy places that are dry and sheltered.
Weather
Most of the time the weather is good by northern hemisphere standards. Many days can go by with perfect sunny weather. However it should be noted that the Drakensberg lies in the summer rainfall area of southern Africa (October to March). During this time thunderstorms, accompanied by sleet and hail, could occur several days in succession. They are normally preceded by a small fluffy cloud build-up at high altitude. By midday, the storm is usually fully developed and lasts until mid-afternoon. This weather pattern makes early starts very important for trekkers.
From September to April it is also usual to get periods of several days of rain and mist shrouding the summits. Day time temperatures at the level of the ranger stations (approx 1500m) can become very high and may be accompanied by high humidity. From May until August is certainly the best time for trekking – with long spells of mild, stable skies.
These fine periods are broken by cold fronts moving in from the south west of the country, bringing rain and often heavy snow falls even to valleys of the little Berg. The cold fronts seldom strike without warning. Initial signs are high cirrus cloud from the west, accompanied by hot, dry westerly “Berg winds”. These conditions last at least several hours and give way to a steady build up of cloud from the west.
Occasional blizzards can occur and can last 1-3 days, making travel at high altitude impossible, with temperatures well below freezing. Weather forecasts can be heard on local radio stations or by phoning 082 2311602.
For more information have a look at our contact information on: http://www.peakhigh.co.za/contact.php
