Tag Archives: Volcanoes
Mbundini Abbey Spire in a day
When I was asked to relocate for work purposes, I knew my era of being in the Drakensberg on roughly every second weekend would be coming to an end. The symmetry of the era starting and ending on the summit of Rhino exactly 10 years apart added a bit of poetry to it all. But […]
Rhino Peak: a decade later
On 29 December 2009, a very unfit (and slightly overwight) version of myself stood on the summit of Rhino Peak in the Southern KZN Drakensberg. It was my first Drakensberg pass, my first 3000ers, my first time on the Drakensberg escarpment. Over the decade that followed, I would stand on this summit a few more […]
Vergelegen Passes: Hitchhikers Guide to the Drakensberg
My charge through the marked passes I had not yet done south of Giants Castle in the KZN High Berg had been going amazingly well. A cluster of 4 passes near Sani Pass was all that remained. My logic was simply – drive to the lower Sani border post, hike up Mqatsheni, down Ntshinshini, up […]
Verkyker/Mzimkhulu loop: Looking ahead
Earlier today I was reading something I wrote in 2012. In the comment I had said that I wanted to do every pass at Giants Castle and Garden Castle. Over the years of trying to cover as much ground as possible, I have learned that you can never do “every” pass in an area – […]
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 […]
Tropical Travels Part 12
After a good night sleep back at the Burgers’ house in Singapore, Matthew and I spent the morning chilling before I went off to the airport. Changi Airport was its usual amazing self – I was through all the controls very quickly, and decided to have a look at the shops while waiting for my […]
Tropical Travels Part 10
It was nice to be back at the Mulu Hostel. As basic as it is, and as awesome as Camp 5 was, there is something about being able to have a hot shower and meal! We both decided to try pancakes for breakfast this day. It turned out to be a mistake – the pancakes […]
Ghaznavid Hiking 
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