Vergenoeg : Chasing Vultures, Summiting Dreams

So... Nadia's Peak again. Why?

What madness is this?

Clearly one brutal climb through the Magaliesberg wasn’t enough humiliation for one lifetime.

But technically, this wasn’t even about Nadia’s Peak. - it was about finally tackling.....drum roll please...... Vergenoeg.

The group hike, led by Saunterers, started with the familiar punishment of Nadia’s Peak before descending via Vergenoeg.

Because apparently one difficult route wasn’t enough. We needed a combo deal.

Vergenoeg had been sitting on my hiking list for ages thanks to one thing - vultures.

Yes, vultures - those giant, slightly terrifying sky-bin chickens that feast on roadkill, but somehow glide through the air looking like spiritual life coaches.

Every time I’ve hiked Magaliesberg, they’ve been mere distant specks, taunting me with their graceful aloofness, while I sweated my soul out below.

This time, I thought, I shall pet them - I did not.

With Nadia's Peak, I knew exactly what I was in for - brutal but rewarding.

Ordinarily, I would not have done it again, especially in the middle of a blazing summer.

But this time, it was my gateway to Vergenoeg.

Just as I remembered, this trail launches you into a steep incline from the get-go.

Sure, it was greener than last time, but it was every bit as relentless as I remembered.

For more info on Nadia's Peak, feel free to check out my previous blog (https://hikinghag.wixsite.com/the-hiking-hag-1/post/nadia-s-peak-in-magaliesburg-another-one-ticked-off-the-spreadsheet).

Vergenoeg Trail: The Actual Guest of Honour

After conquering Nadia’s Peak again (insert standing ovation here), we pressed on, skirting ridges and soaking in panoramic views as we made our way toward Vergenoeg.

And yes, the vultures finally got closer.

Not that close though.

Certainly not close enough to justify the cinematic National Geographic fantasy I’d built in my head for months.

Frankly, the whole thing was mildly anti-climactic.

But if hiking (and life, really) has taught me anything, it’s this: stop obsessing over the one thing you’re chasing.

The real magic is in everything else you notice along the way.

Case in point? We even saw a rainbow. On a hot, sunny day.

Nature certainly knew how to distract me.

Descending Vergenoeg: A Trust Fall With Gravity

The descent down Vergenoeg was its own fresh nightmare.

Loose rocks, gravel, and a complete lack of trust in my own footing made every step a disaster waiting to happen.

My signature move of landing squarely on my behind was primed and ready, but miraculously, I stayed upright.

This descent is not for the faint-hearted.

It’s hot, technical, exhausting, and just miserable enough to make you wonder whether hiking as a hobby was a terrible administrative error.

But when you finally stumble your way to the bottom - sweaty, sore feet that feel like they’ve been through a shredder and wondering how many toenails survived - the sense of triumph is ridiculous.

Having said that though, in that moment, I made a decision (and this one I might actually stick to): no more of these marathon Magaliesberg hikes in summer.

Seriously, I’ve ticked off a fair number by now, and it’s all starting to feel a bit rinse and repeat.

The sensible thing? Wait for winter, when the air is crisp, the trails are kinder, and my sanity has a fighting chance.

Will I stick to this sensible decision?

Probably not.

RATING

AREA - Magaliesburg

COST 

Ours was guided, but normally around R 50.

DIFFICULTY  

It tests stamina, endurance and technical ability...oh and sanity.

LENGTH - 13 km

TIME

Five hours—mostly walking.

Sure, we stopped here and there, but not often and definitely not for long.

This wasn’t a leisurely stroll; it was a steady grind.

ELEVATION - 555 m

MARKERS

When I am guided...the guide is my marker. Could I do it alone....absolutely not.

HIGHLIGHTS 

The endless 360-degree views over Hartbeespoort make every miserable climb annoyingly worth it.

ABLUTIONS - Good

SAFE FREE PARKING

AMENITIES 

A really lovely little coffee shop at Vergenoeg for everyone to lick their wounds and pat themselves on the back.

SIDE NOTE

Because we planned to start at 6:30 (we didn’t), I had arranged to carpool with another member - a total stranger - and booked at a backpacker's resort I knew nothing about.

When my kids asked, “Where are you staying?” I replied, “I don’t know.”

“Who are going with?”

“I don’t know.”

“Mom… is this even safe?”

"Of course it is," I said with all the confidence in the world.

And you know what? It was safe.

That’s the magic of the hiking community - blind trust, shared adventure, and emerging on the other side a slightly better (and significantly sweatier) person.

Honestly, the camaraderie on hikes like these is something else.

Everyone’s going through their own personal brand of hell - some more than others - but it is brutal for everyone.

By the time you’ve made it, you feel like you’ve conquered the world with your temporary family.

It’s sweaty, it’s exhausting, and somehow, it’s annoyingly special.

Of all my hikes so far, nothing beats the sweaty triumph of a Magaliesburg summit - endless beauty, peace and the deeply delusional feeling that you are the last great adventurer on Earth.

Oh dear, is that another Magaliesburg hike I see on the horizon?