Overnight Berg hikes with kids

@Highlands Fanatic & Ghaz: it is so true that we need show and instill the beauty of our Natural Enviroment to all Children so that they know the value and the importance of these areas to the individual and to humanity as a whole so that they can be protected and even extended in the future through an individuals or groups passion and dedication to preserve wilderness areas for their children.

@Highlands Fanatic: great photos of your family and your lad enjoying the berg.

All the best
Selous

Hello all, my name is Leone. We are newbies to overnight hiking trips. We are a family with young children. We have all the equipment and just need help on finding the best Overnight Hiking trails in Drakensberg to do a 3 day hike. We are planning a trip in October with a group of 4 adults and 4 children (2 x 6 years old and 1 x 5 year old and a 13 year old). They VERY active and love the outdoors. Could anyone help with advising us on a 3 day (sleep over in caves) hike that would be good as a first trip? We have done a few day hikes and they did great. We were told that we should maybe do part of the Giants Cup Hiking Trail. What would you all suggest would be best to do with the children?
Any help appreciated.

How about stringing together a lower Berg route taking in Lower Injisuthi Cave, then Marble Baths Cave then over the ridge to Grindstone Cave and back to the camp?
Day 1 (LIC) = 4 hours or so
Day 2 (Marble Baths Cave)= 3 hours
Day 3 (Grindstone Cave)and back to Injisuthi Camp = 4 or 5 hours

I've done this route with youngsters (age 6 upwards).

The hard day from them is from Marble Baths to Grindstone because the path goes up to the top of the Lower Berg. The alternative for that day is back to Injisuthi camp from Marble Baths

Hi – thank you.
About 2 weeks ago we did a day trip. They walked just over 3 hours with maybe one 10 minute rest in between before we had about a half hour rest. After then it was a short 10 minute walk back to the car park. We did stop and look at goggas and birds along the way but never for long before carrying on. The two 6 year old carried the water and snack backpacks. The boys kept wanting to walk up front (they had to walk in between us)- full of energy running around. We had to tell them to slow down a few times. The 5 year old walked with us all the way – she had a bit of a snooze in the car on way back but after then was full of beans again. I think they would do about 5 hours without trouble.

I would definitely check out the Injisuthi area. Quite a few caves that are easily reachable that can be strung together (such as what mnt_tiska mentioned) and definitely one of the finest parts of the berg in my opinion. Shoot away if you have any more questions regarding the Injisuthi lower berg area with regard to a three-day hike there.

Living it up in Marble Baths Cave





Over the ridge from Marble Baths to Grindstone.

Thank you for the information and the photos. So excited and sure the kids will have a blast

I was also thinking that Injisuthi is a good idea.

Both Marble Baths and Lower Injisuthi have some nice pools nearby.

Just a heads up on LIC though - as you walk into the cave there is some very faint rock art on your left. Make sure the kids know that they mustn't touch it, put water on it etc. But it is a great educational point - good chance to teach them about SA history etc. You can also arrange a guide in advance so that you can also stop at Battle Cave on the way to LIC. Its quite an important cave from a historical point of view - I think its the only site that depicts an actual battle.

I haven't done the entire Giants Cup Trail myself - but I don't think you'll do it in 3 days with your 5 year old. It is supposed to be a 5 day hike, but can be done in 2 days by a fit team (or probably in a day by some the adventure racers and trail runners out there).