I have been wanting to share this post for MONTHS!

Have you ever been somewhere and thought, “Why isn’t this place more widely known? Why aren’t travelers all over the world talking about it, tweeting about it, and pinning its likeness on Pinterest? Shouldn’t this spot be getting WAY more attention on all those articles touting a growing list of places you need to see before you die?”

I felt that way about Havasu Falls in Arizona. Do yourself a favor and click through any of those posts if you haven’t already seen them — that place is a rare gem and it gets so little attention compared to its famous neighbor the Grand Canyon. And speaking of rare gems, that’s an apt description of the Amphitheatre hike in the Drakensberg area of South Africa. A preview:

But let’s back up — let me tell you a bit about the Drakensberg region. It refers to the mountainous stretch of land next to Lesotho, a landlocked country within South Africa. Drakensberg literally translates to “dragon mountains” in Afrikaans (the language of South Africa) and looking at the above photo might give you an idea as to how it got that name. Doesn’t it look like that fire-breathing mythological creature might soar above those scraggly peaks and dense fog? I don’t watch Game of Thrones but I imagine this landscape resonates with its viewers. It looks so fantasy-esque that it can’t possibly be of this world. BUT IT IS. The Drakensberg actually exists and I feel like I’ve stumbled across a significant and underrated travel destination.

The Amphitheatre is a specific mountain plateau within the Drakensberg region (updated to add: it’s actually in Royal Natal National Park just north of Drakensberg — see map below). Here’s a stock photo (not taken by me) revealing the full Amphitheatre as viewed on a cloud-free day from a lower vantage point:

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I’ll give you a moment to pick your jaw up off the floor.

There is a seasonal waterfall called Tugela Falls at the very top of the Amphitheatre that drops over one kilometer (3,000 feet) — it is considered the world’s second tallest waterfall after Angel Falls in Venezuela. And I ask again, how has this hike stayed relatively secret in the world of travel with a statistic like that?! The only reason it’s not considered the world’s tallest waterfall is because it cascades partway down instead of one uninterrupted drop.

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Sadly the waterfall is not in season during my visit, so while we hike around the drop-off spot near the top, we don’t get to appreciate the falls in action. I would honestly schedule a return trip just for that.

And here’s a map of the area to place the Drakensberg region in context within the whole of South Africa:

I’m staying at Amphitheatre Backpackers, named after the iconic hike in this region. They offer several day trips but this Tugela Falls hike is the big one — it costs around $55, the same price as the outstanding Lesotho day trip I detailed in yesterday’s post (you can save $5 for booking them both). It’s a great deal given the scope of this tour. That price includes round-trip transportation, tour guide, and a packed lunch.

And here is the route from Amphitheatre Backpackers to the Sentinel Car Park for this hike (for anyone thinking of driving themselves) — it looks close on the map, but roads go the long way around:

Fair warning — the weather is unpredictable and there’s a high likelihood of clouds or fog throughout the area. Do not let that deter you. Often the hostel itself is covered by clouds all day but the peaks of the Amphitheatre trail rise above cloud level and hikers return sunburnt at the end of the day. I would say that during our hike it’s cloudy 70% of the time, but about 30% of the time the fog parts to reveal glorious views of the mountain. It is totally, unequivocally worth it, as the photos below will attest. I would recommend wearing good hiking shoes and waterproof gear in case there is rain (a proper rain jacket would be ideal — you might be able to borrow one from Amphitheatre Backpackers). There might be snow during the winter (July-August in the southern hemisphere), but regardless of the season, it’s a good idea to dress in layers as the air temperature will fluctuate throughout the hike.

The mountain is located a good distance away so we drive maybe two hours to get to the parking lot (including a stop at a convenience store for drinks and snacks while the van refuels). By the time we reach the trailhead I can already feel the altitude — we’re starting at 8,200 feet in elevation and will eventually climb just shy of 10,000 feet above sea level (3000 meters).

We’re headed up the Sentinel Peak trail. This trek usually takes two days but this tour condenses the hike into ONE challenging day. It’s not a trail for beginners.

There’s a payphone up here! How antiquated.

The fog moves in and out faster than I’ve ever witnessed elsewhere. One minute the whole mountain is shrouded in clouds and the next it’s clear. I keep my camera at the ready and pause to snap a photo every time the clouds part.

The trail cuts along the side of this cliff:

Everyone ready? Let’s do this! Our wonderful guide Siya leads the way.

I quickly become the last one in the group, snapping photos from the back. I’m used to it.

Watch the front of our group disappear into a wall of fog around this corner:

I spy the fog starting to lift… just in time for spectacular views.

Here’s Siya, our guide extraordinaire:

There are a few tricky stretches, and this is the first — we navigate a short ladder to reach the next stretch of trail.

Literally climbing up the side of this mountain:

The iconic peaks of the Amphitheatre come into focus in the distance:

Our group is mesmerized by these views. Mercifully the clouds begin to part and we can fully appreciate the Amphitheatre.

Climbing higher and higher…

We reach a gulley and Siya stops us for a quick break.

Our next task is to climb up the gulley, scrambling over rocks until we reach the top. It should take about 30 minutes or more. There is no trail — we just have to negotiate the rocks and keep putting one foot in front of the other until we reach the top.

View from the top, looking back down towards where we started from:

Once we reach the plateau on top of the Amphitheatre, we stop to enjoy our packed lunches.

Next we head towards the waterfall drop-off, even though it’s not flowing this time of year (October). The mist starts to close in on us.

Here are remnants of the waterfall:

I’m so sorry the waterfall is not flowing right now. There are photos at the hostel of travelers frolicking at the top of the waterfall and it looks like the biggest thrill. Here are two I found via Google Images:

(image via)

(image via)

I can’t believe how clear the weather is in the above photo!

We leave the waterfall and press onward across the plateau.

There are HORSES in the distance. This blows my mind. How did they get up here?

Our group reaches the far end of the Amphitheatre plateau. There’s one major stretch ahead of us… remember that gulley we climbed to get to the top? Now we have to descend that same distance, only this time it’s using chain ladders. This is not for the faint of heart!

There are two ladders to pick from — the one on the left has metal circular grips, and the one on the right does not. How adventurous do you feel?

I don’t have an issue with heights and, thankfully, this isn’t a big deal for me. I just look directly at the stone in front of me and concentrate on taking each step carefully, one at a time, in a steady rhythm until I reach the bottom. (I use the ladder with the circular grips.)

After the first set of ladders, there is another pair — it’s same deal again. We all descended slowly and steady, making it safely to the ground below.

Group photo after successfully completing our death-defying ladder descent:

Now this next stretch is my favorite part of the whole hike. The trail crosses back across the Amphitheatre towards the gulley where we ascended before lunch. The clouds disperse and blue dominates the sky — the timing could not be more perfect. I’ll stop talking now and let you enjoy these next photos uninterrupted.

And with that, the clouds return and I pack up my camera. I am walking on air (figuratively and almost literally) as we return to the parking lot the same way we came. In total I think the hike takes us around 6 hours? It feels so good to sink into our van seats and nap on the long ride back to the hostel. After weeding through nearly ONE THOUSAND photos I snapped during the hike, I sleep so soundly that night.

Should you find yourself planning a trip to South Africa, you would not regret including the Drakensberg region. The Amphitheatre hike ranks as my favorite day hike ever. Period.

Many thanks to Amphitheatre Backpackers for discounting my day trip to hike Amphitheatre in the Drakensberg. Opinions are my own.