Nadia's Peak in Magaliesburg - Another one ticked off the Spreadsheet!

Ah, the sweet satisfaction of crossing off yet another hike! This time it was Nadia's Peak,  I survived. Barely. But let’s dive in shall we...

We arrived at Out of Africa Lodge—a name that screams “rustic charm” (code for: hope you like nature!). The lodge itself? Rustic and gorgeous. We were advised that due to a fire a few weeks prior, some of the trail markers might be, well, missing. Naturally, I didn’t care—I was with our trusty group leader! My brain immediately switched to “just follow the leader,” and more importantly: bring on the rain! These pesky fires need to stop cramping my hiking style. And yes, I’m selfless like that, always thinking of the bigger picture.

Ironically, the weather reminded me why I prefer winter hikes though. We started early, thank heavens, because by the end of it I was sweating like a contestant on Survivor, minus the million-dollar prize at the end of course.

The trail itself ...wow, it did not disappoint! This trail doesn’t play around. Right from the start, it’s like, “Oh, you thought this was a warm-up?” Nope! After a couple of kilometers walk to the start of the trail, you’re already ascending and, this continues on and off until you get to the top. The trail doesn’t loop, by the way—you go up, suffer, and then come back the same way, still suffering but slightly more victorious.

Now, don’t go bringing your newbie hiking friend on this one unless you enjoy hearing someone curse your name all the way up. You need to be okayish on the fitness scale to do this without spontaneously combusting. If you’re a a new or unfit hiker, let me just say: don’t.

The view from the top? Totally worth the lung-busting climb. Once you get to the summit, you get this awesome panoramic view of the Hartbeespoort area. You’ll want to just sit, breathe (if you can still remember how), and soak it all in.

That moment when you reach the top and suddenly you’re walking on the actual spine of the mountain, and it feels like you've just discovered uncharted territory! For a second, I genuinely thought I was one of the last great explorers—minus the tent or flag to stake my claim.

The views, the sense of accomplishment, the insane quiet of the peak... all made the brutal climb seem worth it.

And yes, I totally looked around for my non-existent sherpa.

There’s something magical about that high-up stretch. I felt like there should have been a chopper filming us. It felt like we in some kind of epic drama being filmed for Netflix.

The best part (aside from not dying)? Vultures. Yes, actual vultures flying by at the top—not circling ominously above, but close enough to feel like nature’s cheering section. That little extra wildlife moment made it all the more satisfying.

The descent? Not as terrible as you'd think. Somehow, it didn’t feel like the same trail coming back down—probably because on the way up, I was too focused on seeing my life flash before my eyes to appreciate the scenery. Going down? Way more chill (minus the wobbling knees).

RATING

Area

Magaliesburg (yawn...always)

Cost: R 50 cash

Difficulty

Hard, but not enough to send you into full-on crisis mode. Not super technical.

Length: 9.5 km.

Time

4.5 hours, or forever, depending on your fitness level.

Elevation: 527 m.

Markers

Could be worse—arrows on rocks survived the fire. To be honest though, if I did not have a trusty hike leader, would have got totally lost.....but that's me.

Highlights

The summit, the views, and the glorious, glorious vultures.

Ablutions: Great

Parking: Free and safe.

Amenities: A bar.

Final note

Why are you still reading this? Get out there and hike Nadia’s Peak already! You know you want to.