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Drakensberg walker crosses grassland beneath a rugged peak, South Africa - Drakensberg Walking Tour, South Africa
Drakensberg walker crosses grassland beneath a rugged peak, South Africa
Happy group of hikers on top of the Amphitheatre in the Drakensberg Mountains - Drakensberg Walking Tour, South Africa
Happy group of hikers on top of the Amphitheatre in the Drakensberg Mountains  | Gesine Cheung
Chain ladders on the Amphitheatre ascent - not for the faint hearted! - Drakensberg Walking Tour, South Africa
Chain ladders on the Amphitheatre ascent - not for the faint hearted!  | Gesine Cheung
The green valley of Drakensberg in South Africa - Drakensberg Walking Tour, South Africa
The green valley of Drakensberg in South Africa
Drakensberg bearded vulture soaring with wings spread over a valley, South Africa - Drakensberg Walking Tour, South Africa
Drakensberg bearded vulture soaring with wings spread over a valley, South Africa
Pink watsonias in Drakensberg - Drakensberg Walking Tour, South Africa
Pink watsonias in Drakensberg
Drakensberg reflections - Drakensberg Walking Tour, South Africa
Drakensberg reflections
Drakensberg walker overlooking a vast valley and winding river, South Africa - Drakensberg Walking Tour, South Africa
Drakensberg walker overlooking a vast valley and winding river, South Africa

Drakensberg Walking Tour

A lodge-based walking trip through South Africa's Drakensberg Mountains.

8 Days from

$ 

Trip Code: DKW
View dates to Book
Essential Information
Duration
  • 8 Days
Activities
  • Day Walking
Accommodation
  • 7 nights hotel
Meals
  • 5 Dinners
  • 6 Lunches
  • 7 Breakfasts
Difficulty Grading  
5 / 10

Moderate

Carbon Footprint  

82kg of CO2-e PP per day

(574kg of CO2-e PP entire trip)

Trip highlights

  • Explore the World Heritage listed Drakensberg on guided walks through mountain forests, valleys and ridgelines
  • Ascend the Amphitheatre escarpment towards the head of Tugela Falls, with sweeping views across the mountains.
  • Stay at beautifully located mountain lodges, with hearty meals and time to unwind after each day’s walking
  • Walk through the Drakensberg’s mountain grasslands, with seasonal wildflowers typically at their best from October to February.
  • Watch for Cape and bearded vultures soaring above the slopes

Overview

The World Heritage listed Drakensberg Mountains set the scene for a walking adventure, with towering peaks, hidden valleys, sandstone cliffs and sweeping ridgelines.

With experienced local hiking guides, explore the northern Drakensberg on walks from The Cavern before trekking via Sugar Loaf Gap to Witsieshoek Mountain Lodge. The programme includes the Cavern Big 5 hike and either the challenging Sungubala summit route or the less demanding Bishops Inkaba contour walk. Along the way, watch for eland grazing on the slopes and vultures soaring overhead.

A highlight is the guided ascent of the Amphitheatre escarpment. Steep mountain paths, chain ladders and a short scramble lead onto the high plateau, where, conditions permitting, you'll continue towards the head of Tugela Falls and enjoy expansive views across the mountains and valleys below.

Lodge accommodation and hearty meals provide a welcoming place to rest after each day's walking. This Moderate adventure requires good walking fitness, surefootedness and confidence with heights. You'll also carry your overnight essentials for the two-night stay at Witsieshoek, while excess luggage remains stored at The Cavern.

Itinerary

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Upon arrival at Johannesburg's OR Tambo International Airport, please make your way to the Information counter in the International Arrivals Hall where you will meet the a representative and transfer by shuttle. Settle in and enjoy dinner before travelling to the Drakensberg the following morning. Accommodation: Safari Club Hotel.

Meals: Nil

Travel by private vehicle from Johannesburg to The Cavern in the northern Drakensberg. Settle into the resort and enjoy the mountain surroundings before the hiking programme begins. Driving time: 4 Hours Accommodation: The Cavern.

Meals: B,L,D

On your first full day at The Cavern, set out with your specialist hiking guide on the Cavern Big 5 hike. This challenging full-day route takes in some of the area’s best-known landmarks, ascending through Scilla Gully towards Hlolela and the Battleship formation. Steep ascents and descents lead through varied mountain terrain and along scenic ridges before returning to The Cavern. Accommodation: The Cavern. Distance: 18km / 11.2mi Walking time: 8 hours. Please note: This is a demanding day of walking, with some very steep sections requiring good fitness and surefootedness.

Meals: B,L,D

Today, join your specialist hiking guide for one of two walks, depending on the group’s fitness, confidence and preferences. Option 1: Sungubala Challenge - Off the Beaten Path Set out from The Cavern with your specialist hiking guide on this challenging full-day walk to the summit of Sungubala at 2,120 m (6,955 ft). Few hikers follow this route, making it a rewarding option for fit, experienced walkers seeking quieter trails and sweeping Drakensberg views. Begin gently through Fern Forest and along Bushbuck Ridge before climbing steeply across open grassland and through Juluka Pass. Some sections have no clearly defined path, requiring good fitness and surefootedness. At the summit, enjoy your packed lunch beside the “talking rocks”, which knock together in the wind. Return along the escarpment past Hlolela and the Battleship before descending through Sugar Loaf Gap to The Cavern. Distance: 14 km (8.7 miles), loop. Walking time: Full day, with approximately 3.5 hours to reach the summit. Option 2: Bishops Inkaba - Sungubala Top Contour Set out from The Cavern with your specialist hiking guide on this scenic loop through indigenous forest and along a high contour path below Sungubala Pass. This moderate walk offers a less demanding day after the Cavern Big 5 hike, with expansive Drakensberg views. Begin gently through Fern Forest and along Bushbuck Ridge towards Sungubala Camp before climbing steadily to the Bishops Inkaba Contour Path, the main ascent of the day. Follow a mostly level stretch for approximately 3 km (1.9 miles), with Sungubala, Elephant and Hlolela rising above and views opening across the valley. Descend towards Jackal Hill and pass the Silent Woman before returning below Sungubala Camp and through Fern Forest to The Cavern. Distance: 10 km (6.2 miles), loop. Walking time: 4–5 hours. Accommodation: The Cavern. Important Note: One guided route for the group is included. If the group wishes to split between the two options, a second guide is required at an additional cost. Please discuss this with us before booking. Important note: This evening, prepare the essentials you will carry for your two-night stay at Witsieshoek. Excess luggage remains stored at The Cavern and will be collected during the return transfer to Johannesburg on Day 7.

Meals: B,L,D

Leave The Cavern on foot with your specialist hiking guide, crossing undulating mountain terrain with some steep slopes and short scrambling sections as you make your way towards Sugar Loaf Gap. Keep an eye on the skies for Cape and bearded vultures soaring above the slopes. Cape vultures often forage in groups, while the more solitary bearded vulture feeds largely on bones, sometimes dropping larger pieces onto rocks to break them open. With luck, you may witness this remarkable behaviour during the walk. From Sugar Loaf Gap, continue through rolling mountain scenery, gradually ascending towards Witsieshoek Mountain Lodge, your base for the next two nights. Enjoy dinner and an evening to rest ahead of tomorrow’s Amphitheatre ascent. Accommodation: Witsieshoek Mountain Lodge. Please note: Carry the clothing, toiletries and other essentials needed for your two-night stay, alongside your usual walking kit. Excess luggage remains at The Cavern and will be collected on Day 7.

Meals: B,L,D

After breakfast at the lodge, we will be transferred by vehicle to the Sentinel carpark. The trek today is strenuous and the paths on the escarpment are at times indistinct so we must adhere to our guide's instructions. We will commence along a well-maintained path which ascends gradually towards the base of the Sentinel Massif. From here, the path passes below the Western buttresses, with the land sloping steeply to the north and east. There are views of the Malutis and the Witsieshoek plateaux. After about 3km / 1.9mi we will reach a section of the track with chain ladders. After negotiating two stages of the rock wall, it is only a short scramble from there to the top of the escarpment where we will spend the better part of the day in exploration. Weather permitting, we will walk to the edge of the Amphitheatre, where the Tugela Falls (second highest waterfall in the world) cascades 948m / 3,110ft over the cliff-face into Tugela Gorge. We will also explore other trails to interesting vantage points along the Amphitheatre escarpment. From elevations around 2,500m / 8,202ft the surrounding landscape opens out widely. Our return route is again via the Gulley of the Chain Ladders. After an exciting day we meet our vehicle for the transfer back to the mountain lodge where we can reflect on the challenges of the day. Accommodation: Witsieshoek Mountain Lodge. Distance: 10km / 6.2mi. Walking time: 8 hrs. Please note: This challenging walk includes exposed sections, chain ladders and scrambling. Paths on the escarpment can be indistinct, so follow your guide's instructions closely. Good fitness, surefootedness and confidence with heights are essential. The route may change according to weather and trail conditions.

Meals: B,L,D

After breakfast, leave Witsieshoek Mountain Lodge with your specialist hiking guide and descend towards Mahai Camp in Royal Natal National Park. Today’s walk crosses gentler terrain than yesterday’s escarpment ascent, with scenic paths winding past waterfalls, sandstone cliffs and stands of yellowwood forest as you cross the Mahai River. Enjoy a picnic lunch before meeting your vehicle for the private transfer to Johannesburg. Stop at The Cavern to collect your stored luggage, then continue to Safari Club for dinner and your final night. Walking time: 4 hrs. Accommodation: Safari Club. Please note: Carry your overnight essentials alongside your usual walking kit

Meals: B,L

After breakfast, take the shuttle to OR Tambo International Airport, where your trip concludes.

Meals: B

Ready to start your adventure?

299 scheduled departures between 11 Oct 2026 and 30 Nov 2027.

  • Departs 11 Oct 2026 – ends 18 Oct 2026 (8 days)
  • Departs 12 Oct 2026 – ends 19 Oct 2026 (8 days)
  • Departs 13 Oct 2026 – ends 20 Oct 2026 (8 days)
  • Departs 14 Oct 2026 – ends 21 Oct 2026 (8 days)
  • Departs 15 Oct 2026 – ends 22 Oct 2026 (8 days)
  • Departs 16 Oct 2026 – ends 23 Oct 2026 (8 days)
  • … and 293 more departures.
View dates to Book

What's included?

Included

  • 7 breakfasts, 5 lunches and 7 dinners
  • 2 nights hotel in Johannesburg on a twinshare basis
  • 5 nights lodges in Drakensburg on a twinshare basis
  • English speaking local walking guides in the Drakensberg
  • National park and conservation fees

Not included

  • Flights
  • Travel Insurance
  • Visas
  • On Day 7 - compulsory 120 ZAR per person park fee payable locally at the exit gate for Kwazulu-Natal National Park. Also payable on Day 3 if you decide not to do the return hike back to the Cavern. This cannot be paid in advance and is NOT included in the trip cost.
  • Meals not mentioned in the itinerary
  • Bottled water, aerated and alcoholic drinks
  • Items of a personal nature
  • Tips

Reviews (8)

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Some very hard walking is involved. You have to carry enough gear for a couple of days over to Witsieshoek; they don't transport it by car for you. All other days you just carry what you need for the day, this includes lunch and wet/cold weather gear.

John|New South Wales, Australia
22 Sep 2026
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what a fabulous adventure, the landscapes breathtaking, the walking was comfortable, fun and challenging. Accommodation was excellent. Guides were friendly and informative, I felt safe at all times.

Stephen|NSW, Australia
3 Nov 2025
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Really well organised trip with reasonable quality accommodation. The drakensburg walks were great with super knowledgeable guides. Overall a really good trip to an amazing location.

Aoife|United Kingdom
19 Aug 2025
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Magnificent landscape and challenging hikes. This is definitely a challenging itinerary; however, the views are worth it. We experienced outstanding service and flexibility that ensured we were able to fully enjoy our hiking adventure in the Drakensburg.

Neil Davis|Richmond, VIC Australia
2 Nov 2024
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Trip turned out to be different to trip notes. Trip notes mention limited luggage storage from hiking day 3 to hiking day 5. It turned out no luggage transfer at all and I ended up trying to carry everything I would need for 3 days in my 24 litre day pack. If we were told about this, I would have prepared a bigger day pack and prepared differently.

Qiaoling Kardashinsky|Hazelwood Park, SA Australia
19 Jun 2024
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The hikes were great, the accommodation was fine, the transfers worked, but the description of the trip is in need of an update.

Firstly, the National Park entrance fee, mentioned on the last hiking day, is 120 Rand per person, not 30 (if you are an Australian). You will also need to pay this on the first hiking day if you decide not to do the return leg back to the Cavern.

The write-up mentions day 4 as being strenuous, but actually this was the easiest of the first 4 hiking days that involved ascents. The "Big 5" hike on day 2 was the most strenuous, with 18km and close to 1000m ascent in total, and a scramble up a gully.

On the first hiking day, on the guides advice, we did not return to the Cavern, but did some exploring around the Grotto and then walked down to the National Park. There is another option to do a circular route back to The Cavern via the Hole in the Wall track which the guide said we were capable of doing, but we had booked the return transport from the National Park.

It should be mentioned explicitly in the notes that on the 3rd hiking day you will need to pack and carry whatever you need for the day 3,4,5 hikes and the 2 night stay in between. Day 3 is a 700m ascent. The reason given for the need to carry the extra gear is "lack of storage space" in the small hotel, but the real reason is that while the hike between the 2 hotels is 14km, driving takes over 120km, so logistics are difficult.

The last hiking day is a 700m descent and our guide took us down via The Crack route which involved ladders. We were down in less than 3 hrs, because the guide had other work in the afternoon.

The guides as The Cavern were great. The guide on days 4,5 was so-so. He spent most of the time on day 4 chatting to a couple of young girls that joined the walk, but the track was so easy we really didn't need his services anyway.

Peter Kardashinsky|Hazelwood Park, SA Australia
11 Jun 2024
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A nicely varied itinerary in two of South Africa's more desirable locations. An excellent way to combine active travel with wildlife viewing and great accommodation. Five stars!

Mark Daffey|Oak Park, VIC, Australia
4 Nov 2016

Penelope|New South Wales, Australia
14 Sep 2026

Extra trip info

Every departure date advises whether the date is confirmed, and roughly how full it is. Here is what each one means.

Is the departure confirmed?

Guaranteed to go This departure has reached its minimum number and will run.
It is the point travellers should wait for before booking any non-refundable flights.
Close to guaranteed This appears only when a date is close to reaching minimum numbers. If it shows 1 or 2 to guaranteed, book as a pair on a date needing two and it reaches its minimum. Your booking confirms the date for everybody already booked.

How full is the date I am looking at?

Space is filling or Space is filling fast This date has bookings and places are still open. Filling fast means limited spots available, so don't leave your decision too late.
Closing soon Down to its last few places, or close enough to departure that we are finalising numbers. Still bookable online.
Closed Not bookable online - either full, or inside the notice we need to arrange permits, flights and logistics. Ask us anyway, you never know!

Availability questions answered

Will this trip actually go ahead, or could it be cancelled?

If a date shows Guaranteed to go, it runs regardless of further bookings.

What does 2 to guarantee mean?

It means two travellers are enough to confirm the departure. It could be 2 more to add to the group, or the date only needs 2 people to run. Either way, if you book for two people, the date will become guaranteed to run.

What happens if my departure does not reach minimum numbers?

You will know the status before you book. Every date on this page is labelled, and dates marked “Guaranteed to go” are running regardless of further bookings. Where a date has not reached its minimum we either offer a surcharge to operate for a smaller group size so it can still run, or we cancel it. We contact you directly either way.

Will I get my money back if you cancel a departure?

If we cancel a departure due to not meeting minimum trip numbers, you receive a full refund of everything you have paid us less any non recoverable costs, where insurance may cover you. We cannot refund money committed elsewhere – additional non refundable deposits advised at the time of booking, flights, visas, vaccinations, gear - which is why it is worth waiting for “Guaranteed to go” before booking other arrangements around this trip date. Please read our Booking Terms and Conditions before you book.

Why can't I book some dates online?

Each trip closes online a set time before departure. Permits, internal flights and hut or campsite bookings all have to be arranged before we take payment. Call or enquire as it might still be possible to organise last minute places.

The date I want is closed. What are my options and why does it say to enquire?

Cancellations happen and places do open up on closed dates, so it is worth being on our list. We can also tell you which nearby date on the same trip has space, which is usually the faster route.

None of these dates suit me. Can you run this trip on another date?

Yes, as a private departure. We can run this trip on a date you choose, for your own group - family, friends, a club, or in many cases, just for the two of you. Tell us when you want to travel and who is coming, and we will build it around that.

Early morning game viewing walk in Hlane National Park in Swaziland

Your safety is our main priority

Africa's wildlife is wild and unfenced. On many wildlife safaris you may meet them on foot, or from a vehicle. Walking in big-game country carries some risk, and the safeguards are not the same in every country.

Rules on firearms, guide qualifications, group size and how close you may approach an animal are set country by country, park by park. Many incorrectly assume that every wildlife safari in Africa travels with an armed ranger. Several countries prohibit firearms outright. Where an armed escort is required, it is supplied by the park authority.

What is consistent is how these trips operate. You walk in a small group with a professional local guide who knows the country and the animals in it. We do not include captive or hands-on wildlife encounters in any itinerary.

Read more

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