The section of trail from the top of Mlambonjwa Pass down to Cathedral Peak Bowl (10 kilometers, +600m and -1000m vert) is almost completely void of water sources. This section can take a whole day, and for people staying at Twin’s Cave, it will include a night. Extra water capacity is recommended so you can fill up at the river before the pass.
Day 1 has good water (streams) until the trail leaves the low forests. Plenty of water can be found on day 2 in summer and autumn (no need to carry more than a liter at a time. Days 3 and 4 need to be managed carefully, as the key water sources are far apart and the Cathedral Peak stream can sometimes be dry (when it hasn’t rained for a while).
There are two categories of guides in the Drakensberg mountains. 1: The Drakensberg locals, usually Zulu guides, who grew up in the mountains. They are mostly not well off and survive from job to job. By hiring one of them, you directly support the local communities. Contact Caiphus (+27 73 603 9107) to book a local guide. The second category is the usually white-owned companies, which are usually run and led by upper-class South Africans and often employ locals as porters and assistant guides. A good company in this category is Soul Adventures.
Both categories are supposed to qualify with SA tourism, previously NQF certifications. However, the system is getting a major overhaul, and adding those complexities would take some time. Worth noting, the guides out here are largely not trained to international guiding standards and so should mostly be relied on for navigation, communication with locals, and logistics. There are exceptions to this rule (some guides are trained extensively).
There are great options for food after the hike at the Cathedral Peaks Hotel and the Didima Camp. Make sure to call in advance to let them know you’re coming so they can prepare for you.
