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

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”

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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 12^th 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 12^th 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 meters 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.