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Hi everyone,

I would like to do a hike from Sani top to Sehlabathebe in January next year. Could any of you give me route suggestions, website info etc to help me plan this hike?

From what I have seen this is a 3 day hike maybe 4 if needed. I am not sure if maps are readily available from the map place in Maseru, but I am looking into getting some maps from there.

I would love to hear your feedback and comments please.

Thanking you in advance:)

Hi, go to the second most helpful website ever after this one, and under maps - southern berg you can download the old versions of the maps. From what I hear they are predominantly the same as the new ones, other than some funnies (eg Mlambonja is 3306m instead of 3256m).

Otherwise you can probably get them from Trappers or Cape Union Mart (I'm sure they could order them for you). Or I'm sure if you arange it far enough in advance the guys at Sani Top could get the maps for you and you buy the maps off them (assuming they don't sell them as a standard). Email them, their details are on their website.

As to how long it should take, 3 days would be a hang of a push. I assume you are descending Iscutulla Pass to get to the small berg escarpment at Bushman's Nek? Even 4 days should be a push.

I don't know Cobham and Bushman's Nek from experience, only from maps and photos, but bear in mind that Garden Castle area has many significant ridges, if you don't stick to the escarpment edge you should be able to cut across and avoid the Hodgeson's (which would be such a shame to ignore Hodgeson's South Peak), No Mans Peak etc. However, once you reach Rhino (the escarpment is around 2950m here) you need to cross the Matebeng ridge, the Mashai/Tsepend ridge, the Mzimude ridge and the Walker's ridge, not to mention the descent down Iscatulla Pass. Its easy on paper, but in reality you have to gain and lose around 300m in altitude for each ridge (bearing in mind that Mashai and Walker's Peak are both in the top 25 highest points in SA, not to mention Tsepeng being the 8th highest point in Southern Africa).

IMHO its best to take longer over these routes (if you have the time, or alternatively reduce the distance), it allows you to summit (at a minimum) the most scenic peaks, in this case (by order of reputation, but only including really awesome peaks):
1) Hodgeson's South (which is far out of the way if you are hiking to a tight deadline)
2) Rhino (which adds 4km to the hike)
3) Walker
4) Wilson
5) Verkyker
6) Andre's Knob (maybe not the wisest peak to boast about climbin )

Not to mention the other amazing peaks in the area...

Hi Bidellender, welcome to VE.

Some good info from Ghaznavid.

On the GT, we always do Sani Top to Bushman's Nek in 3 days, so it is quite possible to do Sani Top to Sehlabathebe in 3 days, following the escarpment as much as possible and still do the peaks as suggested above. 4 days should be very comfortable.

I am not too familiar with the current security situation regarding overnighting on the summit in this area, but we always avoided overnighting between Mashai Pass and Mzimude in years gone by. Hopefully someone can provide an update on this.

Hi and welcome to the forum!

From your question I have the impression you may be planning a route more through the interior of Lesotho. You may want to consider sticking more to the escarpment because of the scenery. You will still get plenty of exposure to the valleys and herdsmen of Lesotho this way but will also get the dramatic views along the Drakensberg escarpment. Going further inland will only give you more of what you will see anyway of Lesotho closer to the escarpment.

Look at the Grand Traverse track in GPX format in the Downloads section (you can open these files using Google Eearth too) - this will give you an idea of the route which can be taken. As tonymarshall mentioned, on a Grand Traverse this section takes 3 days. However normally by that time on a GT you are also very warmed up and can easily haul the distances in a day. 4 days will give you more time for enjoyment, climbing peaks etc. Instead of descending Thamathu Pass as you do in a GT, you continue towards Sehlabathebe by traversing below the Devils Knuckles. This is very scenic. See the downloads section for GPS data for this too ("Knuckles Traverse GPS data"). You can walk on the Lesotho side of the Knuckles too, but the ridge coming off the southern Knuckle forms a very steep barrier to cross. As another alternative you can follow the valleys into Leostho, right around this part. My own recommendation would be the Knuckles Traverse - scenic, most direct and easiest in terms of altitude gain and loss. It also takes you right through the interesting rock formations of Sehlabathebe.

You can get government survey maps from Maseru, but the grids in this area overlap with South Africa, so you can get the survey maps from SA too. The maps are 2929CC Bushman's Neck and 2929CA Sani Pass (West). However, as the other guys have pointed out, you actually only need the Drakensberg hiking maps (No. 6 from the new series). These new maps also have a lot more overlap into Lesotho than the old Slingsby maps.

Get some pointers on security here.

The shepherds around Mashai Pass and Rhino Peak have become a little too pushy and demanding for whatever they can get from your so consider not camping right there. Also avoid camping right at the summits of Masubasuba, Amakakehla and Mzimkhulu Passes because of smuggler traffic (even if only to have peace and quiet).

For the most part the Basothos will be friendly and just inquisitive. Enjoy your interactions with them!

If you follow the suggested Grand Traverse route, peaks which are not too far from the route include Hodgesons South, Sandleni Buttress, No Man's Peak, Mashai Peak and Walker's Peak.