BACKPACKERS DRAKENSBERG SOUTH AFRICA
058 653 1433 - 083 442 3973 | [email protected] | www.karmalodge.co.za Start of the hike: 7km to paved road Sentinel Peak Car Park Amphitheatre Hike 62km to Kestell GPS: -28.727405, 28.890905
Zigzags
The Sentinel
Western Buttress The Gully
Beacon Buttress
Chain ladder
Chain ladder
Tugela River
Tugela Falls Recommended Guide: Zee Ndaba
Hiring a qualified guide makes for a more interesting hike: not only T
H will Zee point out the birds, animals and plant species that abound E in the Drakensberg, she is also an excellent entertainer and will A M inform you about the history and geology of the area. She is a P Tugela Falls Hut H qualified Level 2 First Aider, and a well known and respected person IT H in the area. If you find the chain ladders too scary, she is a qualified EA TR mountaineer and carries ropes with her on the hike. E Outer Tower Eastern Buttress "She is a true adventurer, a warrior woman, and Toothpick a joy to talk and walk with." Devil’s Tooth - Julia Bradbury, BBC Presenter Inner Tower 079 637 1115 / 082 216 0997 Mont-Aux-Sources BACKPACKERS DRAKENSBERG SOUTH AFRICA 058 653 1433 - 083 442 3973 | [email protected] | www.karmalodge.co.za To Clarens (25km) Golden Gate Hikes Stables
Wodehouse Trail
Holkrans (1 hour)
Brandwag Hotel
Brandwag Buttress Golden Gate Highlands (1 hour) National Park Glen Reenen Rest Camp GPS: S 28°30.2304', E 028°37.0251' Zuluhoek viewpoint Langtoon Dam Boskloof (1 hour)
Mushroom Rock (45min) Echo Ravine (45min) Wodehouse Trail
Blesbok Loop Mushroom Rock (One-way road)
Wodehouse Trail
R712
Wodehouse Peak
North Oribi Loop To Kestell (53km) (One-way road) Phuthaditjhaba/ Qwa-Qwa (36km)
058 653 1433 - 083 442 3973 BACKPACKERS [email protected] | www.karmalodge.co.za DRAKENSBERG SOUTH AFRICA Royal Natal Park Office Witsieshoek Hike
Mahai Rest Camp GPS: S 28°41.2653', E 028°53.5862'
Tugela River Mahai River Thendele Upper Camp
Royal Natal National Park
Mahai Falls
Witsieshoek Mountain Lodge GPS: S 28°41.0869', E 028°53.5862'
BACKPACKERS To Sentinel Peak car park (7km) DRAKENSBERG SOUTH AFRICA 058 653 1433 - 083 442 3973 | [email protected] | www.karmalodge.co.za Witsieshoek Sentinel Car Park Roads in the area Maluti Mountains 1km 7km
30km Phutaditjhaba University Golden Gate Highlands National Park Basotho Cultural Village Clarens R712 R712 R711 14km 54km Clarens To Harrismith R712 Qwa-Qwa Park
12km
23km Gravel roads R712
30km R57
7km
500m Kestell Bethlehem N5 N5 40km To Harrismith Karma Backpackers To Reitz
To Reitz BACKPACKERS DRAKENSBERG SOUTH AFRICA 058 653 1433 - 083 442 3973 | [email protected] | www.karmalodge.co.za Kestell To Johannesburg North To Bethlehem (53km) via Warden (293km) Clarens (53km) N5 R57
Wildlife Sanctuary
Petrol Church Piet Retief St
Karma Backpackers N5 To Harrismith (48km)
Sports field
Hotel / Pub Blignaut St
Petrol To Phuthaditjhaba (36km) Golden Gate (Glen Reenen - 53km) Amphitheatre (62km) R57 Witsieshoek (55km) Lesotho (Monontsha - 45km) Clarens (78km) To Tlholong BACKPACKERS DRAKENSBERG SOUTH AFRICA 058 653 1433 - 083 442 3973 | [email protected] | www.karmalodge.co.za Setsing Superspar Phutaditjhaba Mampoi Rd Demelash Ethiopian Restaurant GPS: S 28°52.5410', E 028°81.6015'
Bright green funeral parlour To Sentinel & Witsieshoek Hikes Big parking lot Shweshwe shop Post Office R57 Hotel Pep Stores
Mampoi Rd Mota Rd Mota
Traffic lights
Stop
Shell garage
Stop
Bridge Qwa-Qwa Mountain
Z Lounge GPS: S 28°50.4277', E 028°82.1073'
R57 Speed limit: 60km/h!
North To Kestell BACKPACKERS University DRAKENSBERG SOUTH AFRICA 058 653 1433 - 083 442 3973 | [email protected] | www.karmalodge.co.za Karma Backpackers is situated in the town from short day trips to the 12-day Grand of Kestell, midway between Traverse, all in the capable hands of Johannesburg and Durban and on Zee - South Africa's only qualified the doorstep of the Drakensberg woman Mountain Guide. Visits to Mountains. We have a reputation the awe-inspiring beauty of Golden for comfortable accommodation Gate National Park, seeing some of in a homely, relaxed environment. the tens of thousands of San rock Our location at the centre of the paintings in the area, cross-border main backpackers route makes trips into the mountain kingdom of us the ideal stopover for hiking Lesotho and visits to the charming the Drakensberg Mountains and tourist town of Clarens are also on exploring Lesotho, and our small- the menu. town hospitality makes for a Convenient, Central Location beautifully out-of-the-ordinary, We are a small, intimate backpackers Thrilling Day Trips memorable experience. catering to a maximum of 16 guests. Midway between Johannesburg & Durban Our accommodation consists of 3 Drakensberg hikes & tours of Lesotho Your hosts are Vera Ann and double bedrooms, a family room Lucio. Vera Ann is famous in foodie circles for her creative, award- sleeping four and a separate dorm winning homemade jams, a selection of which are always available in which sleeps six. We're in an old the fridge for you to taste or to have for breakfast - for free. Coffee, tea, house with large bedrooms (5 x 7 milk and sugar are also free. Vegetarian breakfasts with muffins, pancakes, metres), a lounge / dining room and homemade yoghurt, stewed fruit and toast are available. For lunches and a large kitchen. After a long day's dinners, our self-catering kitchen is well-equipped, and you can help hike, you'll appreciate our bathtub, yourself to vegetables from our garden and fruit from our orchard. If and the outside dorm has its own you prefer to eat out, there is a nice, historic pub in town and several showers and toilet facilities. The restaurants are also within driving sprung timber floors, wood-burning distance. stoves in the lounge and kitchen, and old-fashioned hot water bottles in The main attractions in the area the beds on cold winter nights are the spectacular Drakensberg contribute to our cozy atmosphere. Mountains and in particular, the On warm summer days our guests thrilling daytrip to the top of can barbecue on our patio or sit and Tugela Falls - Africa's (and chat in one of our garden's little hide- perhaps the entire world's) highest aways. waterfall, with a dizzying 948 metre drop into the famous Scientists say that all humanity originated from Africa, Amphitheatre. It's a must-see on while backpackers from all over the world say that your tour of South Africa, and we coming to Karma feels like coming home. are the nearest backpackers to the Coincidence? Maybe, maybe not - but regardless, Climb Africa’s Highest Waterfall start of the walk. There are several we're looking forward to meeting you! Feel On Top Of The World! other Drakensberg hikes, ranging BACKPACKERS DRAKENSBERG SOUTH AFRICA 058 653 1433 - 083 442 3973 | [email protected] | www.karmalodge.co.za