Aasvoëlkrans Cave Hike

About Aasvoëlkrans Cave Hike

Start: car park, Highmoor Wilderness Area, southern central Drakensberg
Finish: car park, Highmoor Wilderness Area
Duration: 5 km, 2 days
Fitness: moderate to easy
Our tip: whilst the route seems ideally short for children, be warned that there are dangerous drop-offs in front of the cave that are not safe for young children

The bonus of Aasvoëlkrans Cave (vulture cave in Afrikaans, although there is no evidence of vulture colonies in the area) is that it is a mere 5 km from the office at Highmoor, which means that you can do the hike in one of two ways:

1) either a there-and-back hike within a day, carrying a day pack with food and all-weather gear (this is still the 'berg),

2) or pack a fair amount of food and take your bedding with you, so that you spend a night or two in the cave, using this as a base from which to explore the wilderness

The well sheltered cave is less of a cave and more of a double-storey ledge, ideal for overnight stays, if a little dirty and dusty. The two storeys are big enough to fit about 100 people if need be, but ecological impact studies have dictated 12.

At the cave is a waterfall (which, when in full flow, can get rather noisy) and several pools both above and below it, with the biggest of these immediately below the cave. From here you can go kloofing down the gorge, or simply spend time in the cave and at the pool side enjoying the incredible scenery (it is seriously beautiful).