Drakensberg Mountain Photography
This is a workshop with a difference designed for the landscape photographer seeking out an extraordinary adventure experience while chasing awesome light and weather in South Africa's Drakensberg Mountains.
Summary
A 5 day trekking photography experience in one of Africa's most extraordinary landscapes.
WHEN |
11-17th December 2025 |
PRICE |
R14,000 |
FOCUS |
Landscape photography and trekking experience |
GROUP SIZE |
MINIMUM 2, MAX 3 |
INSTRUCTOR GUEST RATIO |
1:3 |
DURATION |
6 DAYS |
ACCOMMODATION TYPE |
Hiking Tents |
NUMBER OF DESTINATIONS |
5 specific shoot locations |
In Detail
A Drakensberg Adventure
The workshop is geared toward photographers who are familiar with hiking in hard to reach environments. Nature's Light instructors are well-versed in the locations that we will be visiting on the workshop, but are NOT Mountain Guides. Your hiking fitness, equipment and safety are your own responsibility. We are there to help with logistics and the actual photography on location. Please check with us to make sure that you have the correct equipment, as well as experience to hike into the mountains for this particular workshop. The above warning doesn't detract from the beauty of the area we are visiting and we have chosen one of the easier and safest routes onto the escarpment.
Although the workshop is marketed as a self-carry trek, we can arrange porters at an additional R500 p/day p/porter (a porter can carry an additional 10-12kg of equipment, so photographers are expected to carry some of the load even if they do opt to hire a porter - some porters are also certified Mountain Guides).
Although the workshop is marketed as a self-carry trek, we can arrange porters at an additional R500 p/day p/porter (a porter can carry an additional 10-12kg of equipment, so photographers are expected to carry some of the load even if they do opt to hire a porter - some porters are also certified Mountain Guides).
key highlights
Photograph:
Enjoy:
Learn about:
- The Mnweni Region - one of South Africa’s most iconic mountain territories.
- Cathedral Spur and it's distinctive profile, but from the escarpment as opposed to the floor of the mountains.
- Capture one of the most iconic views of the Drakensberg, seemingly only ‘discovered’ by experienced photographers.
- The Cathedral Peak - The inspiration for the Nature's Light Logo!
- Mponjwane Tower and North Peak.
Enjoy:
- Probably the world’s best instructor to participant ratio, maximizing your learning while on tour.
- Having highly experienced tutors watching over your shoulders and helping you on the spot as you craft your images of the amazing Drakensberg and its beautiful valleys and peaks.
- Spending time with like minded people in one of South Africa’s most spectacular places.
Learn about:
- Creative Composition: The basics and beyond, such as The Element Approach, Balancing Composition etc.
- How to create awe-inspiring Astrophotography and star trail images.
- How to create panoramic images.
- Use of filters in landscape photography
itinerary
Please note that the itinerary has changed from that below to that of the classic 'mini-traverse'. Please email us for details.
Day 1 - Arrive at Mnweni cultural centre, meet other photographers. Group equipment and food shared out. Start the trail to the base of Rockeries Pass. Walk is timed so that we will end the day photographing the last light with the view towards Rockeries.
Day 2 - Early morning shoot followed by the climb up Rockeries. We aim for Mponjwane Cave which has unrivaled access to several amazing viewpoints both of Mponjwane Tower and the Central Berg.
Day 3 - Early Morning Shoot of the tower before a slow walk along the escarpment. Our campsite is near the top of a ridge that has extraordinary views of the Cathedral Spur as well as North Peak.
Day 4 - A very short day of walking exploring the escarpment edge
Day 5 - Early dawn shoot of Cathedral Peak before a longish walk down Ntonjelana Pass to be picked up at the end of the trail. This is a long day, so we only expect to get back to the Cultural Centre on the mid afternoon.
Day 1 - Arrive at Mnweni cultural centre, meet other photographers. Group equipment and food shared out. Start the trail to the base of Rockeries Pass. Walk is timed so that we will end the day photographing the last light with the view towards Rockeries.
Day 2 - Early morning shoot followed by the climb up Rockeries. We aim for Mponjwane Cave which has unrivaled access to several amazing viewpoints both of Mponjwane Tower and the Central Berg.
Day 3 - Early Morning Shoot of the tower before a slow walk along the escarpment. Our campsite is near the top of a ridge that has extraordinary views of the Cathedral Spur as well as North Peak.
Day 4 - A very short day of walking exploring the escarpment edge
Day 5 - Early dawn shoot of Cathedral Peak before a longish walk down Ntonjelana Pass to be picked up at the end of the trail. This is a long day, so we only expect to get back to the Cultural Centre on the mid afternoon.
what to expect
The Drakensberg is one of South Africa’s most beautiful landscape features and possesses some of the world’s top trekking routes (the Giant’s Castle Cup Trail is ranked in the top 50 trails of the world and is considered equal to the Fish River Canyon, Otter and Atlas Mountain Trails). Because the Drakensberg is mountainous (an average escarpment height of 3000m above sea level) it experiences extreme weather throughout the year. This can mean that rain or snow can put a damper on activities, but is also partly the reason we opt to visit the area in summer. From a photographic point of view, extreme weather also means for the most interesting images. During winter it does snow, so be prepared for cold weather (I have experienced a snow storm on the escarpment on New Year’s Day – the middle of summer).
Water in the streams is drinkable away from the actual lodges and villages and there are no water-borne bacteria in the streams in the escarpment proper as well as in the foothills. The foothills all have decent walking paths and see day visitors walking comfortably in all manner of ill-equipment. The escarpment is another matter. The route we are taking onto the escarpment is popular and well trodden, unlike most of the rest of the escarpment. Hiking boots are a requirement though as despite the path, the trail is rocky in large sections.
Some wildlife can be viewed in the foothills, while birds of prey such as the endangered Bearded Vulture are likely to be seen on the escarpment. The escarpment view itself is unparalleled and there have been accounts of people seeing the Indian Ocean on a clear day (technically possible as the escarpment view is roughly a vertical kilometre above the base of the escarpment). What most people seek from the Drakensberg are the amazing mountains themselves, unique in that they form a solid basalt wall that stretches for almost 200km from south to north. In effect the Drakensberg is really the eastern face of the huge Maluti Mountain Range which forms the country of Lesotho.
This workshop is attached to a trekking experience at a medium to high altitude. If you would like to know more about what to expect, please contact us directly.
Water in the streams is drinkable away from the actual lodges and villages and there are no water-borne bacteria in the streams in the escarpment proper as well as in the foothills. The foothills all have decent walking paths and see day visitors walking comfortably in all manner of ill-equipment. The escarpment is another matter. The route we are taking onto the escarpment is popular and well trodden, unlike most of the rest of the escarpment. Hiking boots are a requirement though as despite the path, the trail is rocky in large sections.
Some wildlife can be viewed in the foothills, while birds of prey such as the endangered Bearded Vulture are likely to be seen on the escarpment. The escarpment view itself is unparalleled and there have been accounts of people seeing the Indian Ocean on a clear day (technically possible as the escarpment view is roughly a vertical kilometre above the base of the escarpment). What most people seek from the Drakensberg are the amazing mountains themselves, unique in that they form a solid basalt wall that stretches for almost 200km from south to north. In effect the Drakensberg is really the eastern face of the huge Maluti Mountain Range which forms the country of Lesotho.
This workshop is attached to a trekking experience at a medium to high altitude. If you would like to know more about what to expect, please contact us directly.
dates
This is a flexible workshop, running on inquiry basis. So if you're keen, just drop us an email on [email protected] and we'll see if you or we can find some other participants to reach the minimum two. And then lets go and have some fun in the mountains!
price
R9450 person. Minimum 2 participants, maximum 5 participants (R500 p/porter p/day if you would like your equipment carried).
(If under 3 participants, only one photographic leader will conduct the tour)
Single Supplement: There is no single supplement...if you want your own tent you will have to carry it, or pay for a porter
Workshop Includes:
Guided Tour Excludes:
The Nature's Light Terms and Conditions apply to your booking with us. For more information see:
Nature's Light Terms and Condition
(If under 3 participants, only one photographic leader will conduct the tour)
Single Supplement: There is no single supplement...if you want your own tent you will have to carry it, or pay for a porter
Workshop Includes:
- All Lodging in tents (based upon sharing)
- Pickup and drop off from Durban International Airport if required
- All meals from the start of the walk to the the time we depart the Mnweni Cutlural Centre
- Photography guidance by up to two professional photographers
- All entrance fees and photography permits
- All toll and parking fees
Guided Tour Excludes:
- Airfares to and from Durban International Airport
- Accommodation before or after the workshop at the Mnweni Cultural Centre
- Additional snacks (the menu is filling though, and additional snacks are not necessary).
- Possible extra excursions/activities and/or additional days
- Travel insurances (mandatory!)
- Photographic gear rental (if required)
The Nature's Light Terms and Conditions apply to your booking with us. For more information see:
Nature's Light Terms and Condition
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