DRAKENSBERG
KwaZulu-Natal
South Africa
Mountain of the Dragons
South Africa’s mightiest
mountain range with its spear-like peaks – reminiscent of the saw-toothed spine
of a gigantic dragon.
Where Adventure
beckons..........
DRAKENSBERG WILDERNESS PHOTOS ©
WILLEM PELSER
“For
yesterday is but a dream,
And tomorrow is only a vision:
But today well lived
Makes every yesterday a dream
of happiness,
And every tomorrow a vision of
hope”
unknown
Drakensberg
Langalibalele Pass
Giant’s Castle Peak has at various times been
considered the second, third, fourth, even fifth highest peak in South Africa.
It is certainly one of the highest and made more impressive by standing proud
on a 4-km-long knife-edge that forms a hinge for the entire Drakensberg. As
such it is possibly the most obvious reference point of all. In fact it is only
the 12th highest peak, depending on how you define ‘peak’. If by
‘peak’ we mean completely free-standing, then Giant’s Castle could be argued to
be the highest one in South Africa, but only the 12th highest point.
Semantics: it’s high enough when you climb it.
Route: From the rest camp up Langalibalele Ridge to the Contour Path, and then
to the left up one branch of the Bushman’s River.
Distance:
9 km one way.
Duration:
5 to 6 hours.
Grade: Severe to extreme.
General:
This grading might appear to make this pass tougher than Bannerman but
that’s only because of the different starting points. You could quite easily
walk from the rest camp up this pass and back in a day, with a light day pack.
From the rest camp take the
Main Caves path down to cross the Two Dassie Stream, then head right below the
main caves on the marked Giant’s/Langalibalele route. Where the Giant’s Ridge
path heads off to the left up a knoll, keep right up the main Bushman’s River
Valley, and head for Grysbok Bush. The path follows the course of the river for
a little over 1.5 km, where it splits into side gorges first to the left, then
to the right.
The path
crosses the Bushman’s River and then proceeds, not up the river any more but
climbing the nose of the ridge, to the right above Grysbok Bush. It’s an
unrelenting 2 km climb, with the steepest section right I the middle and then
easing off towards the Contour Path.
You will
almost certainly want to stop here to catch your breath and gird your loins for
the final assault. Again the path begins up the spur, following it as it curves
round to the left, and then actually contours for a few hundred metres to the
river. The Bushman’s is then crossed and from there to the summit the path
follows the ramp-like, more flattened left-hand side of the gully.
This is still a well-used route over the Drakensberg and you are advised not
to camp near the head of the pass or down the Langalibalele Valley in Lesotho,
as thievery has occurred. Either head up to Bannerman Cave (turn sharply up the
valley to the right and near the top take a diagonal course up and across to
the left- the cave is about 1 km to the left and 100 m higher than the top of
this valley), head down, or traverse south along the Escarpment. You could do a
round trip up this pass and down Bannerman, overnighting in Bannerman Cave or
hut. The more attractive round-trip is why a one-way distance only is give. It
is a beautiful but severe walk.
We as hikers, explorers,
and adventurers have the absolute duty to respect and protect our Wildernesses.
Nobody else will do it for us. Take ownership!
The End.
Safe Hiking.
References and Acknowledgements
From the book – “Best Walks of the
Drakensberg” – D Bristow
Photos: ©W Pelser
Compiled
by: Willem Pelser
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