It has to be pretty stupid when people fall off ladders, which is rare. Nevertheless, in the past few nights I have always found new reasons why exactly that will happen to me. I lie awake in bed while the hippos grunt outside and think: cramps in both feet. Slight heart attack. Very thick South African spider on the rock right in front of my nose.
The notorious chain ladder in South Africa's Royal Natal National Park leads 30 meters and almost vertically up to the plateau of the Drakensberg. Without backup. Letting go halfway means pretty much dead. On the penultimate day we should go up there, and of course I knew that beforehand – the hike is the highlight of our trip. At home, I wasn't worried about that. But now that the climb is getting closer, I'm getting scared.
The Drakensberg is called "wall of spears" in the Zulu language – because of its many tips and ridges.
It all started so pleasantly flat on this trekking trip, where we are not only on the move in the mountains, but first boot through the South African bush. "During the stalk we want to be calm and attentive instead of frantically searching the landscape," says Thinashaka Tshivahasa, whom we meet at half past five in the morning after a quick coffee. "Our intention is to discover and look at. Also the sand, the grass, the little things that we come across." A rifle hangs on Thina's shoulder for the not so small encounters, he works as a guide in the Mtomeni Safari Camp on the Letaba River, which is free of fences and borders directly on the Kruger National Park.
See giants. Elephants in the Kruger National Park.
The light is still soft and hazy as we run one behind the other. The charm of a footstalk opens up to me as a novice safari before we even saw the first termite mound: if you want to see wild animals, you just have to shut up. It is wonderful to walk, to look without any chatter and to feel a joyful excitement. Thina stops every few minutes to show us an attraction that we would have missed without him. He identifies a few stripes in the sand as a python trail, the thin, long thing that he picks up and passes around once adorned a porcupine. When we get past fresh elephant manure, Thina reaches in and squeezes the liquid out. "It can be a salvation if you are just about to die of thirst in the bush," he explains, and everyone is horrified.
traces in the sand, The guide shows the footprint of an animal.
At the end of the game we stand for a long time on the river and watch the hippos. How they exhale as they exhale. How gentle these giant animals look in the water, although they can become so dangerous so quickly. How impressive this half hour was is clear to me when we spend the next day in the Kruger National Park. In the largest wildlife sanctuary in the country, fat photo prey can be made from the vehicle. An adventure-wilderness feeling does not arise, however, when ten people jostle at the open minibus window and call out to a giraffe that she should please look at the camera now, please.
Are you looking at? Hippos on the Letaba River. They are considered the most dangerous animals in Africa – on land.
The car is hard to escape in South Africa, the country on the Cape is three times the size of Germany, and we have to make a route to get to the legendary spots. One of them is the Blyde River Canyon. This probably the largest green canyon in the world is located on the famous panorama route and can be easily admired from a well-developed, well-used observation car park. The view of the river and the multi-storey Table Mountain is impressive – and steeped in history, because on the roof of the almost 2000-meter-high Mariepskop, the people of MaPulana, led by chief Maripe, saved themselves from their pursuers, the Swazi, in the 19th century. It is even nicer to hike here than to look at it from above.
Hiking as a luxury sport
The "Forever Resort" where we stay has signposted trekking trails and we walk down the gorge in the early afternoon on the Leopard Trail. The jagged rocks are iron oxide red and partially covered with light green lichen. "They only grow a millimeter a year, that's amazing how big they are – and nobody pays attention to them," says our tour guide Hannes de Vries, who has a heart for the filigree wonders of nature and knows the most inconspicuous birds by name , But even the lianas, gurgling streams and lush pools overgrown with children, find little audience today – apart from us, hardly anyone is out and about.
"Hiking is an elitist sport in this country," explains Hannes, "if only because of the equipment. The shoes cost 4000 rand, a sleeping bag 1000, hardly anyone can afford that." Camping is also primarily a pleasure for white South Africans and tourists. "Many black people still live without electricity and water – they camp every day."
Business Efficient. Shepherd boys offer climbing aids.
Like from an animated film
The campsites and lodges in Maloti-Drakensberg Park, our next destination, are often booked out a year in advance for the high season. At up to 3482 meters, the Drakensberg is the highest mountain range in southern Africa. They are called Ukhahlamba in the language of the Zulu – wall of spears – because of the numerous gorges, ridges, overhangs and battlements that make this mountain landscape so spectacular. However, none of this can be seen when we arrive at the "Sungubala Eco Camp" with our minibus. The landscape with its gently rolling, lush green hills looks like it was designed for an animated film, and the grass-covered round huts are strongly reminiscent of magic mushrooms: a smurf paradise with a swimming pool – those who are allowed to spend two nights here want to cheer continuously.
We are speechless until the next day when we hike in the Tugela Gorge. Initially, the path is lined with shoulder-high ferns and sugar bushes with plump pink flowers. Honey eaters fly by, everything is very pretty, almost lovely, then it goes up a bit – and suddenly we are standing in the middle of the amphitheater. The 1200 meter high, five kilometer long rock face looks like a pleated curtain made of stone, large and powerful, but not threatening because the slopes around it are so velvety green.
Refreshment. Water holes – so-called pools – bring new energy.
There are always new surprises on this hike: spacious pools where we can swim. Cicadas that sound exactly like the smoke alarm in my living room. Baboon males who shout badly from a distance because we are crossing their territory. "Men," says Zee Ndaba, pointing to a red lily on the side of the road, "Men always see which part of the mountain they can have sex with next. I see the goddess everywhere."
We are now on the road for a good hour, the path leads uphill in serpentines to the chain ladders, and I have not even left their side. Zee had said those who were afraid to stay right behind her when we started to move towards the 3165-meter Sentinel, and I'll stick to it. Because it appeases me – and because this woman is a real happening. Zee Ndaba, 40 years old, 1.78 meters tall and strong, a proud Zulu and South Africa's only black mountain guide.
Safe bank. Hiking guide Zee Ndaba loves her job.
Zee lives in Amazizi, a village at the foot of the Drakensberg. Even as a little girl, she bred through the mountains with her brothers. "You can drop anyone from my village up here and they'll find their way home," says Zee. The fact that she made a career out of it as a woman and that she sometimes employs 17 porters and cooks for a multi-day mountain tour is met with resistance by the male villagers: "They ignore me. I am different from most women." Zee has two sons, two dogs and no husband since she divorced, "that makes life easier." It is loud and laughs a lot. If you walk behind her for a while, you will be enchanted by her deliberation and grace. Like a teacher walking the rows of desks while dictating, she has her arms crossed behind her back, she hardly ever trips, and you can hardly hear her breathing, no matter how steep it gets.
It goes high
When we arrive at the chain ladder, traffic jams. A school class wants to go up, and there seems to be a rush upstairs too, slowly and carefully, one hiker after another comes shaking down the rungs. "We'll change the route if any of you don't dare to do that," Zee said before the tour. Now she shouts in the direction of the plateau that she and her group want to go up there before it starts to rain, "can you free one of the ladders?" And then I just want to get it over with. I step forward first, reach into the iron ladder and start climbing.
Joy. That's what it's all about in the mountains. We are here to enjoy it. Zee said more than once. And the joy almost flushes you away when, as a designated rabbit's foot, you have just wiggled this seemingly endless, slightly fluctuating ladder and is now standing on the roof of the Drakensberg at a height of 3000 meters. We no longer have to go far, then we are on the steep edge of the amphitheater. "Welcome to my office," Zee calls cheerfully.
I've never been to a nicer place. It is like the middle of the world.
Vastness. Spectacular view from the hiking trail to the Fika Patso reservoir.
The view from up here is gigantic, on the left you can see the Tugela Falls, Africa's highest waterfall, on the right the view goes along the wall of the amphitheater to the devil's tooth. And in the middle: green expanse – as if you were looking directly into the center of the world. "I've never been to a nicer place," says Zee, and I'm no different. Nevertheless, she urges departure, fat clouds appear, and we have to climb the ladder again on the way back. But if you do it with pleasure, it's a breeze.
Christine's tips for South Africa
HIKING TOUR
Hauser Excursions offers various tours in South Africa. B. the hiking and safari trip "hiking in the wild north" with footstalking and trekking in six national parks (13 nights incl. Flight, VP from 2998 euros per person, dates in May, July and August 2020). Or the trekking tour "Crossing the Drakensberg" (12 nights incl. Flight, VP from 3158 euros per person, dates in May, June and September 2020), during which you hike in the Drakensberg and in other national parks and the Cape region is on the way (www.hauser-exkursionen.de).
ACCOMMODATIONS
Mtomeni Tented Safari Camp
Living in the spacious tent, watching elephants splashing from the terrace, being woken up by grunting hippos at night – in the camp, which borders the Kruger National Park, guests indulge in the safari feeling from the first minute. Safari tent for two people from about 80 euros (Letaba Wildlife Reserve, Groot Letaba River Road, Tel. 015/781 06 90, www.africanivoryroute.co.za).
Forever Resort Blyde Canyon
The extensive complex with 98 rustic chalets has a pool with a view of the canyon and is the ideal starting point for hikes and excursions in the spectacularly beautiful landscape around the Blyde River Canyon. Apartment for 2 people from approx. 77 euros (Ohrigstad, Graskop, Tel. 086/122 69 66, www.foreverblydecanyon.co.za).
Sungubala Eco Camp
The round huts are reminiscent of Schlumpfhausen, and the lush green, hilly alpine landscape around them is actually too good to be true. If you want to hike in the Drakensberg mountains and feel like self-sufficiency, you'll love this camp. Round hut with bathroom from about 28 euros per person (Bergville, District Road 119, Tel. 063/030 71 61, www.sungubala.co.za).
Enjoy
A few months before my trip, I decided to stop eating meat. I got weak in South Africa when I got my first piece of biltong. Biltong is air-dried meat. There is often this specialty of South African cuisine from beef, but also from wild animals such as kudu, springbok or gemsbok. The aroma is spicy and intense, sometimes spicy with a lot of chili, sometimes mild and sweet and sour, depending on the spice mixture. In South Africa you can buy Biltong everywhere – just like with us chips: at petrol stations and kiosks, in souvenir shops and in supermarkets. The perfect provisions for hiking tours!
EXPERIENCE
Graskop Gorge Lift
Subtropical cloud forest is rather the exception in the diverse South African landscape. It is all the more exciting that you can dive from the old gold mining town of Graskop with a state-of-the-art lift 51 meters deep into a densely forested jungle gorge. A 600 meter long nature trail with wooden walkways and suspension bridges leads through the evergreen damp forest. Information boards provide visitors with a clear introduction to the ecosystem that is worth protecting. For fun-oriented, vertigo-free guests, there is the option of swinging over the hazy jungle cauldron with a wire rope slide or a huge swing. The lift is located outside of Graskop on the R533 towards Hazyview (Tel. 066/305 15 72, www.graskopgorgeliftcompany.co.za).
Basotho Cultural Village
The men get a sip of millet beer, we women have to wait: The Basotho Chief's hut is traditionally busy, and because the guys are so important in this culture, they are the first to have a cup. It's a bit weird, this artificial village with its huts from different eras and amateur actors, who bring the history and way of life of their people closer to the guests: We listen to Basotho music live, try freshly ground sweet corn flour and see how it works Hut for the third wife so lives. But in just under an hour, a lot is conveyed about the culture of the people, who almost exclusively make up the population of Lesotho and still maintain many early customs and traditions (on the R712 in the east of the Golden Gate Highlands National Park on the border with Lesotho, Tel. 058/721 03 00).
Talana Museum
The Zulu name Talana means "the shelf on which valuable items are kept" and this name goes well with the museum with its extensive grounds. 23 buildings are gathered here, and they deal with pretty much everything that has made the lives of people in the Dundee region in the past 200 years: wars, industrialization, work in the mines, but also domestic Everyday life (Dundee, Talana Hill, Tel. 034/212 26 54, www.talana.co.za).
HIKE
Blyde River Canyon
Whether Leopard, Guinea Fowl or Kadishi Tufa Trail: The tours that start from "Forever Resort Blyde Canyon" are all enchantingly beautiful, not particularly strenuous and well signposted.
Maloti-Drakensberg Park
The park's visitor center has maps for great tours (such as the hike to the Tugela Gorge as described or the tour up the chain ladder up to the amphitheater). All are well marked and you can walk alone. If you prefer to go with a guide, Zee Ndaba is in the best hands ([email protected]).
BEFORE YOU TAKE
When we drove through the Kruger National Park in a minibus, no man was as enthusiastic as the man with the high-tech binoculars in our hand luggage. Herds of elephants that were miles away could be zoomed in, we could almost see the animals blinking. Even when hiking, it is a pleasure to look through binoculars from time to time – the splashes of color in the trees then turn out to be beautiful birds like the Cape Weaver or the Spot Junk.
TRAVEL TIME
Actually, only the summer months of the southern hemisphere (from December to February) are problematic for hikes in the Drakensberg: it can then rain heavily, and at the same time it is often hot and humid. The "autumn months" of April and May are a good time to travel. And the spring months of October and November are also attractive, because then the wild flowers are in full bloom. In the South African winter (June to September), hiking is also great fun, because then it is pleasantly mild and dry during the day.
PHONE
The area code for South Africa is 00 27. The phone numbers in South Africa are ten digits, whereby the first three digits stand for the area code, which is not required for calls from abroad, but must be dialed within South Africa – also in the same place.
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