You should not let the high cost of specialist hiking gear put you off backpacking in the Drakensberg. Except for the escarpment in winter, the only prerequisites are a comfortable, reliable pair of walking shoes and a warm sleeping bag. You don’t need a tent if you use caves to overnight in instead, and you can arrange to borrow or rent a backpack, hiking stove, ground sheet and foam rubber mattress – at least to begin with. Some hiking clubs, outdoor stores and adventure tour companies rent out equipment at very affordable rates.

After a few hikes and once you are sure that you want to take up backpacking, you should aim to purchase your own backpack, ground sheet, hiking mattress and stove, probably in that order. While standard running or trail shoes are OK for backpacking, you should eventually buy some proper hiking boots because these provide better ankle support and protection, and they are a must for snow when you decide to take on winter hiking.

Nights in the Drakensberg can be quite cold even in summer, so an entry-level, hollow-fibre, cowl-top sleeping bag should be a top priority if you don’t already own one. This does not need to be a big-name brand, so it can be purchased for a reasonable price from well-known chain stores. A temperature rating of +5 degrees Celsius is adequate for all but winter conditions.