There are 25 summits above 3300m in South Africa, several of which are unnamed, and many of which are hardly known. They belong to a greater group of peaks known as the Khulus - the 3000m peaks, found in the Drakensberg.
The following list of peaks is by no means authorative and does include some peaks where their inclusion as a Khulu is debateable – time will tell. We hope that this will eventually lead to an accepted list of the top 20 (or 25) peaks of South Africa. Please participate in our Drakensberg forum which is a vital tool in establishing this.
Those that are marked with an asteriks (*) are peaks that currently are not named on the maps. The names we have assigned them are generally derived from nearby rivers or from nearby Khulus with exsiting names, and are merely for reference until an official name can be assigned. All altitudes are taken from the government survey maps except those marked with a hash sign (#) where no official height is available and have been measured by GPS.
Rank | Peak | Altitude | Area | Region |
1 | Mafadi | 3451m | Injasuti | Central Berg |
2 |
Injasuthi Dome |
3410m | Injasuti | Central Berg |
3 | Champagne Castle | 3377m |
Monk's Cowl | Central Berg |
4 | Lithobolong Peak * |
3375m |
Injasuti | Central Berg |
5 | kaNtuba Peak * |
3366m # | Vergelegen | Southern Berg |
6 | Trojan Wall |
3354m | Injasuti | Central Berg |
7 | kaNtuba Buttress * |
3344m |
Vergelegen | Southern Berg |
8 | Yodler's Peak I * |
3338m | Cathedral Peak | Northern Berg |
9 | Yodler's Peak II * |
3338m | Cathedral Peak | Northern Berg |
10 | Pampiring | 3337m | Cathedral Peak | Northern Berg |
11 | Red Wall Peak * |
3337m | Injasuti | Central Berg |
12 | Botlolong * |
3333m |
Monk's Cowl | Central Berg |
13 | Popple Peak | 3331m | Injasuti | Central Berg |
14 | Ships Prow | 3325m | Monk's Cowl | Central Berg |
15 | Sehonghong * |
3324m |
Vergelegen | Southern Berg |
16 | Nkosazana Peak * |
3318m |
Monk's Cowl | Central Berg |
17 | Champagne Castle Ridge Peak * |
3318m |
Monk's Cowl | Central Berg |
18 | Giant's Castle |
3316m |
Giant's Castle | Central Berg |
19 | Mashai |
3313m |
Garden Castle | Southern Berg |
20 | Mohlesi | 3310m | Vergelegen | Southern Berg |
21 | Redi | 3309m | Lotheni | Central Berg |
22 | Walker's Peak | 3306m | Garden Castle | Southern Berg |
23 | Mhlwazini Peak * |
3305m # | Monk's Cowl | Central Berg |
24 | Yodler's Ridge Peak * |
3301m | Cathedral Peak | Northern Berg |
25 | Sanqebethu * |
3301m |
Giant's Castle | Central Berg |
A large proportion of these peaks are situated on two very prominent and impressive ridges, namely the Didima-Champagne Castle Watershed and the Injasuti Watershed. Thus most of the top peaks can be climbed by traversing these ridges, though it would take a bit of effort (especially for the former)!
Peaks where the actual summit appears to fall 50-100m short of the South African border (as indicated on the hiking maps) are Lithobolong Peak, Botlolong, Popple Peak, Mohlesi Peak, Walker's Peak and Sanqebethu. These have been included here on the assumption that the border does actually fall exactly on these peaks. These maps are also not authoritative on the exact location of the border. The convention here assumes that the watershed is the border.
Yodler's Peak could arguably be at two different locations some 950m apart, or these two points could in fact be two different Khulus. They both have an altitude of 3338m. There is a small dip between the two, marking the top of the long gulley climbing out of the top end of Yodler's Cascades, though it it is a relatively small change in relief. Which one is a Khulu or are they both different Khulus? Such is the challenge in the classification! Climb both to be sure we say!
Ships Prow and Botlolong are very close together, as are Champagne Castle Ridge Peak and Mhlwazini Peak. All four have been included at this stage as they all appear to be peaks in their own right.