Maluti Cave Hike

About Maluti Cave Hike

Start: base camp at Tseki, Phuthaditjaba (Witsieshoek)
Finish: Tseki
Duration: two, three, four day options
Fitness: moderate to difficult
Our tip: the dirt road approach to Tseki can complicate things if it has rained, you may need a 4x4

The Maluti Cave hike is in an area of the Drakensberg renowned for its wilderness trails. Up until now the area lacked marked trails. The Maluti Cave trail changes that.

A hutted trail, with the alternative of sleeping in one of the myriad caves of the area should one of the huts suffer the effects of a fire (as had happened before), hikers can make it into the high berg without having to lug a tent along with them.

From base camp at Tseki the hike takes the form of numerous circular trails that strike out east and west of Tseki. Each of these can be hiked independently, or as a four-day trail – hence the options for anything from a one-day to a four-day hike.

Day one is 9 km.
The trail is fairly gruelling and passes a number of caves (they are numerous in the area) that hold San rock art and are worth exploring, and several water features.

Day Two
Day two gives you a couple of options. Either you can follow a marked trail to the top of the berg, and then back again (10km) or you can broach the circular route with a guide (15km). The latter is said to include a number of sheer drops, so if you have not a head for heights opt for the former.

Day Three
Day three again comes with options. You can take the river route to Tseki Hut (10km) that includes ample chance to swim in water holes, or a route to Matsieng Hut via further caves filled with rock art. Matsieng has the added bonus of the Thabana-Tshowana Dam and its water birds.