Mlambonja camp site

21 Sep 2021 20:35 #77141 by BergAttie
I am taking a inexperienced group including kids to the Cathedral Area. We will be in 7 tents. My plan is to hike up to Mlambonja -COntour path nd camp there the first night. 

Questions:
  1. How is the hike up the river bed past Neptune pool and Marble baths or is it better to go up the ridge to the contour path?
  2. Is there a decent camp area at the Mlambonja Contour intersection? Will we fit?
  3. If answer to 2 is no: Is there a decent camp site close by that will be adequate?

Thanks in advance

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21 Sep 2021 21:27 - 21 Sep 2021 21:32 #77142 by Smurfatefrog
Replied by Smurfatefrog on topic Mlambonja camp site
1. Go up the zig zags onto the ridge, there isn't a path up the river bed
2. Its a decent campsite with a few small sections (look for the big tree and just downstream of it) 7 tents will be pushing it, I'd say 4 or 5
3. There is a flat section about half way along the 2km of contour path you will hike on, you will just have a bit of a walk to water, but shouldn't be too bad

Possible campsite in red, Mlambonja base campsite in blue circle
 

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Last edit: 21 Sep 2021 21:32 by Smurfatefrog.

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21 Sep 2021 21:48 - 21 Sep 2021 22:02 #77143 by BergAttie
Replied by BergAttie on topic Mlambonja camp site
 Thanks. I have also wondered about these two areas a little further on from your contour path suggestion. Any thoughts? 
 

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Last edit: 21 Sep 2021 22:02 by BergAttie.

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22 Sep 2021 13:42 #77145 by Riaang
Replied by Riaang on topic Mlambonja camp site
Bergattie,

As Smufatefrog mentioned, look for the largest tree (not just a big tree) in the riverbed where the path goes off the contour path and into the riverbed section. I SERIOUSLY doubt that you will be able to fit 7 tents here, as Smurfatefrog also stated. There is another spot, maybe about 300m or so higher up towards the escarpment where the contour path crosses the riverbed and continue up the ridge towards One Tree Hill's contour path section. Here you will find a couple of flat spots where, if the large tree offers insufficient camping space you should be able to fit a few more campers in. You will get to this spot if you simply continue up the riverbed - it is near the foot of the small ridge you will climb as you exit the riverbed, you will clearly see the river flowing over a flat section of rocks here. 

I don't recall anything flat higher up - must confess that as it gets steeper I generally tend to look down, not up ;-)

From your latest screenshot I can't identify where these flattish areas could be, the angle doesn't look familiar to me. 

Anyway

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27 Sep 2021 08:58 #77148 by BergAttie
Replied by BergAttie on topic Mlambonja camp site
Thanks for the inputs. I can report that the campsite about haffway between the ridge path's intersection with the contour path and Mlambonja river crossing is good for 6-8 tents (even more). Water about 300m from here on the southern side of the site on the contour path. Picture attached. The Big tree site will take 4 tents - 5 at an uncomfortable push. As a side note it is definitely worth going upstream to find the "new" contour path. We followed the original path from the big tree and although doable it is quite rough and overgrown. I saw the "new" path intersecting about 500m later. 

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30 Mar 2023 15:53 #78418 by petroengel
Replied by petroengel on topic Mlambonja camp site
Do you maybe have GPS coordinates for this camping spot?

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31 Mar 2023 12:15 #78424 by BergAttie
Replied by BergAttie on topic Mlambonja camp site
Unfortunately not, but really easy to find as it is basically right on the contour path
 
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05 Apr 2024 10:08 - 05 Apr 2024 10:26 #78985 by supertramp
Replied by supertramp on topic Mlambonja camp site
Hi. We tented at the campsite by the large tree during our Mlambonja (ascent) and Bell Traverse (descent) loop 2 weekends ago. Walked right past without spotting the tree nor the turn-off from the path

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 Once we realized we overshot it, we had to back-track about 300m down the riverbed from the contour path intersection going to One Tree Hill. Can just confirm again that the site is good for 4 tents and perhaps a 5th, 1 man tent at best.

Here are the coordinates for the turn-off from the path going to the big tree campsite (to your right going up the up the pass and to your left going down):
S28.95889° E29.13990°

For the big tree campsite itself (about 40m east from the turn-off described above):
S28.95881° E29.14013°

Coordinates for the campsite next to the contour path: (about 1.1km from the Cockade/Xeni and Neptune Pools zig-zags intersection). You can't miss it 

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S28.96125° E29.14871°
 
 

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Last edit: 05 Apr 2024 10:26 by supertramp.
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05 Apr 2024 11:43 #78986 by tiska
Replied by tiska on topic Mlambonja camp site
Thanks Supertramp.
What map have you used in the post?

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05 Apr 2024 15:38 - 05 Apr 2024 16:04 #78987 by supertramp
Replied by supertramp on topic Mlambonja camp site

Thanks Supertramp.
What map have you used in the post?
Hi tiska,

It is the one available on VE developed by AndrewP - link below. Mapped in Basecamp. Still my go-to for route planning together with the new Slingsby maps.

www.vertical-endeavour.com/downloads/download/4-drakensberg-hiking/206-drakensberg-gps-map-for-garmin-basecamp.html
Last edit: 05 Apr 2024 16:04 by supertramp.
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