Southern Berg · Traverse
Southern Traverse: Cobham to Bushman’s Nek
Very hard
The route
Five days point to point through the emptiest part of the Berg, linking Cobham to Bushman’s Nek along the escarpment. No huts, no bail-out points once you are committed, and a car shuffle at each end. The route people do once they have run out of weekends.
Day by day
- Day 1
Cobham → Tarn Cave
Long valley walking to gain the first ridge line. Easy underfoot, a good day to settle into the pack weight.
- Day 2
Ridge line → Mzimkhulu valley
Traversing country with no paths to speak of. Drop into the Mzimkhulu in the afternoon and swim.
- Day 3
Up Thomathu Pass
The hard day. Steep, loose and committing. Once you are on the escarpment the walking gets easy again but the wind does not.
- Day 4
Escarpment south
Rim walking with the whole Southern Berg laid out below. Navigation matters — the rim is a series of similar-looking spurs.
- Day 5
Descend to Bushman’s Nek
Long descent off the escarpment and out to the border post. Sign out, find the car, drive to Underberg for a burger.
What to expect
Commitment
From day three there is no realistic way off the route except forwards. Weather windows and food margins need to be planned honestly.
Navigation
Trackless for most of the traverse. Map, compass and the skill to relocate in cloud are non-negotiable.
Logistics
Two cars or a paid shuttle. Sign in at Cobham and out at Bushman’s Nek so the registers match.
Water
Good in the valleys, unreliable on the escarpment. Plan camps around known water and carry capacity for 4 L.
Pack weight
Five days of food with no resupply. This is the trip where every gram in the gear list gets argued about.
Hazards
- No bail-out points from day three onwards
- Loose ground on Thomathu Pass
- Lesotho border is unmarked along the escarpment
- No cell signal — satellite messenger strongly recommended