The Hilltrek Podcast
Hilltrek is a Drakensberg-based podcast following a group of friends who turned to the mountains as a way to step out of routine, reset, and test themselves in a real environment.
Each episode documents time spent in the Berg, from planning routes and navigating escarpments to dealing with weather, fatigue, and the limits of experience. The focus is practical. What worked, what failed, and what was learned on the ground.
The conversations are informal but grounded in actual hikes. Expect discussions on trails, passes, overnight routes, gear choices, and the small decisions that shape a day in the mountains. The Drakensberg is the constant reference point, not as a backdrop, but as a demanding and unpredictable environment that requires attention.
This is not expert-led instruction. It is a record of progression. A group of ordinary people using hiking to disconnect, recalibrate, and steadily push further into one of South Africa’s most demanding landscapes.
Listen on:
Episodes
Mar 29, 2026
Mar 29, 2026
17 min
Episode one introduces Hilltrek and the group behind it. It focuses on why a group of friends started hiking in the Drakensberg as a way to step out of routine, reset, and take on something physically and mentally demanding.
The discussion covers early experiences on routes like Tugela Falls, including starting in the dark, exposure on the chain ladders, and the scale of the escarpment.