The Kilimanjaro Team on a Training Hike in the Drakensburg Mountains (2950m)
On Saturday the 6th June 2009, the trio of us headed out to Sentinel Peak along the Northern Drakensburg's Amphitheatre to get in some hiking training. About an hour and a half drive from Ladysmith, we drove through the town of Qwa-Qwa, close to the Lesotho border. We then stopped at the Witsieshoek Mountain Resort - situated some 2100 m above sea level - making it the highest resort in South Africa. After a short stop, we headed up the gravel road until we reached the Sentinel Peak parking lot. This was the beginning of the hike. Sentinel Peak is amongst the highest mountain peaks in Southern Africa reaching an estimated 3150m above sea level. The hiking trail that we chose was also the only day-hiking route in which one can access the summit of the Amphitheatre. Most other routes require over-night camping along the way.
M.Ridwaan and Nadim with the Eastern Buttress of the Amphitheater in the background (2800m)
Considering that the recommended hike time was 6 hours for this particular route, we had to up the pace from the word go since we arrived late (we actually got lost driving), and we weren't too keen on being on the mountain at sunset. The initial ascent was along a moderate incline zig-zagging across the the grassy mountainous ridges. After 4km along this fairly even ground, the terrain became rocky and steeper as we ascended closer to the Amphitheater's posterior cliffs for 2 km. We then came to the infamous "chain ladder" - a 100 rung, 30m vertical steel ladder that leads up to the top of the Amphitheater along its posterior cliff.
Nadim ascending the 30m vertical chain ladder to get to the summit of the Amphitheater (3000m)
The amazing and adrenaline-filled climb up the chain ladder leads to an even more exciting experience - a kilometre walk along the top of the Amphitheater to the Tugela Falls and the source of the Tugela River - with the falls dropping down some 947m - making it the 2nd highest waterfall in the world! Obviously, being winter, the falls were not flowing thunderously but the sights were still amazing. It was cold up on the summit, with temperatures falling rapidly as evening was approaching.
After making our way down the chain ladder again, we began our descent that lasted for an hour and a half. Upon reaching the car, we had covered 17km. The total round-trip took us 4.5 hours and we felt good knowing that none of us had sustained any muscular or joint injuries due to doing the hike at an increased pace. A great day's hike had come to an end.
M.Taher & M.Ridwaan at the top of the 948m Tugela waterfall (3050m)
The next day, we drove out to the Royal National Park which accesses the Amphitheater from the anterior side. A moderately-paced 8km hike up to the Cascades and the subsequent steep-incline up to Tiger Falls proved to be a good workout considering that we had a rather heavy trek the day before. This was training that we necessary since the Kilimanjaro climb will require 6 days of continuous hiking at an average of 16km per day for the first 3 days, and even more km over the last 2 days!
All in all, it was a great weekend to gauge fitness levels and give feedback with regards to the state of our physical preparedness. So far, so good! and insha'Allah everything will work out well and we will be even more ready and confident come Kilimanjaro!
Was-salam,
Muhammad Taher
"To the Children & Future of Palestine"
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