I’m watching the sun setting behind the Drakensberg from my perch on the rocks, behind the chalet at Masakala Guest House where I’ll be sleeping tonight. All is quiet apart from the occasional bleating of a goat, or clanging of a cowbell. Today my guide Robert Mnika and I walked for 7 hours along contour paths, and through a protea forest. We bypassed rural villages and crossed rivers. We encountered blanket-covered Basotho herd boys on horseback and, once, a small deer. We spoke about life and death, about his Sangoma mother, about the cost of funerals and weddings and about this incredible Mehloding Trail that I’m currently exploring with him. We also walked for long stretches in total silence, absorbing the energies of the mountains.
I’m in a pensive mood. My journey is almost over and I am filled with wonder and gratitude for all I’ve seen and experienced. For the beauty of the places I’ve stayed at, the temerity of the people I’ve met, the countless good news stories I’ve been told – all tempered with the knowledge that soon this journey will be just a collection of wonderful memories.
Notwithstanding these thoughts and images playing out in my mind, and the glory of the setting sun before me, I am also aware that around 20 mosquitoes have discovered my bare arms and legs, un-Tabarded (foolishly) and that I am being pretty much eaten alive. I don’t (for now) care. I want to sit here until it is quite dark, absorbing this moment into my pores so that I can carry it with me when I travel home on Wednesday. Back to my family, my job and “˜the real world’. I just know this experience is going to result in a severe case of travel bug bites that will last long after the mozzie bites have vanished.
The Mehloding Trail is a 4 day mountain trail although I am only doing Days 3 and 4. The Mehloding Community Tourism Trust is completely community run initiative of which Robert is a founder member and one of the most experienced Guides on the trail. The first night was spent at the charming, spotlessly clean and welcoming Masakala Guest House, situated in a rural village just outside Matatiele (which is on the border of the Eastern Cape and KZN). I was hosted by the lovely Thakane Moorosi and Zanele Mohohla at this guest house which comprises rondavels built using local architectural skills and labour, as are the four beautiful chalets along the Trail where hikers spend each night.
A word about the food that is prepared by the women at Masakala and the chalets – it is plentiful and delicious and prepared with love. I am so happy that Nomsa let me help her cook the meal on my second night on the hike – we had a lot of fun together in that kitchen and I discovered that despite the many cultural differences – for example she was married last year and a labola of cows and cash was very much part of the “˜deal’ – we have so many similarities as women. I love that we could discuss motherhood and love and life and find more common ground than contrasts. And that’s part of the unique beauty of this trail. You become part of the community for a few hours – you’re not “˜served’ by “˜them’, you eat and talk and laugh together.
The four day trail is set up as a slack packing hike – your heaviest goods are portaged to the chalets and apart from a delicious hot meal and the company of the local hosts, a comfortable bed and hot shower await you each night. Despite my earlier concerns about not being fit enough to survive the hike I find that I manage the 15 and 13 km walks very well, and would probably have been fine had we also tackled the 20km Day 2 stretch – in fact I would love to come back and do all 4 days next time. Despite a few steep sections, for the most part the trail is not hard going (it is rated “˜moderate’ for three of the days and that Day 2 is the only one rated “˜hard’). I love that some of the time you’re walking past and through rural villages where you can stop to buy a cold drink or chat to locals, while other sections are completely in the mountains. For those doing the full hike, san rock art can be viewed on Day 2. Roger is very knowledgeable about the medicinal herbs and plants we come across, as well as about the history, culture and geography of the region.
Walking in the mountains of the Drakensberg is a wonderful way to end my journey – it gives me time out of the car and away from books, the cell phone and my laptop. It offers time to be still and to think and to enjoy each moment without worrying about my next interview or planning my next blog post. It allows me the luxury of just being in the sacred present in this beautiful place where I can offer a prayer of thanks for this incredible journey.
If you’re interested in walking the Mehloding Trail you can walk the full trail or as I did part of it. Self catering options are also offered.
Find out more:
Masakala Guest House and the Mehloding Trail
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