Drakensberg Wilderness Hiking South Africa - Mountain of the Dragons - Where Adventure beckons.....: Drakensberg - Walking in Cobham

WE SIMPLY NEED THOSE WILD WILDERNESSES AVAILABLE TO US, EVEN IF WE NEVER DO MORE THAN DRIVE TO ITS EDGE AND LOOK IN.

UNKNOWN

Drakensberg

Walking in Cobham

Pholela Cave and Amakehla
Pass

Ask any farmer in the Mzimkhulu Wilderness area what the major issue here is and he or she will say stock theft. It’s an old ‘custom’ invented by the Bushmen when white settlers moved into their hunting grounds, and later adopted by the Basotho as their national sport. But, whereas the Bushmen had just cause, the modern Basotho cattle and horse thieves are brazen criminals pillaging the rich pickings of a foreign country. The two points to the south of Sani Pass are the major landmarks of the Southern Drakensberg: Hodgson’s Peaks are named after a farmer who, in 1862, joined a posse to follow Bushmen cattle thieves into the mountains. While chasing a mounted Bushman along the summit near Mzimkhulu Pas, Thomas Hodgson was severely wounded in the thigh. He died the following day and is buried somewhere up there. Robert Speirs, who was among the commando, was lost without horse or food for about two weeks after the incident. He spent some time in a cave, which must still have been used by Bushmen after this because scenes depicting the incident were painted on the walls. It was named Speir’s Cave and hikers who are persistent will locate it along the Mzimkhulu Pass route. The gateway to this area is the town of Underberg.

Pholela Cave and Amakehla Pass

Route: From Cobham up the Pholela River to the cave, then up the pass to the head of a southerly tributary

Distance: 17.5 km one way

Duration: 2 Days

Grade: Extreme

General: Most first-time summiteers in this area head straight up the Pholela River to its head in the bowl of Giant’s Cup and up Masubasuba Pass. However, this route is in a shocking state and should be avoided. By far the better route is up Amakehla Pass, following the southerly tributary. The route at the top of the pass poses not technical difficulties, but it does wind through rock bands and will give vertigo sufferers something to cling on to.

From Cobham head up the Pholela Valley, with the Giant’s Cup looming dead ahead, to reach the river after 1 km. Thereafter the path follows the left-hand bank for about 1 km before taking the direct course where the river loops away to the right. You regain the river after another 1.5 km and follow it for 3 km below the Little Berg formation of the Whale Back, on your left – a number of paths lead up the Whale Back.

At the confluence of the iNhlabeni, cross this tributary and continue round a headland following the course of the Pholela. After 1 km you cross the river, then cross it again three times in succession a few hundred meters on.

Back on the left-hand bank; continue up the valley for 3 km to where three gorge-like valleys meet. Gorge Cave, the smallest of the area, is reached up the northerly, right-hand valley; much larger Spectacle Cave up the southerly, left-hand stream; and Pholela Cave up the middle, that is, straight on. However, the Pholela River actually turns sharp right here up the northerly of the three gorges. This route will take you up Masubasuba Pass. Pholela Cave is 700 m ahead after crossing the stream leading to Spectacle Cave, but it’s on the right-hand side of the valley.

Amakehla Pass continues up the left-hand side of the stream, for 2 km, into a huge bowl at the base of the mountain wall. Where you reach the base of the near-vertical cliffs, the path leaves the stream gully and goes up the slope to the left, making its way around the twin spires of Amakehla Amabili (meaning ‘the fingers’), winding its way along and up a secluded gully on the southern side of the ‘amabilis’.

Another pass just to the south of this, going more directly up the ridge to the south from Lakes Cave, is Minaret Pass, used by dagga smugglers. However, this one is even steeper and more sinuous than Amakehla. Both lead into the upper Pitsaneng Valley. This large river can be followed to a curved horseshoe bend near the top of Stones Pass, 5.5 km to the south-south-west.

You can return via either Giant’s Cup or Masubasuba Pass, past Gorge Cave and down the Pholela, if you don’t mind trailing through knee-deep erosion gullies.

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.