Mzimude Pass South

Hi guys, we will hopefully be ascending Mzimude South Pass on Sunday.. is there any preference for either North or South fork?

Also, is route finding obvious on the ascent, or anything I should know about?

Thanks in advance..

South Fork is more gradual and avoids the few thorn bushes of the north fork. Notably there is also a middle fork that includes a bit of scree and an easy scramble - you look straight up it before you can see to the top via the south fork.

The trail on the map doesn't exist. If you follow the Hidden Valley indefinitely you do reach Curtain Cave, but it is not where it is shown on the map and the walk in to the pass from there is long and often not great on the feet. If you aren't using Curtain Cave, then at the split in the photo below, cross the small stream and follow the Mzimude River, which is behind the ridge in the photo:


The river is easy enough to follow, and when you hit a waterfall, you will find a brief trail through a gap to the right (true left) that gets you through it.

The pass is your choice of following the river or the grassy south bank. The pass is pretty obvious, no tricks there. There is a spot below a waterfall (which is just past the turnoff for Walkers Pass Mzimude Variation) which is a bit loose, but nothing serious.

To find the cave, drop down the north fork till you hit a small cave on the left, then scramble up an easy grass ledge immediately after the cave and you will walk straight to the main cave. The third cave is past the rock arch further around on the ledge.

Thanks for the info ghaz..

We will be coming up from the Whyte's Cave side, have done Walker's Pass from there, so I have a reasonable idea of the approach.

I do know the Mzimude Caves, having approached them from the top, but we won't be using them this time, MBC is using them on Sunday evening..

Thanks again..

I came down that way once - quite an epic! The walk-in from Garden Castle is definitely quite a bit easier.

Nonetheless, just traverse around 2200m till you hit the pass. There is a brief trail in places on the traverse, but not for the most part. It is more than an hour from the Walkers Ridge Pass turnoff to the base of Mzimude Pass. Once you near the pass, you can start gaining altitude if you like - this will save you some distance. The pass is mostly grassy, so cliffs are unlikely to be an issue.

Hi All,

Does anyone have information on the route for Mzimude pass from Crystal waters farm/Swiman Hut side & on Curtain cave, which is approx. 3.5 km from the top of the pass.

Many thanks.

Alan