This pass is one of two relatively easy ways to access the escarpment in the Mnweni area. The other pass is Ntonjelana Pass (see below) and both passes are used as dagga-smuggling routes from Lesotho to South Africa. Rockeries Pass makes it possible to see the breathtaking Mnweni Cutback in a short weekend hike. It is a good pass to use as an introduction to the Mnweni area as the path is clear and therefore navigation won’t be a problem.
Rating: * * * (5/10) Difficulty of the pass is rated from 1-10 (10 being very difficult, only to be attempted by the fit and experienced). A subjective quality rating is indicated by the number of stars (1 being low, 5 being the highest). Factors such as scenic beauty and overall experience come into play here, which may differ from person to person.
Access: The access walk from the Mnweni Cultural Centre is relatively short (14 km). Instead of heading up the Mnweni valley as usual, follow the path to Hlongwane’s Kraal up the Ntonjelana valley. Follow the right-hand (western) fork of the valley along the Ntonjelana Eshonalanga River to the base of Rockeries Pass about 5 km further on.
Details: The distance from the base of the pass (the fork of the Rockeries and Nguza paths) to the top of Rockeries Pass is 3 km with an altitude gain of 800m.
Route: The path leaves the river at some rapids and heads straight up the slopes under the escarpment cliffs. It then heads into Rockeries Pass itself by climbing up to the right, crossing many small tributaries on the way. Staying on the left-hand (south) side of the main river, the path completes many zigzags higher up, before finally contouring into the short final gully of Rockeries Pass. As is the norm with dagga-smuggling routes, the path is very eroded and many alternatives exist. All the paths, however, converge at the top of Rockeries Pass at 2900m. There is a rock-slide in the pass at about 2700m (2004) but the smugglers have worn a stable path through it and the whole thing has settled.
Finding the pass from the escarpment: There is a big saddle just right (south) of the Rockeries pinnacles with a set of well-trodden paths heading down it. This is Rockeries Pass.
Overnight Spots: There are 3 large caves just off the path near the base of Rockeries Pass itself. The most accessible of these is probably Scaly Cave which sleeps 8 people. Mponjwane cave ranks along with Ledger’s cave (see Mnweni Pass above) as one of the most spectacular caves in the Drakensberg. It is situated about 1 km north of the top of Rockeries Pass around the cliff-side of the escarpment hill. As usual, there are many good camping places on the escarpment itself.
Water: There are a couple of small trickles on the escarpment slopes when heading up the pass but the rapids at the base of Rockeries pass and the Orange River on the escarpment (about 100m from the top of the pass) are the only reliable water sources.
After descending the pass part way, I went around below the ‘prow’ and ascended back up via the alternative gully. The main Rockeries Pass goes to the left of the ‘prow’ and the alternative to the right.
The lower section of the alternative gully, which has no path.
A view down the lower section of the alternative gully.
The alternative gully had running water right to the top, and is very similar to the main route, with lots of boulders and scree.
An easier way up out the gully on a grass slope.
Back to the scree and boulders.
The gully flattens out and becomes more grassy near the top.
View down from the top of Rockeries Pass alternative gully.
We reached the top of the pass with it’s multiple paths, in mid afternoon, and settled in at Mponjwane Cave, possibly one of the last groups to use the cave before the infamous braai party incident.
Our second day was set aside for some exploration, and being clear I decided to head some way down the pass to get some better photos, and to ascend back via the alternative gully to the top of Rockeries Pass, which I had seen several times before. (I will post on the alternative gully later.) Sabine and Hermann came part way down with me, while the photographers stayed busy on the summit. The ‘prow’ below is a major landmark on the pass, and the normal route goes to the left (heading up), and the alternative gully to the right.
A view down the lower section of the pass, with the views to Cathedral Peak and the North Peak of the Saddle.
The zig zag section of the pass.
A view down the pass with the ‘prow’ and the North Peak of the Saddle.
Sabine and Hermann on the zig zags near the top of Rockeries Pass.
Near the top of Rockeries Pass, with the Rockeries in the background. The Rockeries Pass alternative gully is just over the low ridge on the left, between the low ridge and Rockeries. The top of the pass has splendid views of Rockeries, Cathedral Peak and Bell, and the North Peak of the Saddle.
In mid January an all VE member group of Sabine, Hermann, Grandeur (Steve), Getapix (Rian) and tonymarshall made a 3 day weekend trip in the Mnweni, ascending Rockeries Pass and descending Mnweni Pass.
After getting a lift to the kraals near the end of the Ntonjelana road, we set off up the Ntonjelan’ eshonalanga valley, the eastern Ntonjelana tributary with it’s source at the top of Rockeries Pass. There is a good path the whole way from the road to the top of the pass, but with the numerous other paths criss-crossing the area, careful navigation is required if new to the area. The conventional beginning to the route follows the left (true right) side of the river before crossing the river after about 1½ km from the road; some of the group are shown at this first river crossing in the photo below, with Saddle prominent on the escarpment.
The path then follows the right (true left) side of the river for about 1 km, and this section affords fantastic views to the Rockeries, as in the photo below. The prominent, highest, peak to the right of the Rockeries is Mponjwane (also known as Rockeries Tower), an imposing free standing peak and challenging climb.
After a second river crossing, the path then follows the left (true right) side of the Ntonjelan’ eshonalanga River to the top of the pass. On the approach to the pass, several caves are passed, with Sunshine Cave across the river in the photo below.
The base of the pass is usually regarded as being the junction of the stream originating from Nguza Pass with the Ntonjelan’ eshonalanga, and this confluence can be seen in the photo below. On crossing the Nguza stream, one is immediately confronted with a steep scramble up a rock slope, a man made obstacle carved out by locals to prevent donkeys from being able to use the entire Rockeries Pass route, and allowing them to get some business using their donkeys from this point to the road. Above the scramble the path curves to the top of the low ridge, and the only flat campsite in the area, Nguza campsite, is located here. Note the low level of the mist.
A view back down the bottom section of Rockeries Pass, with the path visible in the right foreground.
Soon we were in the mist, and the path zig zags up the slope, effectively flattening the gradient. Note the massive tripod on Grandeur’s (with the yellow buff) pack.
A view back down the path.
Although boulder strewn in places, the path remains easy to follow.
This pass is one of two relatively easy ways to access the escarpment in the Mnweni area. The other pass is Ntonjelana Pass (see below) and both passes are used as dagga-smuggling routes from Lesotho to South Africa. Rockeries Pass makes it possible to see the breathtaking Mnweni Cutback in a short weekend hike. It is a good pass to use as an introduction to the Mnweni area as the path is clear and therefore navigation won’t be a problem.
