Still impressive! You probably already know this, but here are some tips, just in case. What weather can be expected and can novices do this hike? The initial walk (the trail is self-guided and well marked but if you are in the least inexperienced, best to do this with a guide) is on a good, but steep, path that skirts in a series of zig zags (pause at the top to take in the views) to the base of the Sentinel where you reach the chain ladders. Anyway, we headed back towards the Sentinel Car Park and 20 minutes later we were back at the bottom of the gully we climbed earlier. The trail leads up the Mont-aux-Sources plateau, one of the highest mountain ranges of the Drakensberg. It’s not 1 drop though, rather 5 leaps. Pyramid Point, The Sentinel, Peak 10930 As Seen From Imp Peak Once up the escarpment the scenery now flattens out. There are no streetlights, and you don’t want to be driving that rocky road with steep drops in pitch black. Find and book hotels and accommodation in South Africa. Our hope is to answer the questions you haven't yet asked and inspire you to explore more. This hiking trail is sometimes called the Drakensberg Chain Ladder Hike or Walk as well. This information is really useful. Jump to the guided hike section of this post. Sentinel Peak or "A" Mountain is a well known peak just outside of Tucson, Az with amazing views of downtown Tucson and the surrounding area. It’s not as busy as the summer months, but it’s before rainy season, so unfortunately a waterfall is not guaranteed. It had a hippie feel to it, with a friendly host eager to provide us with all information needed for the Sentinel Peak Hike and other things to do in the area. If you prefer a guide, there are a couple of options too though. Got any plans to visit South Africa soon? Parts of the soil had been washed away, leaving big rocks sticking out of the road. And these were the only people we saw in those 6 hours, no other hikers. Itâs a Drakensberg day hike of about 12 km (~ 7.5 miles) round trip, which took us about 6 hours to complete. I’ve read they’re similar in length and difficulty, so I guess it depends on which view you want. That’s when we did the hike, in March. Hiking & Backpacking The difference: a drive across the border into the Free State, to start the walk from the Sentinel car park. Sentinel Peak is a 7.3 mile lightly trafficked loop trail located near Bonjaneni, Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa that features a river and is rated as moderate. Know of a fabulous thing to do in your suburb, city or region? If you will be hiking the Sentinel Peak Hike in summer, take plenty of water and protect yourself from the burning sun with at least sunscreen and a hat. We left him a bar as well. Duration 1 day. The hiking conditions on the Tugela Gorge Trail probably depend on the time of the year and the weather on the day of your visit and the days beforehand as well. From there it’s only a 1 hour and 50 minute drive to the Sentinel Car Park. If you’re interested in combining a guided tour of the Sentinel Peak Trail with a home stay, check out this Tugela Falls Hike tour. The third option that takes you to the top is by means of the Sentinel Trail. Thanks, Sidney! Don’t fall down when trying to get these photographs! 10:35 start at Sentinel Car Park11:05 at viewpoint12:35 at bottom of the gully13:30 at top of the gully14:05 at Tugela Falls14:25 started hiking again15:05 at bottom of chain ladders15:25 back at bottom of the gully16:40 back at Sentinel Car Park. Overview. This will cost you R255 (~ $18 ~ €16) for a round trip if you’re alone, or R150 (~ $10 ~ €9) per person if you’re 2 or more. On the morning of our hike it was cloudy and thunderstorms were forecasted. Good to hear you found it helpful. Standing guard over a large swath of the Upper Kern River watershed, Sentinel Peak is one of the more impressive of the large granite rock features in the area. They call it the Amphitheatre Hike. Tugela Falls gets its name from the Zulu word “Thukela”, meaning “sudden”. The fastest path from the Tugela Falls to the chain ladders follows the Tugela River. The area ... Start: the SentinelFinish: Bushman's NekDuration: 200 km; anything from 12 to 15 days (average is 14)Fitness: above average fitness; it's tough, ... Mkhomazi is situated in the southern section of the Ukhahlamba Drakensberg Park. Guess we were lucky! Sentinel Peak technical climb & Amphitheatre camping - 3 days A rewarding three day two night wilderness camping adventure climbing two summitâs on the Northern Drakensberg escarpment. Starting on the Sentinel Creek Trail that leaves from Potamogeton Park appears to be a shorter approach. Learn how your comment data is processed. Hike and climb to the summit of Sentinel Peak in the Drakensberg, South Africa. On the right you’ll see a ranger’s outpost and you’ll probably encounter some cows as well. We watched the water from the Tugela River dropping down in the Tugela Gorge below and tried different angles to get a good shot of the waterfall. To get to the top of this remarkable Tugela Waterfall, you have to hike the Sentinel Peak Hike, also known as the Tugela Falls Hike. The chain ladders will more than test your metal if you are even slightly frightened of heights, then don't look down. , Your email address will not be published. Check the budget-friendly rates and availability at Karma Backpackers here. Thank you for all the wonderful tips. Situated in Royal Natal National Park, South Africa, it sits on the border between the KwaZulu-Natal province and Lesotho. We wouldn’t have done it with our own car though. Do look down before you start though, to make sure no one is coming up at the same time. The monumental cliff face of the Mont-Aux-Sources plateau is called the Amphitheatre, because of the way it looks from the valley. Please note, business details can change. With our modest Toyota Etios Sprint rental it was a bit of a nerve-racking ride, but we did eventually make it there in one piece. Don’t leave trash, just footprints, and don’t take souvenirs, just photos. Side note: there’s discussion about the true height of the Tugela Falls. Filed Under: Africa, Featured, Travel Tagged With: africa, ampitheatre backpackers, drakensberg, hike, Sentinel Peak, south africa. Search our comprehensive (and still growing) list of 4854 things to do whilst visiting our beautiful country. Our tip: if you suffer from vertigo, the vertical ascent up the cliff face might be a challenge. This 12km hiking trail starts and ends at the Sentinel Peak parking lot. Required fields are marked *. Prices are mid-range, but you can check the exact rates and availability at Witsieshoek Mountain Lodge or Resort here. It’s possible your accommodation offers transfers to and from the Sentinel Car Park, the start of the hike, as well. Sentinel (8261) is a fine highpoint in this part of the North Cascades, standing a short distance west of, and slightly taller than, Old Guard Peak. Locate⦠One should not venture up the mountain without being prepared (food, water, clothes and even a tent, in case a storm arises). We gave him a candy bar and continued walking. The 7.5 mile (12 km) roundtrip hike begins from the Sentinel Peak Car Park just up the smooth dirt road past the sign for the Witsiehoek Mountain Lodge. This is the end of the Crest Trail. All Rights Reserved. We went further down the road, bush wacked back to Sentinel Pass and up the north slope of Sentinel Peak then returned via meadow to Hailstone fire road. Sentinel Peak trail to Tugela Falls The Sentinel Peak Trail to Tugela Falls takes hikers around the Sentinel Peak to the top of the Mont-aux-Sources plateau. Karma Backpackers is a small hostel only about an hour and a half from the Sentinel Car Park. This awesome hike to the Tugela Falls is not that popular (yet), making it even more remarkable. This makes it a rather challenging hike. Summer, from December to February, is rainy season in KwaZulu-Natal. This scenic and thrilling hike is situated in Drakensberg, SA. Eventually the hike gets more vertical and the path disappears. Sudáfrica. This would make Tugela Falls the tallest waterfall in the world, passing the 979 m (~ 3,211 ft) Angel Falls in Venezuela. (About 5 hours return) Via two chain ladders you can can gain easy access to the summit. Stick to path at all times. That will take you about another 30 minutes. 3d Map The hike heads from the trailhead to the bottom of Sentinel Dome, where you turn to the left and climb to the top. Near the start of these switchbacks there’s a side path on the left taking you to a viewpoint. If you’re planning on exploring more of Royal Natal National Park (technically it’s just a Nature Reserve), you can opt to stay at Thendele Camp. The guy from our hostel later explained they are part of a Lesotho tribe, known to be making contact with hikers passing there. Send us feedback if this is your service/activity. This res... Start: Sentinel car parkFinish: Cathedral Peak HotelDuration: 100 km, 5 6 daysFitness: difficultOur tip: It is best to do this hike with the pr... Ploughmans Kop is a mountain in the shape of a head on the left arm of The Amphitheatre in the Royal Natal Park, which is in turn part of the Uk... Start: Mahai camp site, Drakensberg, KwaZulu NatalFinish: Mahai camp siteDuration: 8 km, roughly 5 hoursFitness: moderate to difficult Our tip: t... Where: All Out Adventures, northern DrakensbergLevel: routes for all levels of MTB junkiesType of route: 100 km of mountain bike trails, mainly s... Start: there are numerous entrances, but Witsieshoek is one of themFinish: Royal Natal National ParkDuration: 25 - 30 km over three daysFitness: ... Drakensberg accommodation is always special because it promises a place to stay in some of South Africas most spectacular countryside. Recent measurements concluded on a 983 m (~ 3,225 ft) high waterfall. We decided to drive up there anyway and have a look. The workers had already left, but the guy we signed the register with was looking out for us returning. The friendly staff of Amphitheatre Backpackers assured us the day before that although the six or seven hour Sentinel Peak Hike was a tough task; it was an incredibly rewarding one. No matter the season, bring a waterproof jacket, and make sure to start your drive back before it’s getting dark. Hi Birthe, thanks! You can read about her experience for yourself here: https://www.jackandjilltravel.com/tugela-gorge-hike/. Even though it’s pretty far from the usual must-sees in most South African itineraries, it’s worth the detour! You can ask for a ride to (and from) the Sentinel Car Park there. Check the rates and availability at Amphitheatre Backpackers Lodge here and book well in advance! We didn’t have time to stick around longer and he didn’t drive all this way for nothing. We decided to go up the gully and down the chain ladders. You’ll be climbing up the Amphitheatre via the famous chain ladders, and looking out over its impressive valley floor, almost 1 km (~ 0.62 miles) below. Starting your descent down the chain ladders by 15:00 at the latest is a good goal. Amphitheatre Backpackers Lodge, also a popular place to stay near Tugela Falls, offers a bunch of guided hikes. There’s a sign pointing you in the right direction, and you’ll know when you’ve reached the viewpoint. After 2 hours of hiking, we arrived at the bottom of the gully. The return route via the famed chain ladders (no going up or down the gully) is about 14.5 km (~ 9 miles) and probably the safer choice. Every day, hundreds of people walk, bike and drive on Sentinel Peak ⦠In fact, if you pay attention to such rules, Old Guard barely qualifies by the 400p rule as a separate summit. Not much further another person starting whistling and yelling from a distance to get our attention. The spectaclarly beautifull mountain hiking trail to the top of Mount-Aux-Sources starts at the Sentinel car park at Witsieshoek via Phuthadjhaba from where it is a ⦠These probably aren’t all options for hiking the Sentinel Peak Hike with a guide. The prominence of the peak tempts hikers with a decent trail leading to the panoramic rock viewpoint. Start: Sentinel car park (almost 3 000 metres above sea level) Finish: Sentinel car park Duration: a whole day Fitness: fit (the hike may be shortened, but it is a slog nonetheless) Our tip: if you suffer from vertigo, the vertical ascent up the cliff face might be a challenge The Sentinel Peak trail in the Drakensberg is also known as the 'chain ladders' hike. Start: Sentinel car park (almost 3 000 metres above sea level) Plenty of these views on the hike: Sentinel Peak from the ridge below. If you’re into Geocaching, you can search for those couple of caches hidden along this hike. Although it’s a tad scary to get over the edge and onto the chain ladders, compared to climbing the gully the descent via the chain ladders was peanuts. Check the budget-friendly rates and availability at Karma Backpackers here. This is the best and most informative review i have read. NTS Map: 082J01Sentinel Pass & peak from South, Hike number 235 in Gillaen Daffern's "Kananasksis Country Trail Guide" volume 2.In fact we missed the planned route noted below. The trail to Tugela Falls is about 6km to Tugela Falls, gaining around 580m in elevation. Fitness: fit (the hike may be shortened, but it is a slog nonetheless) Click here for more information on the Amphitheatre Backpackers guided hike to Tugela Falls. Nice for photos, but the cold weather can result in a slippery path. Well, Brecht decided that actually. What weather can be expected and can novices do this hike? Instead, be prepared for anything when starting the Sentinel Peak Hike. Itâs easy to say thank you! Check the rates and availability for Berghouse and Cottages here. Please let us know if anything on this page is outdated or contains inaccuracies.Note, we do not have additional information or rates. Back to the chain ladders now. * Distances shown are "as the crow flies", not driving distances. 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About 6km to Tugela Falls first, but rain clouds and thunderstorms forecasted! Path disappears or region turn around our Sentinel Peak, as well hikers passing there thunderstorm! Taking you to the Tugela gorge trail instead of the Mont-Aux-Sources plateau is called the Drakensberg Amphitheatre hike of., to be the best season to hike the Sentinel Car Park suburb, city or?.
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