I’ve already written about our roadtrip to the central Drakensberg and how nice it was to unplug during our seven-day stay there. But I haven’t yet told you about the spectacular hikes we took. Every time I go to the Drakensberg, I’m amazed by how beautiful the mountains are and what an underrated travel destination it is. But finding the right hike, depending on how much time you have and what your physical abilities are, is not always easy. So here is a quick guide to the three best hikes (all of them are easy to moderate) that we discovered while staying in the vicinity of Cathkin Peak.

Thorsten took this shot of me, fresh and not yet exhausted, at the beginning of the Nandi Falls hike.

The first two hikes originate at the Monk’s Cowl trailhead, which is run by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife (the provincial parks department for KwaZulu-Natal). The KZN Wildlife web page for Monk’s Cowl doesn’t have much information, but the Monk’s Cowl park rangers are very helpful. Just go there (gates are open from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.) and they’ll answer any questions you have about the trails. Day-hiker admission at Monk’s Cowl is R80 per person for South Africans.

Hike #1: Nandi Falls (plus Sterkspruit Falls and Hlathikhulu Forest), +/- 11 kilometers

A friend highly recommended the Nandi Falls hike so that was the first (and longest) hike we did. We combined Nandi Falls with Sterkspruit Falls and a loop back through the Hlathikhulu Forest, so our hike was a hefty 11 kilometers. But the out-and-back hike to Nandi Falls is shorter — maybe seven or eight kilometers.

Our first glimpse of Nandi Falls.

I loved this hike because it had some of everything: beautiful mountain views, two very different waterfalls, and a long walk through indigenous rainforest.

Thorsten, a.k.a. @theThinking_Hand, sketching Sterkspruit Falls. We had to hop a fence to get this close but it was very safe.

Thorsten’s sketch of the falls, which is way better than the pictures I took.

Cathkin Peak through a frame of protea branches.

Cathkin Peak, a.k.a. the Bully, blocks the view of Monk’s Cowl — a mountain between Cathkin Peak and Champagne Castle — from this side of the reserve. So despite hiking extensively IN Monk’s Cowl, we never SAW Monk’s Cowl. Anyway the views of Cathkin Peak were great.

The best part of this hike was walking in the narrow cave directly behind Nandi Falls and looking out through a veil of water. Even after a season of heavy rain, it was totally dry behind the falls.

Thorsten standing behind Nandi Falls.

Looking out from behind the falls was magical.

Thorsten’s brilliant sketch of Nandi Falls includes some pressed flowers from the Drakensberg.

A fern-covered hillside in the Hlathikhulu Forest.

We were very tired at the end of this hike but it wasn’t really difficult — much easier than the Tugela Gorge hike that we did a couple of years ago. The Nandi Falls hike took about five hours without rushing. As with all hikes, it’s best to set out early to avoid the heat, bring plenty of water and sunscreen, wear sturdy hiking shoes, and be prepared to get your feet wet while rock-hopping across the streams. The clear water from Nandi Falls comes straight from the top of the mountain, so we refilled our water bottle there. The water tasted great and didn’t make us sick.

Hike #2: The Sphinx Trail, +/- 5 kilometers

We were lucky not to have heavy rains during our week in the central Drakensberg, but it did rain sporadically and we didn’t always have a full day to hike. One day we showed up at Monk’s Cowl at 2:00 p.m., not sure what would be possible, and the ranger recommended the Sphinx Trail. The Sphinx Trail is about five kilometers and we finished it easily in about two-and-a-half hours. Although it looked like a sharp climb uphill, the trail is well designed and it really didn’t feel too bad on the way up (or down). This was my favorite hike.

Thorsten walking up the Sphinx Trail.

The wild dagga (a.k.a. Leonitis leonurus) was in full bloom on the Sphinx Trail.

Crystal Falls was one of my favorite sights in the Monk’s Cowl reserve. It’s just below the Sphinx.

It was intermittently drizzly as we walked up the Sphinx Trail and we didn’t have a view of Cathkin Peak, which must be spectacular when the sky is clear. It was beautiful anyway.

The tall rock to my right is the Sphinx, which doesn’t really look like a Sphinx from this angle. (Photo: Thorsten Deckler)

Sphinx Trail sketch with a glimpse of the Sphinx on the left.

This trail continues upward after the Sphinx, and if we’d had more time we might have gone further. But it was raining on and off and already late in the afternoon, so we decided not to risk it and walked back down.

Hike #3: The Blue Grotto Trail (plus the Fern Forest), +/- 6 kilometers

This trail was a bit tricky to figure out because it begins on the property of the Drakensberg Sun Hotel. You don’t have to stay at the Drakensberg Sun to do this hike, and you don’t have to book in advance or pay admission. But you do have to check in at the hotel’s activities desk at the start and end of your hike. The first day we tried, the hotel staff told us the trail was too wet and was closed. We went back the next day and finally succeeded.

Ferns sprouting from a tree branch on the Blue Grotto hike.

The Blue Grotto Trail can be hiked on its own or in combination with the Fern Forest Trail. We did both because we usually prefer to walk a loop rather than an out-and-back hike. But I wouldn’t recommend the Fern Forest Trail — most of the ferns we walked through were brown (at least at this time of year — autumn), which felt depressing, and we were a little bored. If I did this hike again, which I totally would, I would walk the Grotto trail on its own. It’s an easy trail, almost totally flat, and it’s in the shade of the forest the entire time.

One of many smaller waterfalls we saw on the way to the Blue Grotto. (Photo: Thorsten Deckler)

Another fern-covered branch.

The Blue Grotto itself is spectacular. There are two big waterfalls — one on either end of a big pool of water. Photos don’t do it justice.

I love how the light is hitting the vines above the falls.

Grotto sketch.

The second Blue Grotto waterfall.

The Blue Grotto was Thorsten’s favorite of the three hikes.

After the hike, we had lunch on the Drakensberg Sun terrace…I would also skip this next time. The hotel is lovely with a nice view and the service was great. But I found the food was overpriced and just okay.

Logistical notes:

The Cathkin Peak area is about 4.5 hours’ drive from Joburg.

We stayed at a friend’s house in the Highlands housing estate, about 20 minutes from both the Drakensberg Sun and Monk’s Cowl. If you’re looking for an interesting place to stay in that area, the Inkuzi Cave, also in Highlands, is popular and very intriguing from the outside. (My blogger friend Attiya stayed at the Inkuzi Cave a few years ago; I recommend Attiya’s post for more helpful information about exploring this area, which has lots of fun restaurants and shops in addition to hiking.)

The Drakensberg Sun and the Champagne Castle Hotel are two popular, higher-end hotels. There are also lots of timeshare developments around Cathkin Peak.

The AllTrails app (I use the free version) was helpful for researching and planning hikes in the central Drakensberg.

Thanks, Drakensberg, you’re the best. I can’t wait to visit you again.