Overnight Berg hikes with kids

Awesome weekend! I have a family with some stiff muscles, sunburned cheeks and Huge smiles on their faces! Trip was fantastic. We ended up spending Friday night at the main camp, Saturday took a slow hike up to Grindstone caves, slept there...we were the only ones, although a group came through at about 5pm from the other direction telling us they were looking for Lower Injesuthi cave...I think they slept in the other Grindstone cave. Sunday we headed back via Cataract valley. The girls really had a great time and it was a very positive experience. We saw a Berg Adder, Eland, plenty baboons and a dung beetle Absolutely nothing to complain about...lots of water, clearly marked trails (but needed the route description and map to be sure) and great weather. I was a bit disappointed that we didn't get to see the big peaks due to cloud cover the whole weekend which was a pity...although it didn't phase the kids.

All in all a great trip. Thanks everyone on this forum for the advice and help. Really is appreciated. I'll post some pics once I have downloaded and sorted through them.

Hi Digz

I'm also in the process of introducing the kids to hiking, and am keen to make sure its fun for them and not to hard.
We're starting with short Magaliesberg overnight and then a Magoebaskloof hut trail.

I see you slept in caves, which sounds like fun and less to carry.
Did you just sleep on mats, or put a tent flysheet up?

Cheers
Vaughn

Hi Vaughncleminson,

We used standard rollout karrimats which in needed and I took along a 2 x 2m groundsheet I got from Outdoor warehouse, probably unnecessary as the caves we slept in had plenty of grass/hay which made it pretty soft. See pic.

and a pic from a distance...

Hey thats cool. My first experience with the berg was when i was 6. We stayed at Tendeli Hutted Camp, and I remember looking up at the Amphithetre with a pair of bino's and was absolutely amazed. Keep the kids out of the malls and in the mountains. Much better place to be.

I agree.

My three daughters were into the mountains on my back when they could barely walk, and were joining us on multiple-day overnight hikes (caving and tenting) before they were 10 years old.

They are all adults now and have a real passion for the Drakensberg.

It is well worth the effort and enjoyment of seeing them enjoy themselves in the mountains at a young age (even if it is spending all day, at 8 years old, building a marina resort in the stream next to our overnight camp on a trip we did up Masubasuba pass).

Go for it.

We are going back to Injasuthi for Easter weekend. We'll camp in the main campsite. I'm hoping to go to wonder valley cave for a look. The trip will be day walks only...no overnighters but thats ok.

Hi All

I have organized a Dads and lads for my Son's Grade 1 class for tomorrow. We are starting at Garden Castle and walking to the Hidden Valley south of Garden Castle. We will be doing a 14Km round trip. Hopefully the boys excitement will out weigh their fatigue by the end. The boys are going to be carrying a daypack with just their sleeping bag and some snacks. Dads a lot more.

As a result of the hike there has been much excitement within the Grade 1 Group and lots of pressure for most Dad's to come. Some Dads have now had to up their game fitness and health wise from the feedback from the Grade 1 teachers. I have 8 confirmed Dads coming. Caesar at Bush and Bundu has been inundated with new prospective hikers coming in for advice.

Hopefully going to be a twice a year adventure for the boys into the mountains and build the boys and the dads up for a high berg trip in years to come.

I decided against a hike to say a cave e.g. Pillar Cave because of the numbers and I was worried about lots of boys running around inside a cave when cooking was happening and the potential for an accident.

I will give some feedback on Monday with some photos.

Regards
Selous