For those who love the active outdoor lifestyle and have a weekend to spend, summiting the Mafadi Peak via Injisuthi in Central Drakensberg, South Africa is a hike to seriously consider.
You can start the hike at Injasuthi and overnight at the Marble Baths Cave before you attempt the steep Leslie's Pass towards the summit the next day. The Marble baths are really beautiful and in summer they are probably one of the highlights of the hike. The hike is not very "popular" and depending on the season, you might come across tracks that are overgrown and run the risk of getting lost. Advanced planning is necessary, including the download of the gpx tracks as well as the good old paper map.
At 3450m, Mafadi is the highest Peak in South Africa and lies in the same range as Thabana Ntlenyane (3482m) in Lesotho. Thabana Ntlenyana is the highest peak South of Kilimanjaro and it is around 75th highest in the African continent. And so this hike is not high altitude but does offer fantastic and breadth taking views that makes the trip well worth it. It requires some level of fitness, especially if you will not have a porter, as Leslie's Pass is a 1200m ascent over 3 kms!
The hike is not very "popular" and depending on the season, you might come across hiking tracks that are overgrown. Advanced planning is necessary, including the downloading of gpx tracks as well as the the use of the good old paper map as back up.
Photocred: Self
Photocred: Self
Photocred: Self
