CHAMPAGNE CASTLE
LOCATION:
CATHKIN PARK, WINTERTON
DURATION:
3 DAYS / 2 NIGHTS
DIFFICULTY:
ADVANCED
ZAR 3,890
PER PERSON
8
SPOTS
DESCRIPTION:
Explore the high ridges and stunning rock formations of Champagne Castle, the third-highest peak in South Africa. This strenuous trek takes hikers through forests, river valleys, and steep ascents before reaching the summit at 3,377 meters. Champagne Castle offers dramatic views and a sense of achievement few peaks in the region can match.
Trip Itinerary
Day 1 | Distance: 16 KM | Difficulty: Moderate | Elevation: 59 M
Monks Cowl Car Park - Keith Bush Camp
The day start with a moderate trail after you have passed the Sphinx, proceeding to breakfast stream, where you start your long relatively flat stretch to Blindman's corner. The views are 360 all round, seeing the greenery of the little Berg and the higher Berg, Cathkin Peak warmly welcomes us with its immerse shape like Table mountain. The day ends after following the contour path all the way to the bottom of Grey’s Pass, where Keith camped.
Day 2 | Distance: 12 KM | Difficulty: Strenuous | Elevation: 1,500 M
Keith Bush Camp - Summit/Inkosazana River Camp
Short day begins with nice breakfast with views and the steep incline up Grey’s Pass steadily. As we ascent the pass we get elevated to see the Mhlwazini Valleys and the behind of Cathkin Peak, Sterkhorn & Monks Cowl Peak. This is our summit day before we camp, leaving our backpacks along next to Inkosazane River to summit and get back to listen to the river and call it a day.
Day 3 | Distance: 16 KM | Difficulty: Moderate | Descent
Keith Bush Camp - Monks Cowl Nature Reserve
A long day with an early start, before we do breakfast, we explore the golden hours from the top of Grey’s Pass next to the ledge, where we see the Monks Cowl Peak. Get back to camp, have breakfast, and start to make our way down. The trail gets easy as soon as we finish the pass, and we contour along towards civilisation.
Optional Itinerary:
The itinerary may change based on the level of performance and interest from the group, climbing up on day 2 to camp next to Nkosazana River may be changed to climbing day to strictly a summit day without our heavy pack, and we treat Kieth bush Camp as our main camp for both nights.
