The tiny kingdom of Lesotho has to have some of Southern Africa’s most gorgeous rugged landscapes. It’s no surprise that countless individuals across the world have attempted to conquer this natural wonderland by testing the limits of what their bodies can accomplish.
Two Cape Town natives are doing just that, having started their journey on 10 April as they attempted to conquer Lesotho’s mountains. Well, they’ve done just that.
Ryan Sandes (40) and Ryno Griesel (42) have successfully completed an incredible 1100km journey through some of Southern Africa’s most brutal terrain and weather.
The duo circumnavigated almost 1100 kilometres in 16 days, 6 hours and 56 minutes.
Their adventure took them to the most remote and untouched regions of the Mountain Kingdom and South Africa, showcasing the beauty of this incredible nation. However, it was by no means easy, with mental and physical challenges a daily occurrence.
Temperatures would dip to around -5 degrees, and dangerous flooding along the way was also a physical obstacle they had to endure. Ther navigation and survival instincts were definitely tested.
The adventurous duo managed to cover the length of the entire Drakensberg Mountain range, submitting some of Lesotho’s most epic peaks – Mafedi Peak included.
“It was definitely a lot more challenging than we initially anticipated, especially the extreme weather we experienced in the mountain section – ice, snow and severe cold. There were some really cold nights out there, where we didn’t think we would make it through.
All those curve balls make for real epic adventure with some incredible memories I’ll hold onto forever. We’ve been on enough crazy adventures together to know that the key is ultimately trust and respect. I wouldn’t want to have achieved this with anyone else,” concluded Sandes.
Well done to these incredible troopers!
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Picture: Getaway