Swiman Hut to Bushman’s Nek (14 km)
You have two options for this final day of the trail. The most popular choice is to end the trail at Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife’s entry point at Bushman’s Nek, where you may already have left your vehicle/s, then start on your journey home.
The alternative – and better choice if you can afford the time – is to spend a final night on the trail at Bushman’s Nek Hut. The latter option may also afford more time the next day to ferry vehicles around. Bushman’s Nek Hut is about 1 km from the car park, an easy 15 minutes walking time the next morning if you do choose to stay over. In fact, it is close enough that some of those in your group could even visit the Silver Streams Trading Store or drive to Underberg and back for braai meat and refreshments, to be enjoyed by all back at the hut to celebrate your completion of the trail. Don’t forget the charcoal – there is no firewood at the hut!
Whichever option you choose, Day 5 of the Giant’s Cup Trail starts by heading out along the same route you came in on, but soon you follow a split to the right and start a long, relatively shallow climb to the base of a spur, from where you can enjoy spectacular views of the mountains. From this angle only the south peak of the Giant’s Cup can be seen, looking a bit like a shark’s fin at the furthest end of the escarpment. If you started the trail off the Sani Pass road then you started beyond the northern end of the Giant’s Cup, so you get an appreciation of how far you have come.
Continuing on from this view site, the trail passes the fork to Hidden Valley, then descends steeply through a narrow valley down to the bottom end of a dolerite gorge and a footbridge across the Mzimude River. This is your first and last spot for the day to stop for a swim. If you left Swiman Hut quite late in the morning, on a hot day this will be a welcome break. There is space to shelter under the bridge, hence the nickname “Troll Bridge”.
Not far downstream, the trail rises abruptly through a rock band, then starts to snake its way upwards around a series of spurs. Just when you think the going might be tough enough, it takes a sharp right turn and doubles in steepness until you reach a small plateau, from where you can stop to recover your breath and take in the view across the nearby farmlands. After passing a small cave unofficially named “Shower Cave” for good reason, the path continues to twist through small cutbacks before levelling out a bit above a deep valley on the left. A little further on, a small, reliable stream is crossed before a short climb up to Langalibalele Cave. You can see some Bushman rock art on a large boulder near the tunnel entrance of the cave. It is a criminal offence to tamper with rock art in any way, so just take photographs. The cave makes an excellent lunch spot, especially in bad weather.
After the cave, you traverse some bedrock and then start a long, gentle climb to the top of the ridge below a fire lookout tower. During the windy season, this section of the southern Drakensberg is frequently ravaged by runaway veld fires. There are some fine views from here of the far southern Berg, including the flat-topped Thaba Ngwangwe, and the Devil’s Knuckles (or Three Bushmen).
From the top of the ridge it is basically all downhill to Bushman’s Nek Hut or the car park at the end of the trail. The path forks right to the hut just after reaching the end of the steep, eroded zigzags, but the hut itself remains hidden from site for a few hundred more metres and it could easily be missed in foul weather. If you miss the fork, you can double back via another fork further on that gives more direct access to the hut from the car park.
Bushman’s Nek Hut is beautifully positioned to look out towards the southern escarpment with an unobstructed view. Its layout is similar to that of Mzimkhulwana Hut, except that where the kitchen area was in that hut, it has a his and hers cold shower, flush toilet and basin, with a kitchen sink outside. The windows are much larger, so the rooms are bright and airy. There is also a thatched lapa where meals can be enjoyed together or you can braai in wet weather. The doors of the rooms are secured with combination locks to keep out curious holidaymakers from the nearby resorts, and to prevent the mattresses from being removed. You can get cell phone reception at the sandstone outcrops beyond the bottom end of the hut.
A small stream runs past the hut, conveniently close by but offering some privacy for those who still prefer some sunshine with their cold wash, which in this case would have to be a billy bath. The Bushman’s River is only another 100 metres or so downstream and is worth a visit on a hot day, because there are some pools to swim in.
To complete the remaining 1 km of the Giant’s Cup Trail the next day, take the path that starts at the lower end of the hut. It passes above the South African border post at Bushman’s Nek, descends a hill, and opens out into the Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife entry point, neatly tucked between the border post and the Silver Streams Country Estate & Caravan Park. Congratulations all round!