So here’s the thing about me and camping – I don’t do it. I am the type that prefers white linen, air conditioning and a reliable WiFI connection. Yet somehow, I ended up at Sentinal Peak parking in Drakensberg with a tent and overnight bag on my back. Had I known the full extent of the challenge I had before me, I might have cancelled and that would have been a shame! A hike up to Tugela Falls is both hilariously tough and naturally spectacular. Read on to learn more about this South African bucket list activity.
Where is Tugela Falls?
Being a coastal province, KwaZulu Natal is well known for it’s warm beaches such as those in ever popular Durban. Do not allow yourself to miss out on the mountain ranges in KwaZulu Natal! Tugela Falls is a waterfall located in the Royal Natal National Park. This is also where the famous Drakensberg Amphitheatre is found.
How to get to Tugela Falls?
Tugela Falls are only accessible by hike as are some of the best places in South Africa.
You can choose to either hike to the top or the base of Tugela Falls. This post covers the hike to the top because that is the route I did. To hike to the top of Tugela Falls, you begin at Sentinal Peak parking – that’s the location to input into your GPS.
Remember to be prepared to pay for the toll gates along the way to Sentinal Peak Parking. To give you an idea of how much they cost, from Joburg the toll gates add up to about R250 for a return trip (Price based on August 2019 rates).
Another key thing to note is that a 4×4 vehicle is necessary to get through the bumpy dirt roads leading to Sentinal Peak parking.
How long does the hike to the top of Tugela Falls take?
This is not a light and easy hike. After-all, Tugela Falls is the highest waterfall in Africa and the second highest in the world at 948m (3110ft) high. The hike from Sentinal Peak parking up to Tugela Falls is 6km. This took me 4.5 hours to complete (from 2 PM to 6:30 PM) with the group from TBG Campout. It can definitely be done quicker, however I was carrying a heavy backpack since I camped at the top – I am so proud of this!
If you choose to do a day hike without camping, this hike can be completed in 5 hours. That means you can hike to the top and back done in a day. This is assuming you aren’t carrying heavy items with you and are walking at a reasonable pace.
What to pack for a hike up to Tugela Falls
It is very important to be as prepared as possible for a hike to Tugela Falls especially if you are going to camp there. From my experience, carrying more than enough water is critical. When you realise how heavy your water bottles are, you may be tempted to offload a bottle or two, but don’t. As you climb, your bag will become lighter as you consume the water.
The other key point to remember when packing is that you need to consider how the weather changes as it goes from day to night. When I did the hike during August, it was warm during the day and freezing cold at night.
Whether you are going for a day hike or an overnight camp, these are some key items to take with you:
Water
Hiking shoes
Snacks such as energy bars & dried fruit
Sunblock
A hat or cap
Comfortable clothes
Warm clothes
Tissues
Torch
When is the best time to hike to Tugela Falls
During winter, Tugela Falls dry up. This literally means that there will be little to no water on the falls. This was the case when I went during August. Please don’t let this be a deal breaker for visiting in winter though because seeing the falls and taking in the scenery on the way up was still an incredible experience.
Though the falls are in their full gushing glory during summer seasons, that is also when you are more likely to have rain spoil your hike. Just check the weather forecast before you go to prevent being rained out.
What is it like camping at Tugela Falls?
To be fully honest, I was expecting a man-made camp site set up. In fact, as I got tired hiking up, I motivated myself by looking forward to getting to some sort of man-made facilities like toilets and showers. I was in for a big surprise!
When we got to the top and the hosts said “we’re here,” reality hit. We were in what felt like the middle of nowhere. All that was around us were shrubs and bushes – that’s it! We literally took the tents off our backs, pitched them and prepared for the night. To top that off, we had no cellphone reception and it was icy cold. I was really out of my element.
After I came to the acceptance that this is where and how I would be spending the night, I started to fully take in the experience. It’s just you, your company and the stars. We really REALLY saw the stars. It made me realise how little I truly need and how tough I actually am.
We woke up early to catch the sun rise. This was a highlight for me. It was in this moment that I understood the hype behind camping. We miss out on appreciating the natural magnificence of the world in our usual busy life that is full of distractions. It’s so good for us to slow down and strip down to the basics – once in a while. If you are feeling hesitant to take this on, I encourage you to go for it. You might just surprise yourself and leave feeling incredibly fulfilled.
Learn more about camping for first timers.
On my to do list I love camping but I’m sceptical with this one considering you mentioned it was icy cold..
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So is it safe to leave your vehicle at sential car park overnight?
We left ours over night and didn’t experience any issues