Mafadi with Bradley, Ruan, Peter and Donovan - January 2012

By Spanafrican

The escarpment illuminated by the first beams of sunlight

The first hike in 2012 was Mafadi, our most popular hike in the Berg. Bradley, Ruan, Peter and Donovan, 4 fun-loving law students from Pretoria, made up a super vibrant party. It was their first trip to the escarpment so this was a great adventure for them, a great way to charge batteries before the start of their final year at university.
If you would like to do this hike contact us at info@spanafrican-adventures.co.za or have a look at our website www.spanafrican-adventures.co.za for other exciting options.

Our campsite by the Centenary Hut. We had walked in the mist most of the day


In the evening started to clear up, which allowed for the first vistas of the escarpment


It got better and better


Finally we could appreciate what a fantastic campsite we were at


The clouds hovering around us made it even more photogenic


Our lightweight shelter for the following 3 nights


What followed was a festival of colour


It was as though the sky was on fire


Last tea before bed


Sunrise at 5:30am


Not a cloud in the sky


panoramic shot of the escarpment


From Giants Castle Ridge to the Trojan Wall


From the Triplets to Cathkin Peak


Break at the bottom of Judge's Pass


Judge's Pass: 700m in 2.3km


A local Basotho with his Basotho pony


Views from 1000m high basalt cliffs


Our campsite by the Injisuthi Triplets


5:15am before sunrise - The Corner sticking out of the escarpment


I stuck my arm out to take this pciture on the edge of the escarpment


As close as you can get


Sunrise of the 3rd day


sunrise by the Corner


It takes a little longer for the sunlight to reach the valleys in the Little Berg


Eastern Injisuthi Triplet


Upper Injisuthi Cave


The group on top of Mafadi


Panorama from the roof of South Africa


Contemplation at 3450m above sea level


Our first Basotho shepherd


A sheep leader


Wild flowers growing out of the basalt rock


Another young shepherd. Basotho in their late adolescence are sent to the mountains as an initiation into adulthood.


A break above the Lesser and Greater Injisuthi Buttresses


Following the edge of the escarpment down to the top of Leslie's Pass


The Basotho shepherds are always accompanied by the loyal dogs.


Intercultural picture at the top of Leslie’s Pass, before going back to the South African side of the Drakensberg.


With a total descent of 1000m in 2.6km, Leslies Pass makes you wish you were going up instead.


Fortunately, at the bottom there are a few rewards


Our campsite at the bottom of Leslies Pass


A break in the bushy section from the bottom of Leslies Pass to Marble Baths


Marble Baths - How cool is that?


This one deserves a close-up


An another one!


Peter enjoying the jacuzzi-like Marble Baths


Relaxing before the final 8km back to camp


The end - From left to right: Bradley, Ruan, Peter and Donovan, 4 intrepids soon-to-be lawyers from Pretoria.