It's A Whole Lot Easier
Paths Lead Off
From the visitor's centre take the track up the Mnweni Valley, and cross to the right-hand bank after 1.5 kilometres. Over the next 5 kilometres the path heads well away from the river, through a bunch of kraals, and when it returns to the river it will be the Bhudlu —a tributary of the Mnweni.
Cross the Bhudlu and proceed up a short spur between the Bhudlu (on your right) and Ifidi (on your left) rivers. Paths lead off from here to various homesteads, but you need to bear slightly to the left and keep to the spur: the path does cross over from left to right of the main ridge, leading up through kraals that lie high above the Ifidi (which is down below to your left).
About four kilometres after crossing the Bhudlu, our path takes a sharp left to contour for two kilometres to the Ifidi River, dropping down a way at the river, which is then crossed (take care in wet weather as this can become a tricky crossing point). The path keeps to the left-hand bank for the next 2 kilometres, beginning now to climb steadily but not too steeply.
Here a side gully coming down from Icidi (to the left of Ifidi Buttress) is crossed, which leads into Ifidi Pass and up the left-hand bank. Now the real pass begins. There are some patches of bush in the pass, as well as many side streams. It's a long, 4 kilometres slog up the pass, keeping mainly to the left-hand side of the gorge.
At an altitude of about 2 200 metres (about 1.25 kilometres from the summit), the path reaches a particularly steep section, climbing 200 metres up a tricky section where you might need to use grass handholds.
Consider Carrying a Rope
The path then proceeds up the left-hand slope veering away from the river and up the side of a prominent spur. You follow this spur slope up towards the Ifidi Pinnacles, but about 200 metres from the summit the path takes a sharp turn to the right, around a spur and then goes up a rocky gully to the top. You should consider carrying a rope for this final arduous section.
Once you've recovered from the climb, you'll find the 'cave' overhang up on the ridge several hundred metres to the south, more or less above the Pinnacles. There are other passes in the greater Mnweni area, such as Mbundini, Rwanqa, Nguza and the Saddle North Peak traverse, but, while some can be tackled by experienced mountaineers, others require technical climbing.
Even Rwanqa, which is a proposition, entails ascending very steep grassy slopes. Add to this a heavy pack and you're courting danger. Some experienced mountaineers sometimes use them, but I do not believe hike descriptions are warranted.
By David Bristow