GRADE: C+ TIME: 9 hours. DISTANCE: 15 km. TERRAIN: Very steep at times. Go with a hotel guide because the paths are not well marked. Take the Sungubala Pass. Turn right at the gate at the top of the pass, and scramble up the steep slopes of the Sungubala Ridge. At the top, travel along […]
GRADE: C+ TIME: 8 hours DISTANCE: 14 km. TERRAIN: Very steep at times, with some “bundu bashing”. Go with a hotel guide because the paths are not well marked on the escarpment. The Cavern school is the starting point. Take the jeep track north for about 2.5 km. Turn left at the gate, following the
GRADE: C+TIME: 4 hours return.DISTANCE: 5 km.TERRAIN: Difficult – steep, slippery and scrambly in places. The starting point is to follow the directions through the Fern Forest. Upon emerging from the end of the forest take the right hand fork leading up the hill. This path is well defined, and as it ascends it turns
GRADE: CTIME: 4 hours return.DISTANCE: 5 km.TERRAIN: Undulating path, with a few steep parts and some easy scrambling. Top Gate is the starting point. Follow the path to Sugar Loaf up past the plateau. Begin the final steep gradient up the rock face itself. On the right, near the top of this steep section, watch
GRADE: ETIME: 2½ hours.DISTANCE: 4 km.TERRAIN: Undulating path with moderate slopes. Only done with a hotel guide as it is easy to miss the paintings. The Bushman paintings are the most accessible in the Drakensberg, and are the main focus of this walk. Take the back route out of The Cavern, past the football field
GRADE: D+ TIME: 4 hours. DISTANCE: 6 km. TERRAIN: Undulating path with some moderately steep slopes. Take the path to the top of Surprise Ridge. Then turn towards Cannibal Cave and The Diamond. Continue along this path, edging up towards the escarpment. Keep to the base of the rock face, still on The Cavern side
GRADE: E TIME: 2½ hours. DISTANCE: 4½ km TERRAIN: Undulating path with moderate slopes. Take the path to Surprise Ridge past the aerial. At the confluence of the streams look for a path proceeding up the stream. This path leads right into the cave. It is named after Jim Heins who believed that he had
GRADE: D TIME: 3½ hours. DISTANCE: 7 km. TERRAIN: Undulating path with moderate slopes and gradients. The ridge holds two surprises. The first is that on approaching the ridge one finds that the real ridge is further on. The second is the magnificent view of the main Berg, from Cathkin to Cathedral and the Amphitheatre
GRADE: CTIME: 4½ hours return, longer by various circular routes.DISTANCE: 7 km return.TERRAIN: Undulating to steep, with some fairly easy scrambles. The starting point is the car park behind the 70s block. Follow the route through the Fern Forest. Once into the open turn right up the hill as though going to Echo Cave. At
GRADE: D+TIME: 4½ hours.DISTANCE: 7 km round trip.TERRAIN: Undulating path with a few steepish sections. The short-cut route has some scrambles. The aptly named Camel’s Hump is the corner-post of The Cavern property. Top Gate is the starting point for the walk. Proceed as for Surprise Ridge. At the top of the ridge turn left,
