Mafadi Winter Hike – Aug 2025

Day 1 – Giants Castle to Bannerman’s Hut

Most Mafadi summits begin at Injisuthi, with the standard route using Judges or Corner pass ascending and then down Leslie’s via marble baths on return. I can’t quite say why but I prefer starting at Giant’s Castle and using Bannerman’s and Judges. Maybe because the road to Giants is better, or even that you start at a higher altitude. The paths are also a little easier to navigate and I definitely prefer Bannerman’s over Leslie’s. Anyway, as much as I love both regions I find myself drawn to Giant’s if summiting.

Turning off near Estcourt on the only viable route to Giant’s, the berg was covered in a thin layer of cloud. Some snow had fallen a few nights prior, and we were eager to see if we were going to get the chance to experience it before it melted. The plan was to stay the first night at Bannerman’s hut, ascend Bannerman’s and traverse North for our second night near the top of Judges. Then day hike Mafadi summit, descend Judges and contour back past ‘Bannermans ‘base and down to the finish. To my shock, and slight dismay, when we topped the final hill about 20km out, the early morning sun was glistening off a thick blanket of snow that descended well down all the visible passes. Guests get excited, guide’s heart sinks a bit. Naturally a whole bunch of scenarios now started playing out in my mind as we navigated the beautiful Bushman’s river valley up to the meeting point. Bannerman’s pass, being narrow and rocky, followed by a long stretch on top in thick snow was almost immediately ruled out. It was a long shot but the more windy Judges pass would be our only chance, and the distance between Bannerman’s and Judges could be navigated on a snowless contour path below rather than on top. The six of us were all here and ready, so we might as well get to Bannerman’s hut and then have a crack, with an easy fallback plan of descending back to the hut.

Day one was an absolute stunner, and as we ascended the ridge to the contour path, the patchy snow on the lower slopes was fading fast, whilst the well defined blanket in the gullies and on the summit seemed totally unphased.

Bannermans Hut was in fine order apart from some dream catches and feathers generously left behind by a previous group who obviously didn’t consider such items as leaving any trace. I don’t usually like any structures in the Drakensberg, but I’m glad Bannermans hut exists. It somehow sits well in the landscape and has kept a sense of cleanliness and order. It’s no hotel, but to have a kitchen counter together with a table and benches is luxury for a guide.

Deon and I took the chance to take a bath in the nearby melted snow river water. We convinced all the others that it was very ‘invigorating’ (language used by berg hikers to describe painfully freezing).

Neil then took a jog up the pass to get a feeling for the snow depth, and maybe just to have some solo trail time, whilst everyone else enjoyed tea and biscuits. Over dinner it was confirmed that we would continue on the contour path to Judges and see how far we could safely ascend.

Day 2 – To Injisuthi Summit

A relatively snoreless night (always a concern when sharing a hut with many people) and a typical beautiful Bannerman’s sunrise meant we were fired up for the adventure ahead. The path to Judges is not a very common route but the path was better than expected after last years fires, and we made good ground across and then up the early slopes towards the Judge. As much as I was a little concerned about the chance of summiting, I couldn’t help but appreciate the scenery. I’ve never seen the area looking more picturesque; crisp, contrasting shadow, soft tones, but rugged and daunting all the same.

Fortunately the crew was positive, and I was so grateful that every member had their heart set on making the most of whatever lay ahead. Allen was on his first Drakensberg hike but while we slogged up the initial slopes of Judges he was like a puppy on his first day at training. Camera out, he was bouncing ahead, contouring above us, trotting behind again; Totally energised by the environment, fresh air and all round enthusiastic approach.

After successfully navigating a slippery river crossing at the waterfall above the first ridge of the pass, we wound upwards towards the snow line. On a good day, Judges pass is one of the more simple passes in the region but today the shadows seemed a little darker and longer, and the icy breeze off the snow added to the change in atmosphere. I was hoping the small area that requires a little bit of scrambling would be below the snow line but it wasn’t to be. I tried a few alternative options before we settled on the best line. Packs off and everyone up safely. Ok, now the ascent was going to get interesting.

It’s amazing how snow shows up the wildlife in the wilderness which you’re usually totally unaware of. A clear set of jackals prints helped to lead us all the way up the pass. The wily fella was obviously familiar with the usual path, even though it was covered in a few feet of snow.

The going was fairly slow but for the most part the snow wasn’t too icy, and we plodded up as best we could. Linah (a regular hiker with me) went into her low-range 4×4 cave, and my assistant Niels gave a little winch assistance now and then as we hit the steeper slopes near the top. By now the group was more than ready for lunch and the spread was laid out. In winter the temps allow for a few more luxuries and the standard crackers, biltong and cheese went up a few notches with the addition of camembert and melba.

Most berg pass summits are accompanied by a dose of relief and ‘it only gets easier from here’ but unfortunately for us, Judges is not one of the most. High winds were predicted so I settled on staying in Injisuthi summit cave. As we went up and over onto the escarpment the snow got a whole lot thicker, and the journey up towards the cave looked a lot further than usual. The additional effort of snow walking and altitude had caused the pace at the back to slow quite considerably. Deon, Neil and Allen went up ahead whilst I stayed between them and the Linah Niels combo at the back. Niels (an accomplished runner and elite cyclist) lives in the tropical island of Mauritius so was now a fish out of water. Some altitude sickness was taking its toll and as the sun started setting the chill was a factor too. Still everyone soldiered on, inspired also by the spectacular scenery. The setting sun bouncing off snowy peaks, with a spectacular tsunami wave of cloud crashing into Trojan wall.

By the time we finally reached the cave, it was just about dark, and our hopes of a comfy shelter were soon dashed. A few weeks earlier I had visited Nkosozana cave further south and it was completely snowed in. An unlikely event in the berg because weather usually blows from the west and its east facing. Injisuthi summit cave had experienced the same storm and the snow was now a thick layer of ice covering 80% of the cave. Not ideal but it was still shelter from the forecasted gale winds that were starting to pick up. We certainly weren’t going to all sleep in tents tonight but plans were made in the far corners, and half iced up spots. The only spot left for me was a flattish section of thick ice near the entrance of the cave. The mattress and sleeping bag were going to face the ultimate test tonight. Dinner was gobbled down and a tired team set off for bed. Niels had gathered a bit of strength and seemed to be getting better rather than worse. Allen, however was in a spot of bother. His mat had fallen off somewhere during the day, and sleeping on a ground sheet was not going to work. Fortunately Neil had brought a protective foam for his air mattress so Allen was given a lifeline. Linah also donated him some ‘hotties’ patches which stay activated for the night and apparently work a charm. Settling in to sleep I was very impressed by the insulation on my mat and was just about to brag at how warm it was on the ice when the breeze blew through the cave and it felt like my face was in a freezer. Sleeping with a head completely buried in a closed up sleeping bag always seemed impossible until now. And it worked perfectly.

Day 3 and 4 – And back again

As morning broke and the sun started hitting our igloo, it seemed everyone had faired pretty well under the circumstances. I collected some snow for a morning brew, frozen boots were put out to thaw, and we took in some of the most awesome scenes I’ve ever witnessed. Many of the best photographs of the Drakensberg are taken here around Injisuthi buttress and the triplets sitting just off the escarpment; Champagne and Monks in the distance. Neil took a few perfect shots. If you haven’t ever experienced the high berg in such a way, they provide a small window into those moments. For those that have, they open a portal back into an etched memory. The bite in the air, the breathtaking beauty, the suffering leading up to it, the camaraderie, the coffee…

Before getting too carried away, we had to focus on getting back home safely. Now that we knew what we were in for, it was a little more daunting. The howling wind through the crags never encouraged anyone, and the knee deep snow above us meant that even though we could see Mafadi summit, the detour seemed like an unnecessary indulgence. With a hefty wind blowing down the valley we were only going to be heading in one direction. What took 2 hours for some coming up, took just 40 minutes going back down, and we reached the river towards the top of Judges in much quicker than expected time. We could have possibly traversed over Popple and down to Bannerman’s but we were not keen on trudging through snow for longer than necessary, and without knowing the state of Bannerman’s it was way too risky.

At least we knew what we were in for going down Judges. The first third was going to be the most tricky. We slipped and slid down as best we could, the snow more sludgy after an additional day of sun.

Linah had bumped her knee and was progressing very cautiously. We finally worked out that sliding down some parts was easier than trying to walk. At times picking up a little more speed than we were comfortable with! At one point Linah came bobsledding down towards me in a half laugh half scream, with Niels careering behind her. As I prepared to somehow stop them she dug in her heels and poles, coming to an abrupt, and slightly clumsy stop in a plume of powder.

Otherwise, we descended without much drama and had a well deserved lunch at the waterfall near the base. It was now a doddle back along the contour to Bannermans, for what felt like a celebration evening in the comfort of lower altitude temperatures, pools for a bath, a roof over our heads and a table to eat dinner at.

Tomorrow was going to be a quick 10km back to the cars at Giants Castle, so all the left over treats came out as we transitioned from reverence and survival to appreciation and accomplishment. This little team of trekkers will in all likelihood never meet up again, but for a few days we were a band of brothers with our special sister!

As we sat around the table re-living the journey through each members eyes, I wondered what it is that drives us out of our comfortable homes into these kind of adventures. I read a report the other day that the reason we feel so good after an ice bath is essentially because our bodies are so happy that we got out! I know that there are so many more layers to multi day Drakensberg hiking than that, but there’s definitely some satisfaction in suffering and hardship that also makes us appreciate our comforts, and keeps us coming back for more.

Reg Pearce ponders his motivation in Barrier of Spears (a book every Drak hiker should own) stating that it “isn’t entirely out of a love for nature”, but also a “subconscious protest against all the artificiality and ease of modern civilised life. We lead such superficial lives…life was not supposed to be like this. Here I have only myself to depend on. Life is reduced to it’s essentials – food, warmth, shelter. It is simplified. I believe it is good to sometimes break loose and go primitive once again” Published in 1974, and even more appropriate today.