Southern Secrets Hiking and Backpacking

Southern Secrets Hiking and Backpacking specialises in mountain wilderness hiking, walking, cross-cultural hikes and trekking in the Drakensberg Mountains of the Republic of South Africa and the Maluti Mountains in the adjacent independent country of Lesotho. Southern Secrets Hiking and Backpacking operates mainly from the town of Underberg near the Sani Pass in the Southern KwaZulu-Natal Drakensberg, although any area of the Drakensberg and Lesotho can be visited. The Drakensberg Mountains are one of the last easily accessible areas in the world where mountain wilderness hiking can be enjoyed at any time of the year. Southern Secrets Hiking and Backpacking is run by Philip Grant, a Professional Hiking Guide, who is fully qualified and registered with the relevant South African authorities. On some specialist trips he is joined by his wife Christeen, who is a qualified and registered Nature and Cultural Guide.

'Wilderness hiking' is a major focus of Southern Secrets hikes, however itineraries can be tailor made to suit the requirements of any group or individual. Individual parties will not be mixed with any other groups or individuals unless by special request. Hikes can include climbing major peaks in the area, such as the highest point in Southern Africa Thabana Ntlenyana (3482m), the Rhino Horn (3052m), or the highest point in South Africa Mafadi (3450m), as well as cross-cultural experiences with the peoples inhabiting the mountains, particularly the Basotho in the Mountain Kingdom of Lesotho. Southern Secrets can provide anything from a day hike, including San or Bushman Rock Art, to a multi-day trip, with overnights spent in caves (rock overhangs) and / or tents, at any altitude in the Drakensberg or Maluti Mountains. Another idea for hikers seeking a more comfortable option, is to be accommodated each evening in a suitable B&B, Backpackers Lodge or Hotel, and do a series of day hikes and tours with Southern Secrets, These trips would be designed to provide a varied overview of the Drakensberg and Lesotho.

The Southern KwaZulu-Natal Drakensberg has the distinction of being the least visited area of the Ukhahlamba-Drakensberg World Heritage Site as it is the furthest from the Gauteng metropolitan areas of Johannesburg and Pretoria, and therefore has the most unspoilt wilderness available for hiking. 'Wilderness' is defined as any natural area that has not been changed or influenced in any way by man. When in a wilderness area one should be able to look in any direction and not see or hear any evidence of humanity at all, including seeing alien vegetation. In its purest form there would be no paths made by humans, and hiking would be off path or on paths made by animals normally found in the area. One is unlikely to see any other people in a wilderness area. Clients participating in Southern Secrets hikes are encouraged to be self sufficient and to carry all they need for the trip themselves. They should be reasonably fit, and if participating in multi-day hikes, used to carrying a backpack weighing between 12kg and 18kg. The use of porters is not encouraged in wilderness areas within the Ukhahlamba Drakensberg World Heritage Site because of the increased impact on these sensitive environments, and because of the detrimental effect the extra numbers would have on enjoying a 'wilderness experience'.

About Wilderness Hiking and it's Ethics

Wilderness is a 'tonic' of which humans can never have enough. Wilderness helps preserve man's capacity for wonder, the power to feel, and to see, the miracles of life, beauty and the natural harmony around us. As the world becomes more populated by humans there are fewer and fewer places left that are still completely untouched by mankind. These remaining areas contain the resources of solitude and an unmodified environment. Wilderness has long been recognized as a location for renewal of mind and spirit. What makes the 'wilderness experience' unique is the tranquility, peace and silence it offers, and the opportunity it affords for contemplation. Nature dominates and there is a relative absence of demands on our behavior that are artificially generated or human imposed. One becomes aware of the rhythms of the mountains and the forces of nature. Many visitors have had life changing experiences in mountain wilderness that can have a spiritual dimension. Away from the all encompassing technological world, they are able to appreciate their full potential. Most wilderness hikers return from their shared adventure in a setting of natural beauty, tranquility and solitude, with an intense feeling of well-being, as well as the satisfaction of being healthily tired after the physical exertion of a good hike!

The primary focus of Southern Secrets hikes and walks is tointroduce participants to the concept of 'wilderness', its ethic, philosophy, principals and values. These include solitude, timelessness, and a freedom from a world where man is in control. The observation of the natural world, plants and flowers, bird watching and some game viewing is part of the experience, as is being in a place where the sounds and ways of nature pervade. Hiking ethics in all areas we visit is to 'leave no trace' and to strive to have zero impact rather than 'minimum' impact, on the environments we traverse. These principals also apply when visiting other cultures. A document detailing these ethics, appropriate behavior, and personal security, will be supplied to all hikers after booking a trip with Southern Secrets Hiking and Backpacking, and a full briefing will be given before the trip begins.

About The Drakensberg and Maluti Mountains

The Drakensberg Range is an escarpment, a transition from relatively low ground averaging 1500m, to relatively high ground, averaging 3000m, running almost the entire length of South Africa. The escarpment, or line of large cliffs, also forms the continental divide between the rivers flowing into the Indian Ocean and the rivers flowing into the Atlantic Ocean. The most dramatic part, forming the eastern international border between Lesotho and the Province of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa is protected as a World Heritage Site, and stretches some 250kms from one end to the other, with an average width of about 15kms to 20kms. However there are many other opportunities for wilderness hiking in the remaining parts of the Drakensberg and Maluti Ranges. It is an area of stunning natural beauty, biodiversity, cultural history and scenic splendour, with many contrasts between the lower older sedimentary sandstone 'Little Berg' (1800m to 2500m), and the relatively 'newer' igneous or volcanic basalt and dolerite 'High Berg' (2500m to over 3400m). The Drakensberg Escarpment is also the natural boundary to the Lesotho Plateau forming the Maluti Mountains, the valleys of which have been carved by the action of water over the last 180 million years. Contrasts are one of the main themes of a visit to the area. Contrasts between the lower ground and the high ground, contrasts between the weather on one side of the escarpment and the other, contrasts between the vegetation, birds and animals seen at lower altitude and high altitude, and contrasts between the cultures of South Africa and the mountain cultures of the Basotho people in Lesotho.

One of the many things that strike visitors to the Drakensberg is the age of the mountains, and the sense of timelessness they induce, with some 250 million years of geological history clearly visible. Because few trees grow in the area, and the prevalent vegetation is grassland, views are spectacular and uninterrupted. At any time of the year, good clean water is plentiful in the mountain streams, and does not need to be purified. In addition to some good examples of dinosaur footprints and fossilized wood, the Drakensberg and Maluti Mountains are a repository of one of the largest and best preserved galleries of stone age San or Bushman Rock Art in the world. A visit to one or more of these spiritually significant sites is usually included in a trip.

More about weather conditions in the Drakensberg and Maluti Mountains

The weather in the Drakensberg and Maluti Mountains varies considerably between the seasons, and like all mountainous areas, can change rapidly on any given day. Snow can fall on the Malutis and 'High Berg' in any month of the year. Winds can be extreme. Summer (November to May) is wet and warm, with most rain possible between October and March. The mornings are usually clear and sunny with temperatures climbing to 25 or even 30 degrees C by midday. Rain falls mainly as afternoon thunderstorms that can be violent, with a significant drop in temperature. It is wise to make the most of the mornings, and presume that the afternoons will be wet. It is quite possible and advisable to be walking by 5.00am. Winter (June to October) to is the dry season and consists of mainly dry, sunny, clear, crisp days with daytime temperatures around 15 to 20 degrees C, but temperatures often drop well below zero at night. Snow and ice is more common, but only remains for any length of time on the highest ground. Days are shorter, but because the weather is more stable, the whole day can usually be used for hiking.

TELEPHONE NUMBER: +27 (0) 339971817