Mweni Valley, Drakensberg

Beyond the Amphitheatre, lying between Cathedral Peak and the Royal Natal National Park, is a rugged mountainous area not part of the uKhahlamba-Drakensberg World Heritage Site. It belongs instead to the Amangwane people.

It is a wilderness chartered by few; a mountainous expanse with the type of raw beauty evoked only in photographs and graphic accounts of hikes in the hinterland. Hikers, climbers and photographers consider it the wildest part of the country's biggest mountains.

The scenery is unbeatable. Its passes are seldom explored: the Ifidi Pass, Buttress and Abbey, Peak and Pinnacles, Icidi Buttress and Pass, Mbundini Pass, Buttress and Abbey, the Fangs, Rwanqua Mnweni, the Rockeries and Ntonjelana River and Pass are names recounted only by the experienced few.

Mountain passes in the Mnweni valley test the resolve of hikers, not so much in terms of difficulty so much as endurance, as it takes longer to reach them.

The advantages of hiking in the area are many: there are excellent sightings of birds of prey like the Cape vulture, bearded vulture and jackal buzzard; sunrises are sublime; the night skies are epic; and the opportunity to camp wherever you choose, because there are no formal camp sites beyond the option of the odd cave, is novel.

But the area is not only for hikers. Rivers offer swimming, horse riding can be arranged, there are mountain bike trails, homestead visits to the local Amangwane people includes traditional meals and dancing, and a local Amafa rock art custodian can guide those interested in rock art sites in the area.

Visit the Mnweni Tourism Centre for an interpretive display and access to guides familiar with the area. If you are going to walk in the area then hiring a guide is highly recommended – paths are not always clear and a number of tricky passes require navigation.

In the vicinity

Hotels & other accommodation options

Things to do in the area

Noteworthy attractions

Find accommodation in Mweni Valley

FIND / South Africa Accommodation / KwaZulu Natal Accommodation / Drakensberg Accommodation / Mweni Valley Accommodation

Mweni Valley as a destination

Want to stay overnight?

Dates

When would you like to stay?
Choose dates

Number of Guests

Why book with SA-Venues.com
  • Your card is safe with us; strictest card verification in the industry and we don't store card numbers.
  • No airy fairy service fees; you save!
  • We care. Service with integrity.
  • Multiple payment methods:
    credit card, SID instant EFT, bank transfer.
  • All Mweni Valley property owners / managers are verified (our experience protects you from online fraud).
  • Secure your booking
Our Payment Protection Guarantee only applies if your deposit payment is made via SA-Venues.com
Destinations
South Africa. Explore. Experience. Stay

SA-Venues.com® has been assisting travellers with their South Africa travel plans since 1999, and is the largest, independent online travel guide for South Africa available in both English and German.