When I was called upon to join a squad of hikers on an envisaged multi-day trek in the Drakensberg, I reacted keenly as it had been a while since I last chased the dragon peaks. I had in fact begun forgetting how heated mountain conversations can get. I knew little to none about the Giant’s Cup Hiking Trail and thus, I excitedly dove into research almost immediately, expecting to start planning for the expedition. Much of the information I retrieved was half-baked but the little that was available was convincing enough. This Trail is the supreme monarch of visual treats, an adventurer’s paradise, a plunge into the depths of the nomadic realm generous with flora and fauna that these mountains have to offer. Being the only hutted trail in the Drakensberg traversing the Southern Drakensberg’s grasslands, hills and bluffs, it caters to and accommodates up to 30 hikers.
Weekend warriors who at the drop of the hat trade one fitness craze for the next as they attempt to escape the burdens of conventional life, all gathered in what effectively became a hikers’ reunion. A group of 14 hikers, the majority of whom shared casual exchanges on social networks prior to this meeting, found themselves cementing these virtually established relationships. Sparks flew as the squad met, naturally, with some jitters here and there for what lay ahead. The majority of this squad had never hiked anything more than two days so, the cracks showed as nerves settled.
The Giant's Cup Hiking Trail is a 5 days trial but the squad set out to conquer it in just 4 days by meshing the second and third day into one. Dare I say, a true feat for the mildly insane!
It is not necessary to carry huge amounts of water on this trail especially in summer as rivers and streams are abundant flowing in all directions. We traversed the banks of these and employed moves only identifiable to acrobats as we attempted crossing them at various overflowing points. We stood and often gazed in awe at our surroundings as we refilled our wide mouths and bladders before pushing on.
Day 1: Sani Pass to Pholela hut
Without huts at the trailhead, this trail starts right away at the foothills of Sani Pass on the Sani Pass Road, marked by an evidently experienced wooden trailhead marker. It puts legs to a test almost immediately with a steady and temperate incline to everyone’s dismay. Shortly into the trail, we spotted a Puff Adder and Rinkhals Cobra, but both didn’t seem to affect the ambiance. The initial part of the trail is littered with tired and grayish out-of-season Highveld and Silver-leafed Protea trees that when in season, throw a different shade of decorative colour on the mountains. Soon after, the trail descends to Ngenwa pools on the overflowing Gxalingenwa River. This seemed fitting to be our first lunch spot. Others opted for a swim to cool down as the rest huddled under what seemed an invasive Juniper.
At least 2kms upriver stands the Gxalingenwa Cave for those taking it easy or looking for a different kind of adventure. Chasing time, we paused here for a short while to take it’s comfort in and resumed the hike as we aimed to reach the hut before sunset. Exiting the cave, we were greeted by a steep, rocky climb with anxiety-inducing edges. As we plateaued from this climb, the trail stretched out ahead of us leaving the mighty Gxalingenwa River and its beautiful pools behind us. Ahead, multiple streams of water cascade down the valleys and the trail lead us to our second crossing, the Pholela River, in the Pholela Valley. About 3-4kms upriver as we reached our third river crossing of the day, adjacent to each other, stood the Pholela and Gorge Caves. At this point, the trail begins to descend down to Pholela Hut in very thick Drakensberg grass, alongside the roaring Pholela River.
Pholela Hut is located in the Cobham Camping area with Reserve Staff holding residence on the same property. It is thus not as secluded as most hikers’ huts are. On arrival, the squad or team leader is expected to sign in a mountain register in case of emergency and a search party is required. From Pholela Hut there is a linear day trail called Monster Rocks, estimated to be between 5 and 6 kilometers one way. In true Drakensberg style, there are very few exit points on this trail being connected to the main roads, however, Pholela Hut is one of them, in case of emergency.
Distance: 13,51km
Maximum Elevation: 1893m
Difficulty: Moderate
Day 2: Pholela hut to Mzimkulwana Hut to Winterhoek Hut
Day 2 meshed with day 3 dawned with a reddish skyline. We awoke and proceeded to prepare for our early departure to Mzimkhulwana and eventually Winterhoek Huts. After the morning stretches, the team hit the trail. It was quite a fast-paced start to cover as much distance as possible before fatigue and rising heat would slow us down. Having pushed on heavily past Baboon Cave with ancient Bushman Rock Art, we eventually stopped for breakfast on a picturesque ridge with hanging cliffs, four kilometers from Mzimkhulwana Hut. Here, we exchanged banters and broke into a birthday song in celebration of one of the team members. Soon after, we trekked down to Mzimkhulwana hut for lunch.
As we reached the rudimentary Mzimkhulwana, we landed ourselves on yet another teeming river to cross. Minimally equipped with just wooden bunk beds and no mattresses, it proved a good call to pass this hut as we would have had to spend the night negotiating with what seemed to be painfully uncomfortable beds. On leaving the hut, there lay Mzimkhulwana River between us and the highly anticipated mountain pool, Crane Tarn. We crossed the river via a bridge and began to climb the Little Bamboo Mountain westwards. Notable on the trail is the Bathplug Waterfall, located about 4,5kms west of Mzimkhulwana Hut. Along the trail are also Livingstone daisies and Perennial Sowthistles spraying the mountains with colour.
On reaching the plateau of Little Bamboo Mountain, we eventually came up to the stunningly still Crane Tarn, a perfect picnic spot might I add. When weather permits, skinny dipping at own risk is certainly an option. Our picnic was cut short however as clouds gathered quickly followed by a drizzle a few minutes later. Though it didn’t last long, it was significant enough to affect the way we hiked. As we descended from Crane Tarn, there stood tall a massive landmark in the South, The Garden Castle Peak, whose foothill was our destination for the day.
We hiked alongside and crossed a stream called Killiecranie with lovely pools downstream on the left. The trail then continued and descended to join a tarred road for about 2km. Just as we were adjusting to the straight-line road, we re-joined the trail only to be welcomed by a steep final climb that led us to our overnight hut, Winterhoek.
Giant’s Cup has a variety of birdlife and wildlife equally, ranging from a myriad of antelopes, jackals, porcupines, and of course primates such as the Chacma Baboons that are scattered everywhere for the abundance of suitable terrain, altitude, shelter, and food sources.
Distance: 9,50km and 12,34km
Elevation:1866m and 2000m
Difficulty: Moderate
Day 3: Winterhoek Hut to Swiman Hut
Winterhoek has decently equipped rondavel huts, however, there is no electricity. This meant cold showers or wet wipes to clean up. The huts are dwarfed by the Garden Castle Peak, which stands tall at approximately 2284m above sea level. There is a round-trip hiking trail from either Winterhoek or Castle Burn Lodge ranging from 5 to 10 hours in hiking time. Like all the days so far, this one too began with a sweaty and steamy climb up towards Garden Castle Peak, thus requiring an aggressive amount of effort. This climb was the hardest of them all, extending for about 4kms and then walking alongside Garden Castle Peak.
Due to the erratic weather of the Southern Drakensberg region, hikers should always be prepared and equipped for all seasons. While catching a breather, overlooking what seemed like private lodging, clouds started gathering again with the threat of a storm. This prompted us to shorten the treat that was this experience in an attempt to reach the next hut before the heavenly showers. Shortly after we restarted, however, it came down, hard too. We were soaked.
On the plateau before dropping down to Swiman hut, one can see a beautiful view of Rhino Peak, one of Drakensberg’s premium hikes. On our reaching Swiman Hut, we were greeted by another group who were on a 2-day hike. To our delight though, there was electricity and hot water, a very much-needed relief from what had been a cold and wet last 3kms of the hike. There are a series of day hiking trails from Swiman Hut, the popular one being a summit trail to Rhino Peak which stands 3056m.
Distance: 13km
Elevation gain: 2001m
Difficulty: Difficult
Day 4: Swiman Hut to Bushmens Nek Hut
There’s a linear trail east of Swiman Hut on the edge of the Mlambonja River to the Drakuzzi and Hippo pools. If anything, the final day came with all sorts of obstacles to bid us farewell. What started as a fairly easy hike in fact saw us ultimately contend with the infamous Mzimude river crossing with the washed away bridge. The team contemplated alternatives to cross the river but after much deliberation, we were forced to be creative and employ the use of ropes and some manhandling. Certainly, a thrill with raging emotions but all members managed to successfully cross without much hassles. The trail threw more inclines and long, never-ending stretches at us but we pushed on.
The rain finally caught up with us again approximately 5km towards the finish at Bushman’s Nek, throwing a patch of mist across which forced us to slow down. It was damp everywhere with high grass, a gaiter maker’s heaven one would imagine! This made for difficult navigation. There was a temptation to pause at the Langalibalele Cave, the last big cave before hiking down to the Bushman's Nek Hut but we decided to soldier on.
At the end of the trail, about a kilometer from Bushman's Nek Hut, there’s another mountain register similar to the one at Pholela Hut. The same team leader must sign out here to indicate having completed the trails safely lest the Reserve sends in a search party to look for people who've made it out already.
Distance: 14km
Elevation: 2173m
Difficulty: Moderate
Bookings:
Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife on www.kznwildlife.com
Email: bookings@kznwildlife.com
Telephone: +27 (0) 33 845 1000
Trail Permit Fees: R120,00 per day/hut/person (subject to change).
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