Route

210 km

8000 m (D+)

100hrs

 

The DGT-Run course is self-navigated but remains faithful to the original DGT route guidelines as established in 1999 by the Raubenheimer brothers.

Starting at the Sentinel Car Park in the Free State, South Africa, runners roughly follow the escarpment which forms the border between Lesotho and South Africa. Teams are required to tag the following 6 compulsory peaks:

  1. Mont- Aux-Sources - 3 282m

  2. Cleft Peak - 3 281m 

  3. Champagne Castle - 3 377m 

  4. Mafadi - 3 451m (highest peak in South Africa)

  5. Giant’s Castle - 3 315m

  6. Thabana Ntlenyana - 3 482m (highest peak in Lesotho)

AND must descend from the escarpment via Thamatu Pass to finish at the Bushman’s Nek Border Post of South Africa.

With approximately 8,000 m of climbing, the Total Vert of the DGT-Run is substantial but not excessive. What places the DGT-Run firmly in the realm of extreme events, however, is the combination of continuous high altitude (190 km is spent at altitude above 2700m), unpredictable weather and unmerciful terrain that athletes will face, all while being self-sufficient. Lesotho is a harsh and varied environment and places the runner under relentless mental and physical duress.

DGT Run record - 63hr 50min - Matt Bouch & Colin van den Bergh (Nov 2022)
Current FKT (unsupported) 41hr 49min - Ryno Griesel & Ryan Sandes (March 2014)

Finishing times from the DGT-Run event will officially be recorded as race times and not classed as FKT.

GPS Tracks

 

The GPS co-ordinates of the compulsory peaks and a recommended GPS track will be supplied, although runners are permitted to follow their own preferred routing. 

 

Terrain

 

Having ascended a typical Drakensberg mountain pass from South Africa to the escarpment, the terrain is predominantly high Lesotho grassland, interspersed with short shrubbery and rocky sections as well as long sections of short wetland grasses in the valley floors.
There are dramatic drop-offs and magnificent cliffs and mountains, not suitable for those with a fear of high, exposed areas.
There is little shelter but for occasional caves.

There is NO established hiking path but frequent cattle and sheep paths that can be followed. As such, this should be considered an off-trail event. 

 

Weather

 

Weather that can be experienced on any day in the Drakensberg is a combination of:

  • Above 30 and below 0 degrees Celsius

  • Thunderstorms with lightning

  • Snow/ sleet/ hail

  • High speed winds

  • Mist/ fog

  • And glorious, sunny blue skies!

Expect around 12 hours of daylight in October.

Facilities

 

The route traverses largely uninhabited land with only one road access point. It is not a conventional hiker’s highway and there is no maintained path. As such there are NO hiker’s huts or ANY facilities of any kind along the way.

As a single-stage, non-stop event, teams must decide where and when to sleep, in the wild, using their bivvy bags. In 2024 the race will set up 6 refuge points at stages along the recommended route where volunteers will set up camp and be a presence on the mountain. Together with the aid station, these are spots where teams may choose to sleep without the concern of being completely alone and exposed.