Tag Archives: exploration
Vergelegen traverse
On 27 December 2009 – an article clerk who had wanted to try Drakensberg hiking for years finally got a chance to hike to the top of the Drakensberg. Mashai Pass was hard, and even scary in places – but despite not being fit enough, that younger version of the person known as Ghaznavid made […]
Masubasuba Pitsaneng Loop
I don’t really recall a time before Masubasuba Pass appeared on my radar. When I visited Underberg for a stock count in February 2009, before I had ever hiked to the top of the Drakensberg, I wondered if there was a route up the very obvious saddle between the Hodgeson’s Peaks – not that I […]
Pins Pass/South Saddle Pass: T’is but a scratch
My slow progress of loading my old hike reports here continues! This was a 4 day hike in March 2016 which remains one of my most memorable hikes. 2016 was the year where I trained the hardest, with the Double Grand Traverse being the end goal. I hiked 1375km in the Drakensberg that year, by […]
The Hlathimba Passes
On 7 September, Marco and I did the Hlathimba Passes at Lotheni as a day hike. Awesome route!
Cathkin Peak
Cathkin is one of the best known peaks of the Drakensberg. It has a notorious reputation – so how will Ghaz cope with this one?
Crossing the Giant
The Giants Cup Trail has been a route I have used for training purposes for a number of years now. You can cover a lot of distance in good time, and if something goes wrong, most of it is covered by phone signal and there are numerous bailing options. After the MCSA Mountain Challenge for […]
Giants Castle via Sherman’s Route: through the fire and the flames
Giants Castle is one of the most recognisable peaks in the Drakensberg. It can be seen from as far away as Harrismith, Ladysmith, Escourt, Hilton and Underberg. It is a peak I have summitted many times, and is one of my favourites. For many years I have looked at the eastern ridges of the peak […]
Pyramid Standard Route
The Pyramid is a large, well, pyramid shaped peak at Didima Nature Reserve in the Northern KZN Drakensberg. I first saw it in person on a hike in 2010. For many years I admired it knowing I would never stand on its summit, I would never take up rock climbing for a number of reasons, […]
The Dragon’s Breath: Bailed DGT April 2019
Some background The Drakensberg Grand Traverse (or DGT for short) is nothing new. I don’t know who recorded the first variation of the route, but I believe it was at least 40 years ago. There have been many different variations in direction and line, but the concept is roughly that of following the border between […]
Ghaznavid Hiking 
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