After 10 days of road-tripping through South Africa’s impressive national parks, Stefano and I were more than ready to swap the car for a pair of hiking boots. It had been more than a month since our last proper hike. Today felt like the perfect moment to shake off the road dust and immerse ourselves in the rugged beauty of the Drakensberg mountains. We decided on the Giants Cup Trail, the region’s only established multi-day trek, which stretches 58.9 km over five days. Opting for part of the Day 2 itinerary—a manageable but rewarding 7 km—we couldn’t wait to hit the trail. And it certainly lived up to our expectations!
Our 7-km loop along the Giants Cup Trail
Below, I am linking the Outdooractive hiking route that inspired us to drive to Cobham. In the end, we were handed a map at the National Park’s reception. Luckily, the path is quite well maintained. Rock signs point the way.
A beautifully diverse hike in the Drakensberg mountains
During our trip to Iraq (read more here), we had watched Indiana Jones. At the beginning of this hike, we felt transported into the movies when we crossed the swinging hanging bridge. I couldn’t help but laugh at how the bridge swayed with every step, loving the thrill. Once across, we followed the river, with mountains rising around us. I’d missed this—the feeling of being surrounded by nature, moving at our own pace instead of watching the world go by from a car window or in front of your office screen.
The path soon led uphill and brought us to a little waterfall plunging into a natural pool. This pool invites you to jump in. In summer, I’d have packed my swimwear!
We continued through golden grasslands. The feeling of space was amazing, though at some point, I nervously watched the sky for any signs of weather change. Then, the trail circled back toward the river, crossing it several times. Walking through the Protea woodlands was one of the highlights, with their unique flowers creating an almost enchanted atmosphere.
Just when we thought the trail had given us all it could, we stumbled upon beautiful rock pools toward the end. After so many days on the road, this hike felt like the perfect way to reconnect with nature.
My tips for hiking this trail:
- Start early to avoid the heat or rain. During our four October days in Underberg, the weather usually changed in the afteroon. Then, fog rolled over the mountains and it started to rain at least slightly every day.
- Plan for enough time (at least 2.5 hours). If it’s warm, you may wanna splash in the pool in front of the first little waterfall or in the river later. And you may extend the loup beyond the cliff to get some more nice views of the surrounding mountains.
- Pack water and snacks. There’ll be plenty of beautiful potential picknick spots on the way.
- You may need a jacket and sun protection, depending on the season. Especially the first half of the loop, you’ll be quite exposed to the wind and sun.
- Come with the right car. You’ll drive 12 km of gravel road until the entrance of the national park. While it’s possible to drive with a low city car, we were happy with our high SUV and the full insurance coverage due to the many stone hits we got.
This trail is perfect for families or couples like us who want a simple challenge with stunning rewards at every turn. And trust me, you’ll want your camera ready—these landscapes are unreal!
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