We started our hike from the top of Mike’s Pass. The aim for the day was to ascend Organ Pipes Pass and pitch our tents on top of the escarpment at Windy Gap. Day 1 was up, up, up - 1300m of ascent. As we got higher, the views opened up and took our breath away… or maybe that was just the elevation.

We followed an unmarked path over technical terrain, but we knew we were on the right track because we had physical maps, GPX files, and people in our group who had hiked it before.

On the morning of Day 2, we woke up to wind and rain. Pulling on our rain jackets and rain pants, we hiked north along the border of South Africa and Lesotho for 15km. Our highest point for the day was Cleft Peak at 3270m. Just as the sun was setting, we made it to Twins Cave, our shelter for the night.

The sun came out on Day 3 as we started our descent down Mlambonja Pass. The rain from the previous day had made everything slick and wet, so we took the 1800m descent slowly. We stopped often beside the Mlambonja River to refill our bottles with crystal-clear mountain water. That night we camped next to the river and enjoyed a starry sky with eland grazing nearby.

Day 4 was a short walk back to Cathedral Peak Hotel, where we devoured the lunch buffet and celebrated with milkshakes all round.

When hiking in a wilderness area, you have to be prepared for every type of weather and any eventuality. Some maps were better than others, and even with GPX we still had moments where we lost the trail. 

Once you get up onto the escarpment, there is no trail, so it was crucial that our group hiked together for safety.

The Moab Speed 2 waterproof boot was the real winner when trekking across Lesotho. It was close to freezing that day, with wind and driving rain, but our feet stayed warm and dry.