Best viewpoints for the Tugela Falls

Hi All!

As I understand, there are two tracks to Tugela Falls: from sentinel car park through Chain Ladder and The Gorge Walk to the base of the Tugela Falls.

It's seems that the first track has more beautiful viewpoints. I downloaded GPS track from this site. The whole track lies on the left bank, but internet photos of the waterfall are made from right bank (www.drakensberg-tourism.com/tugela-falls.html and www.zmescience.com/ecology/environmental-issues/the-5-tallest-waterfalls-in-the-world/).
So I have two questions:
1. Is there any photo of the waterfall from the track which I downloaded?
2. Can I reach viewpoints on the right bank during one-day climbing from the sentinel car park?

Jury

@poklad

I think your confusion probably comes from your perception of the layout of the land. Maybe I can help.

The second track you refer to, comes upriver towards the base of the Tugela falls (moving in a south-westerly direction).

The first track (Sentinel) comes downriver on the plateau above the Tugela falls (moving in a south-eaterly direction). The photos you referenced are taken somewhere along the plateau looking towards the falls. At the top you can get views from both sides of the falls and from numerous positions.

You can certainly get the viewpoints you require during a one-day climb from the sentinel carpark. Just bear in mind that the weather can be unpredictable in terms of clouds and storms at this time of the year, although the end of March would be a little more stable.

Enjoy!

I would have thought that a nice view of the waterfall could be obtained by hiking up Lion's Ridge? With a decent camera and the height required to see over the tunnel ridge, would this be a nice spot to visit for sunrise?

Stockhausen wrote: would this be a nice spot to visit for sunrise?

I am yet to find a bad spot to view a sunrise in the Berg

You would need to leave very early to hit it by sunrise though.

Yeah perhaps we wouldn't make sunrise - even in August. Also never done the route, so will probably get lost!

So is it possible to get to the foot of the waterfall via the gorge? I once went up the ladders to the other side (not through the tunnel), but it looked like alot of boulder hopping and I did not know how long it would contniue and if I would make it, me and the baboons staring down each other haha How far is it once one is over to the other side of the ladder?

Kragbees wrote: So is it possible to get to the foot of the waterfall via the gorge? I once went up the ladders to the other side (not through the tunnel), but it looked like alot of boulder hopping and I did not know how long it would contniue and if I would make it, me and the baboons staring down each other haha How far is it once one is over to the other side of the ladder?

The ladder bypass route really only bypasses the tunnel itself. After the ladder one ascends up a chimney (lots of fun and not dangerous at all), and then the route drops back down to right after the tunnel. From here it is a lot of boulder hopping to get closer to the falls, but really it is still quite some way from the falls. Something I still intend doing one day, actually next year: to see how close one can get to the base of the 5th level of the falls. It is one of the most awesome river basins to be in.

EDIT: Just a note to the post originator: This ladder we are referring to (myself and kragbees) is not the famous chain ladders that is situated on the sentinel route, it is merely a short chain ladder up a rockface, about 8 meters high, situated near the Tugela River tunnel on the gorge route.

I went as far as the top of the chain ladder back in 2004. It was 24 December - a boiling hot day, hiking with my brother using a school bag instead of a backpack. My camera had a fail day and none of my photos came out

I also want to check how close one can get to the falls. Could make for an epic day hike - especially with an early start from Mahai...