Mlambonja Pass - Organ Pipes Pass link-up & escarpment traverse

Regarding security updates, there is a report on the current situation in the Northern Berg in the making, and this will be posted soon.

Organ Pipes Pass remains a major smuggling route (and the season is picking up again), and the Bell Traverse route of Mlambonja Pass will still see some cattle rustling. This is the usual status and I'm not aware of very recent problems involving hikers. Standard precautions apply.

1. Can be done in 3 days, but for new hikers, plus if its your first time along this section, then I'd say rather make it 4 days (valid points about this in previous 2 responses). For 3 days you'll need to be fit, confident with the route and hope the Dragon plays nicely.

2. If you are doing it in 3 days then I would go up the Camel first (easier and more direct), and save Mlambonja for the downhill and when you've warmed up a bit. It's a matter of preference really.

3. Consider Tseketseke Pass, pleasant, nothing technical, nice close-ups of Column and Pyramid, just that it can be a bit bushy and lush at the bottom. You could, for example, hike to the hut on day 1, ascend Tseke and traverse Cleft on day 2, and descend the Camel on the 3rd day.

The Cockade Pass area is very nice for photography - agree with Bergbees. The mornings are good for silhouette shots with the glow behind Cockade and afternoon shots can be awesome with the sun rays coming through the humps on top of the Elephant.

By "Xeni Cutback", do you mean the section between Xeni Pass and The Elephant? That's on the route anyway. From Mlambonja, drop down into the Kwakwatsi and pick up a trail heading upriver (on the western banks). This trail tends to want to take you straight to the Elephant via the second last side valley coming in from the side (and thus bypassing Xeni Pass). I would walk right to the end, ie walk out the main valley. At the bend, you'll notice some gullies going down (which look like passes) - at this point you could make a quick excursion loop to the summit or end of Mlambonja Buttress and back (yes, its worth the look). If you have lots of time then simply stick to the edge all the way from Mlambonja. Continue along the river as it bends, pass Xeni Pass and continue on to the Elephant - the exact route is up to you - hug the edge or plod straight up grassy slopes...odd cairns exist along either way (note a large free standing tower along the way - you can only see that its free-standing from close). Directly behind the Elephant, at a neck, you can decide to descend Elephant Gully directly infront of you (taking you directly to Cockade Pass via a trail), or ramp up the grassy summit above the neck and pick up a trail taking you to Cockade more or less via the escarpment edge.

I think Cockade is a pretty fast direct route back down, so do Tseke if you want to do it specifically, I don't think its faster.

Ah ok. Calling it Xeni Cutback is actually probably quite appropriate, just got confused for a sec. Neither Elephant Gully nor Cockade Pass present anything tricky that would require rope. The former actually has a pretty good trail.