Hiking the Mnweni Circuit: A Spectacular 3-Day Drakensberg Hike

“What multi-day hike in the Drakensberg do you want to do?” asked Carmen.

“Ooooh! Let’s do Mnweni!” I exclaim after finding drool-worthy pictures on Instagram. “It’s so pretty!“

“Guys…Mnweni looks tough,” says a spooked Melanie, who actually looked at hiking reviews for the trail.

“We’ll be fine! We did the Otter Trail. It’s fine.” Carmen and I concluded.

*insert unfortunate foreshadowing*

While Mnweni is one of the most beautiful hikes in South Africa, it’s not for the faint of heart. It’s a challenging hike, but oh-so-worth the stiff muscles and aching feet.

You also can’t compare it to Otter Trail. The Otter is a luxurious stroll in the park when you compare it to the inclines you have to conquer in the Berg.

But if you’re looking for a challenge that will reward you with spellbinding natural beauty and make you feel like a wondering, out-of-breath ant – it doesn’t get better than Mnweni.

Before you attempt to hike the Mnweni Circuit, here’s everything you need to know. From what to pack to difficulty level, and sleeping in a cave 30-metres under the edge of the escarpment.

Psst…Want more South Africa hikes to conquer? Check out these other posts:

• 15+ Best Hikes in South Africa With Mind-Blowing Views
• The Best Drakensberg Hikes That’ll Take Your Breath Away
• 24+ Incredibly EPIC Things to Do in KZN, South Africa
• Hiking Tugela Falls: Africa’s Highest Waterfall
• 10+ Spectacular Multi-Day Hiking Trails In The Western Cape
• 10 + Best Hiking Trails in Johannesburg (A Local’s Guide)

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What is the Mnweni Circuit?

The Mnweni Circuit is a jaw-dropping multi-day hike in the dramatic Ukahlamba-Drakensberg that will test the strength of your legs across some 45km.

Located in the Northern Drakensberg, it’s the only part of the area that doesn’t fall under the Natal Park Board, making Mnweni one of the region’s most remote hiking areas.

As you trek up Mnweni Pass and come down Rockeries Pass, you’ll pass isolated tribal lands and traditional Zulu communities. It’s an incredible introduction to the Drakensberg and one of the best multi-day hikes in South Africa.

But don’t let the scenery fool you. Mnweni is not for the casual Lion’s Head hiker. It’s a tough hike that will push you to your limits if you’re physically unprepared.

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Practical Information

Mnweni Hike Distance: 45km 

Altitude: Almost 3,000 m above sea level

Mnweni Difficulty: Intermediate and a high level of fitness

Permits: You need to purchase a permit at the Mnweni Cultural Centre and sign the rescue register. Most guides will include the permit cost in their fees.

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Can You Hike Mnweni Without a Guide?

Mnweni is a remote part of the Drakensberg, and hiking here without a guide is not a good idea.

There are no marked trails, and you need to be completely self-sufficient. Some of the foothills have paths used by cattle, and for most of the passes, you have to scramble up rocks and navigate grassy slopes with zero signposts or well-trodden pathways. 

During our hike, a storm rolled in before we reached our campsite. As a result, our guide re-directed us to another nearby shelter, and we quickly set up our tents in the rain.

Without her, we wouldn’t have known where to go and would have been caught in a hectic storm.

Unless you’re an experienced hiker who is comfortable navigating with a map, it’s safer to hire a guide. Otherwise, you’re putting yourself in danger.

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Booking the Mnweni Hike with a Guide

For our 3-day Mnweni hike, our group hired Michaela from Pathfinders as our guide. She is incredible and is the person you want as a leader to get your butt to the top of the mountain. 

Mix has RUN up and down the Mnweni route in a single day, you guys?

Another guide I highly recommend is Ian from Drakensberg Hiker. He was my guide for my Tugela Falls hike and has so much knowledge about the Drakensberg and the local history.

Both guides offer the option to rent equipment and pay extra for food and porters.

To book with Mix or Ian, contact them directly for up-to-date rates and details on what’s included and excluded.

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Best Time of Year to Hike the Mnweni Circuit

You can hike Mnweni year-round, but each season has its pros and cons.

Autumn and Spring (March to May and September to October): For a mix of mild weather, fewer storms, and more than enough daylight hours.

Summer (November to February): For long, summer days and incredible green scenery. However, the summer months are the rainy season. Thunderstorms might chase you off the mountain, and river crossings will become challenging. You’ll also have to deal with heat waves and high UV days.

Winter (June to August): For clear, crisp weather, but short days. You’ll also need high-quality gear for the freezing temperatures and prepare for the possibility of snow.

No matter when you attempt to conquer the trail, you need to prepare for all weather types. Lightning storms, snow, and rain can happen year-round.

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How to Get to the Start of the Trail

The Mnweni Circuit starts at the Mnweni Cultural Centre in Bergville. It’s a 4-hour drive from Johannesburg and a 3-hour drive from Durban.

If you’re travelling from other parts of South Africa (or abroad), I’d recommend flying into OR Tambo or King Shaka International Airport and hiring a car.

The roads are in okay-to-good condition, and it’s possible to arrive at the cultural centre without a 4×4.

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What to Pack for the 3-Day Mnweni Hike

Tent: Bring a lightweight (and waterproof!) 1 or 2-man tent like the Cloud Up 2 Ultralight. It weighs 1.5kg and packs down to 400 x 130mm.

Sleeping Mat: You can use a yoga mat, but it’s not comfortable and doesn’t offer much padding from the hard ground. If you’re looking to invest in a camping mattress, try the Aero 5.5 Lightweight Mattress. It weighs 410g and is extremely compact.

Sleeping Bag: It gets cold on the mountain at night. Don’t make the mistake I did and bring your thin summer sleeping bag. Something like the Ice Breaker will keep you cosy and won’t weigh your pack down.

Water Bladder: A 2-3 litre water bladder is perfect for the hike. There is clean mountain water along the route for refills. I have the 2L First Ascent Water Bladder. 

Trekking Poles: These are optional. While poles will help with some tougher sections of the hike, it’s possible to get through it without a pair. 

Multi-Day Hiking Backpack:  A high-quality multi-day backpack will go a long way in making the Mnweni hike bearable. I use the Osprey Aura 65 L. It’s one of the top backpacks designed for women, and the incredible anti-gravity suspension makes your pack feel lighter.

Rain Gear: Pack an ultralight rain jacket, a waterproof backpack cover, and a dry bag for your electronics.

Hiking Shoes and Socks: You need quality hiking shoes with good grip for Mnweni. There is a lot of loose rock, and the long hiking days will take their toll on your feet. I wore my Hi-Tec Altitude V Ultra hiking shoes (which are a bit heavy, but waterproof!) and two pairs of hiking socks to prevent blisters.

Sun Protection: The hike is pretty exposed, and there isn’t much protection from the sun. Pack a pair of UV sunglasses, SPF 50+ sunscreen, a cap, and a buff.

Camera: As one of the most beautiful mountain ranges in the world, you’ll want to bring a camera. I mainly shot with my phone, but did bring my Canon 80D and Sigma Art 18-35mm lens for a few shots. If you don’t want to keep taking your DSLR out of your bag, you can buy a camera clip for your pack’s strap.

Cutlery and Crockery: A Jetboil is one of the best investments you can make for overnight adventures. It boils water in a flash, cutting down your cooking time and getting you closer to that all-important morning coffee. Other things you’ll need to pack include a knife, fork, spoon, cup, and pot.

Torch/Headlamp: For evenings and early-morning starts, a headlamp is a must. I like the Black Diamond range because of its durability in extreme weather conditions and ‘brightness memory’ feature.

Cleaning Stuff: Pack a small bottle of dishwashing liquid, a cloth, and a sponge for cleaning your dishes. 

Toilet Paper: You should bring one-ply toilet paper for the hike. It decomposes faster and is better for the environment.

First Aid Kit:  Make sure you have a mini first aid kit. You’ll need things like blister plasters, deep heat, bandages, and disinfectant for minor injuries.

Jackets and Thermals: You’ll need three layers to stay warm in the evenings. A down jacket is an insulator we all need as well as thermal base layers and soft-outer layer shells.

Other Clothes: Bring a swimming costume for dips in the rivers, warm tracksuit pants, leggings, shorts, t-shirts, a beanie, and flip flops.

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Tips for Hiking the Mnweni Circuit

• You’ll need to pack food for three breakfasts, three lunches, two dinners, and snacks in between.
• Pack lightweight meals like dehydrated food.
• Make sure your daily meal plan includes protein, carbohydrates, salt, and sugar. Protein helps with muscle repair, carbs and sugar will give you energy, and salt helps your body replace what it sweats out.
• There is clean mountain water at various points along the trail.
• DeepHeat is your best friend after a long day of hiking. 
• Don’t skip the gym. You need those lunges and squats to get up the mountain.
• Pack a reusable water bottle to use around the campsite.
• Practice leave no trace principles. Bring a plastic bag for all your trash.

Staying at Mnweni Cultural Centre

Book a night at the Mnweni Cultural Centre to recover after the hike. I’ve never been so happy to see a bed in my life! 

There are camping facilities or chalet rondavels. I would recommend splurging on the rooms. It’s not anything fancy, but after 3-days in the mountains, anything that’s not the hard, cold ground will feel like a 5-star hotel.

The signal here isn’t great. If you can’t get hold of them to make a reservation, do it when you arrive for the hike.

Contact Details:

• Telephone: +27 (0) 72 7122401
•  Email: mnweni94@gmail.com

IMPORTANT: There is no on-site restaurant. You’ll need to pack extra food, which you can cook in the communal kitchen.

Bag Weight

You don’t want your backpack to weigh more than 20% of your body weight for multi-day hikes.

I weigh around 58-60kg (depending on what I’ve had to eat that day), so I should aim to hike with 12kg.

But my bag did hit 20kg for this hike because of my camera gear, two tripods, and a heavy tent.

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Iconic Landmarks of Mnweni

As you huff and puff up the mountain, keep an eye out for these impressive rock formations and scenic valleys:

• Madonna and Her Worshippers
• Mnweni Pinnacles
• The Hanging Valleys
• Mnweni Needles
• Mponjwane
• The Rockeries
• Ledges Cave

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Mnweni Day 1: Chi Chi

• Distance: 18km
• Altitude Gain: 1,825m asl 625m
• Our Time: 6 hours 12min

On the eve of the hike, we stayed at Little Switzerland (an hour away from Mnweni Cultural Centre). It’s a gorgeous part of the Berg, and the views here are stunning!

The next day, we met our guide Mix at the Mnweni Cultural Centre for check-in. After signing in and going over our gear for the final time, we loaded up into a mini-bus taxi.

Our lift knocked off the first 5km of the hike (my legs were eternally grateful).

After a steep incline up the mountain, we passed farmlands and followed the river to the base of Mnweni Pass.

Unfortunately, the weather took a turn for the worse, and we didn’t make it to our planned Chi-Chi campsite. Our guide led us on a short detour to another campsite, where we managed to set up our tents minutes before a hailstorm rolled in.

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Mnweni Day 2: Mnweni Pass

• Distance: 6km
• Altitude Gain: 2910m asl 1095m
• Our Time: 7 hours 22 min

Day 2 was my favourite day of the hike! The views up Mnweni Pass are spectacular and keep getting better.

I’ve never seen such good-looking mountains in my life.

However, the second day was physically the hardest. We didn’t finish our full 18km the day before and had to conquer multiple soul-crushing inclines before reaching the plateau.

I went halfway up one of the toughest inclines twice for a picture.

Was it worth it? Hell yes.

Did I cry? Internally. The whole way.

But all the sweat, pain, and swollen feet were worth it when we reached our campsite for the evening: Ledge’s Cave.

It’s nestled 30-metres under the edge of the escarpment.

And I’ll admit, if you’re a wee bit afraid of heights like me, climbing down here might make you break out in a mild sweat.

Once the campsite was set up, we got treated to an incredible sunset over the Berg and a candy-floss coloured lightning storm in the distance.

I would do this hike all over again to spend another night here.

P.S. If you have the time and the weather is on your side, you can spend two nights in the cave to explore the escarpment.

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Mnweni Day 3: The Descent

• Distance: 15-20km (depending on whether you get a lift)
• Altitude: 1200m
• Our Time: 7 hours 50 min

Lawd.

The decline from the plateau, aka Rockeries Pass, is the devil. The 1200m descent was the sole reason I had black toes at the end of the hike and kicked my butt.

After finally making it down to the river at the bottom, I wasn’t sure if I would be able to get up again.

I pushed through and had tears in my eyes for the rest of the hike, despite the path being level most of the way.

My feet were done with me.

When we came out of the forest and saw the buckie waiting to take us to the Mnweni Cultural Centre, I could have easily broken down and wept.

If you’re not as beaten up like me by the end of the hike, there is a river before the pick-up point. It’s a beautiful spot to cool off after hours of grueling hiking.

I only had enough energy left for a hot shower and a Hunters Dry.

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Should You Hike the Mnweni Circuit?

Yes!

But it’s a tough hike.

My fitness level wasn’t at its peak (like it was for the Otter Trail). I struggled more than I thought I would, despite upping my workout regimen to prepare for the hike.

If you’ve never done a multi-day hike before and don’t have a high fitness level, I’d skip Mnweni. Once you’ve conquered easier trails and you’re used to having extra weight on your back, sign up for the Mnweni Circuit.

You won’t regret it.

Read More: 15+ Best Hikes in South Africa With Mind-Blowing Views

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Is Mnweni on your Drakensberg hikes bucket list? Got any questions for me? Hit ya gurl up in the comments below!