DAY 1: SANI PASS TO PHOLELA HUT, COBHAM
The Giant’s Cup Hiking Trail is well demarcated with route markers throughout. You will frequently encounter white footprints (180 x 70 mm in size) on trees, rocks or poles along the route. These footprints indicate the way-to-go. The trail follows the direction of the front of the foot. Numbers in the footprint indicate the number of kilometers since the start of the day’s trail. Two footprints indicate an upcoming change in direction of the trail. The change in direction is shown by two footprints pointing in the direction of the way-to-go.
The first day from Sani Pass to Pholela Hut is 13.3 km and will take approximately 4½-6 hours, including a few rest stops. The trail starts in the parking lot at the Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife field ranger outpost 5.6 km past Sani Pass Hotel. From the outpost, you walk about 400 m along the Sani Pass road following three sharp curves in the road. The trail starts at the Giant’s Cup sign on the left of the road. For the next 2 km the trail leads left through the grassland. You will walk past rocks of an unnamed plateau but the terrain is not very steep or sheer. In order to prevent the trail from eroding, erosion barriers have been placed across the trail to channel water off the trail. These erosion barriers are often hidden under grass bushes and one should take care not to trip over them.
DAY 2: PHOLELA HUT to MZIMKHULWANA HUT, COBHAM
Pholela Hut to Mzimkhulwana Hut - 9 km: ± 2½ hours. (Incl. stops: ± 3½ hours) From Pholela Hut you walk diagonally to the left towards a horse paddock. The sign “Giant’s Cup 2nd Day” points right along the paddock to the Pholela River. The trail winds along the paddock and after 100 m the Giant’s Cup trail leads away from the Pholela River and to the left up the slope. After 100 m you climb some stone steps on the left where the trail makes a large bend uphill away from the paddock and over rocky substrate after which it heads off to the right. At this point if the weather is good, one has a fantastic view onto the Giant’s Cup, and you can see a large part of yesterday’s trail behind you. At the 1 km mark, you have a view of a lovely waterfall on the right.
DAY 3: MZIMKHULWANA HUT to WINTERHOEK HUT, GARDEN CASTLE
Day 3 meanders along a plateau between Little Bamboo Mountain (2 421 m) and Bamboo Mountain (2 366 m) and leads through a populated valley to a couple of rondavels at the base of the Garden Castle Mountain.
Mzimkhulwana Hut to Winterhoek Hut - 12.2 km: ±4 hours (5½ hours with rest stops).
DAY 4: WINTERHOEK HUT to SWIMAN HUT, GARDEN CASTLE
On Day 4, the trail does not follow the mountains to the east. It goes along Garden Castle and along the crest of a ridge stretching to the north, heading towards the escarpment. The trail passes through typical highland grassland which is very rich in wildflowers in spring and summer. From Black Eagle Pass you have a good 180 degree view onto the Drakensberg escarpment.
Winterhoek Hut to Swiman Hut - 12.8 km: ±4½ hours (6 hours with a rest)
DAY 5: SWIMAN HUT to BUSHMAN’S NEK, GARDEN CASTLE
The last day passes over a ridge into the narrow valley of the Mzimude River and to Langalibalele Cave below a fire lookout tower. A few high peaks help to orientate you; Mlamboja (3 309 m), Wilson’s Peak (3 276 m), Mashai (3 313 m), Mzimude (3 210 m), Walker’s Peak (3 306 m) and Devil’s Knuckles (3 028 m). You reach your destination at Bushman’s Nek where you can either drive back to Himeville or overnight in the last hiking hut or in the nearby Bushman’s Nek Hotel. Alternatively you can continue your hike up to Lesotho.
Swiman Hut to Bushman’s Nek Hut - 12 km: ±4 hours (5 hours with a rest)
