A road less traveled: Injisuthi

All sorts of obstacles make a trip to Injisuthi memorable.

Injisuthi was the third and last reserve in the uKhahlamba-Drakensberg National Park that I visited during my South Africa trip this April. In contrast to Monk’s Cowl and Cathedral Peak where we walked on the first two days, the escarpment in Injisuthi is somewhat lower (around 2,000 m vs. 3,000 m). The whole area is also more remote than either Monk’s Cowl or Cathedral Peak, which made the drive to Injisuthi as much of an exciting experience as the short walk itself. Read the rest of this entry »

Day two in the Drakensberg: Cathedral Peak

The main Drakensberg escarpment in Cathedral Peak, with the eponymous summit on the right.

Like in Monk’s Cowl, where we walked on our first day in the uKhahlamba-Drakensberg National Park, the summit of Cathedral Peak gives its name to the whole reserve surrounding it. This is where we decided to drive out to on the second day. Read the rest of this entry »

Drakensberg: Feeling the heat in Monk’s Cowl

Midday in Monk’s Cowl

Monk’s Cowl is one of eleven reserves in the uKhahlamba-Drakensberg National Park in South Africa. I spent a few days in the park while travelling through South Africa this April and did three day walks in different parts of the park.

Monk’s Cowl, being right next to our accommodation at Inkosana Lodge, was the first reserve on the list. The walk was meant to be an easy start to a few days of walking (and an opportunity to finally recover from a lingering hangover following a friend’s wedding two days before), but it turned out to be a tough heat test and one of the hardest walks I’ve ever done. Read the rest of this entry »