SANI PASS 1997

Ó Copyright: Grobler du Preez
e-mail: dPreezG@NetActive.co.za
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Himeville, Natal Drakensberg.

The date...

1 January 1997

The hikers...

The Du Preez's from Bloemfontein:

Grobler, Marlene, Nico, Maatje, Ignatius (only 6 yrs old)

The trail...

This trail offers magnificent views over the foot hills of Kwazulu-Natal. It is one of only two trails in South Africa suitable for the average person which takes one to above 2500 m. The other one is the Sentinel trail. The trail starts at the South African border post and ends at the Sani Top chalets on the Lesotho side of the Border. Although one passes through the border post, the complete trail is in South Africa. One only enters Lesotho at the end of the trail.

The South African border post opens at 08:00 and closes at 16:00 (as in 1997). The route follows the 8 km long gravel road with a few shortcuts (if you can find them). Except for loose stones on the road, the surface is not difficult to walk on. What makes the trail difficult, is the distance (16 km return) combined with the 1 km vertical climb to just below 3000m. One also races against time to be back before the border post closes. If you don't make it back in time, you will have to spend the night in no-man's land. Although one ascends to above 2865 m, one never walks next to dangerous heights.

If the going gets too tough, just put up your thumb and beg a lift on one of the many luxury 4x4's on the route! Although tempted, we did not use our thumbs and all five of us made it up and back on own steam.

The aftermath...

Four exhausted hikers in a tent at the camp site in Himeville and one six-year old running around, playing with a friend...

1. The view towards the Sani Pass. An 8 km horizontal and 1 km vertical climb to the top...

2. The view from the top back towards the border post.

3. Nico, Ignatius, Marlene and Maatje on top of the Sani Pass at 2865m (9400 ft). It is mid-summer (1 January), but cold at this height.