Why Backpack and Multi-day Hiking?

Quathlamba

“A mass of Spears. Named thus by the Zulu warriors before the white man came. Today called the Drakensberg, Mountains of the Dragon. Evocative names, both equally applicable to South Africa’s mightiest mountain range with its spear-like peaks – reminiscent of the saw-toothed spine of a gigantic dragon.”

“Listen to the streams as they gurgle from their cradles and you will hear the story of the mountains. You will hear fascinating tales if only you listen! Lie next to a stream and listen to the song of the mountains. The smiling faces of the flowers, dancing in the wind. Venture into the remote valleys or stand on a peak at sunrise or sunset, after snow has fallen, and you will hear a song that you will never forget - the Song of the High Mountain".

DRAKENSBERG WILDERNESS PHOTOS © WILLEM PELSER

“I WAS AMAZED THAT WHAT I NEEDED TO SURVIVE COULD BE CARRIED ON MY BACK. AND, MOST SURPRISING OF ALL, THAT I COULD CARRY IT.”

CHERYL STRAYED

Why Backpack and Multi-day Hiking?

The KZN Drakensberg Mountains and Wilderness is a hiking paradise and exploration heaven. Hiking is the best way to explore this vast wilderness area. The term backpacking/hiking refers to the sport of walking with a backpack filled with everything one needs to survive a night or more in the wilderness, independent of anyone else. Backpacking/hiking is not a competitive sport, although it forms the basis of serious mountaineering and adventure challenges. It is more correct to refer to backpacking as a life-sport - an outdoor activity you can become good at and enjoy in any company, including that of your family and friends.

The main attractions of backpacking are:

If you can walk, you can probably also backpack, although there is far more to it than just walking. Carrying a backpack over rough, hilly country requires a considerable amount of mental fortitude and, unless you are already a seasoned athlete, it takes most people a minimum of 5 overnight hikes before they even begin to develop the mindset required for serious backpacking.

Following on from the above, you don't have to be athletic to become a "good" backpacker. A casual study of any group of experienced backpackers will reveal all sorts of shapes and sizes, few of which would resemble that of a typical Comrades Marathon runner, Midmar Mile swimmer or Argus Tour cyclist! If you could see inside their heads, though, you would find the same resolute purpose of mind!

Once you have all your equipment, backpacking is a relatively cheap pastime, the most expensive part being the cost of getting to and from the Drakensberg. Your food need not cost you much more than what you would spend at home over the same period of time, and the current overnight cost of R55.00 per person could probably cover luxury items, cell-phone calls, and entertainment that you would indulge in if you stayed at home instead.

Unless you plan to lead hikes commercially, no qualifications are required. Many folk are happier to follow and put their trust in the leader. Leaders must possess at least a little common sense and the ability to read a map. Do not rely on electronic navigation devices only; pack a map of the area and a compass as well. Map-reading is an acquired skill and cannot really be taught. Rather, you learn over a period of many years and through several mistakes which you purposely hope to avoid repeating! It is doubtful if any leader can say he / she is 100% competent in map-reading - even the most experienced still make mistakes on occasion. Even if you are not a leader, you should take navigation seriously and try to acquire the necessary skills and experience yourself. Most leaders will welcome intelligent and informed participation in decision-making.

Backpacking is a non-competitive life-sport, and one of the easiest ways to get fit. You only compete with yourself, especially if you are one of the weaker hikers in your group. You set yourself small, attainable goals en route, you stretch and challenge yourself little by little, and if you do this regularly - at least once a month - you will develop the mental fortitude characteristic of any serious athlete! This is what sets a "good" backpacker apart from a novice - not his / her speed or strength - but the ability to press on despite physical fatigue, discomfort and nagging doubts about fitness.

Backpacking allows you to "get away from it all". You exchange the phones, fax machine, computer, TV, VCR, DVD player, newspapers, noisy neighbor’s and crowded gyms and malls for the peace and tranquility of nature. You return to the rat-race feeling refreshed and renewed.

While the above may describe several other sports, backpacking/hiking has some draw cards which most others don't. These are:

The absolute beauty of a wilderness area like the KZN Drakensberg, which appeals to our romantic side. Accompanying this is the clean, fresh mountain air and unpolluted streams.

The deep-seated need that most of us have to go where no man has gone before, to visit new territory, and explore new frontiers. These may not be new to all men, but if they are new to you then they fulfill this need anyway! When you do go far off the beaten track, the thought that always comes to mind is "Has any human being ever been here before?" The notion that the answer may be "No" is remarkably flattering - unless someone made a really bad decision about your route!

There is a wonderful sense of self-sufficiency, tempered with a twinge of vulnerability that one experiences on long overnight hikes. All the great explorers, the pioneers and the thousands of settlers of centuries past, would have been familiar with these emotions. Backpacking helps perpetuate the mindset of all these people who left what was familiar and comfortable to forge a new life in a foreign land. Perhaps backpacking will have helped keep the spirit of exploration alive for the time when mankind will make his first, tentative steps outside the solar system!

Backpackers are survivors! Most experienced backpackers will agree that the best part of hiking is getting to their overnight destination. They may be physically tired, but they are satisfied with the day's work. If - through their planning and resourcefulness - they are also able to feel clean, comfortable, relaxed and at ease in their new surroundings without all the trappings of modern society, then they have the spirit of a survivor! Come war, natural disaster, or whatever crisis, these are the folk who will be numbered amongst the survivors!

Whatever your reason for backpacking, it is bound to be slightly different to that of the other backpackers in your group. For some the emphasis is on the exercise or the exploration, for others it’s the social side, and the romantic types will focus on the scenery. But there is a little of everything for each of us!