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We are a party of 4 doing this trip 4-6 November.

Sentinel Car Park, Chain ladders, Tugela falls, Mount Aux Sources, Ifidi Cave

I have some Q's regarding this trip, please help.

1.What is the state of the hut at the Car park, and fees? Is it worth sleeping there to get a early start?
2.What time does the gate open and close at the car park?
3.Can we pay the hiking fees and vehicle fees at the Car park?
4.What is the fees?
5.What is the best route from the N3 to Witsieshoek coming from JHB? There seems to be a bad patch of potholes en-route to Witsieshoek?
6.Are there any other safe caves in the Amphitheater worth swapping Ifidi for?
7.What sort of weather can typicality be expected early November? (Unfair question, I know )
8.Is Ifidi one of the caves that need to be booked? If so, where?
9.Nearest water to Ifidi cave assuming it does not rain?

Any other advise would be appreciated.

Anyone else in that area at that time?

Thx

I'm hopefully doing Bollard/Willson loop that weekend...

Boerkie wrote:

1. The bunk beds don't look too bad. Setting up a tent in the car park is also an option
3. You'll need to pay the entrance fees at the gate as you enter the reserve. Not sure about overnight & other fees
4. R60 per person, not sure about overnight fees
5. N3 to Harrismith, R74 towards Phuthaditjhaba, don't follow the R74 towards Bergville, keep going straight. The roads are not an issue at all, the bad section is the part next to Sterkfontein dam going towards Bergville

6. Similar caves? Ifidi is your best bet. Other caves are Crows nest - in the heart of the Amphitheatre, but often grubby, possibly occupied and with interest from locals.
7.What sort of weather can typicality be expected early November? (Unfair question, I know )

Early November - on settled days, up valley winds brings moisture up against the escarpment which condenses to make mist. The mist is kept from spreading over the edge into Lesotho by the westerly winds from Lesotho. On some days the upslope winds will be strong and moist enough for the mist to cover the escarpment by early afternoon though the mist will probably clear by evening. On unsettled days, ridging highs which are pretty active in early Nov, will bring cooler, moister onshore winds and constant mist. These systems clear throuh after 1.5 days on average. Thunderstorms dominate the weather more from Jan to March. On balance, expect some possible morning mist and check the forecast for one of those ridging highs before you leave. They move slowly and are predictable.

8.Is Ifidi one of the caves that need to be booked? No - its part of Mnweni. Ifidi is your best bet if you want somewhere peaceful where you won't be bothered. Note the other threads on Ifidi Cave. There is the proper grand Ifidi (which I have yet to see) and the cave just near the top of Ifidi pass which is a shallow overhang and which many think is the real thing.

9.Nearest water to Ifidi cave assuming it does not rain?
From the rivers draining into Lesotho a few hundred m from the cave. If its been wet in the run up to the trip, then possibly an active drip closer than that.

Thanks for the replies guys

Any other points of interest worth while checking out while up there?

Will the same "no-lights-after-dark" procedure count for Ifidi cave or would it be out of view from locals seeing that your on the escarpment edge facing east?

Boerkie wrote:


I wouldn't be concerned about Ifidi Cave for two reasons, one its a cave (not a tent) and two, the main venue for hassles is at the tented camps near the Tugela Falls.