Drakensberg Background Image
March 2025  —  May 2026
Walking Home 2.0 starts 26 April 2026
107
passes
588.6
km
60,173
m
scroll
01 / Latest News

Straight from the mountain.

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02 / Live Tracking

Follow us on the mountain.

Use the Garmin Explore map below to track our progress live.

For the best experience, view this section on a desktop or tablet.

03 / About the Expedition

Something pretty unfathomable.

Michaela Geytenbeek and Arno Pouwels are attempting something pretty unfathomable that will push the boundaries of human endurance and adventure. They will undertake an extreme version of the Drakensberg Grand Traverse (DGT), completing all the marked Drakensberg passes along the way and summiting the six iconic peaks that form part of the DGT. This audacious endeavor, which has never been attempted before, involves completing 107 passes, hiking 588 km, and conquering 60,173 meters of elevation gain, equivalent to climbing seven Everests.

Only four people are known to have completed over 100 Drakensberg passes — and it took them years.*
Clem Robins · Tony Marshall · Andrew Porter · Jonathan Newman

The Drakensberg passes vary dramatically in condition: from smooth, clear smuggling paths, to boulder-strewn gullies, steep pathless banks, and wildly overgrown corners. Additionally, these mountains are known for their unpredictable weather, which can include scorching heat, sudden severe thunderstorms, hail, lightning, and even snow. Michaela and Arno will face all of these challenges head-on.

*Extensive research and effort has gone into determining these four individuals. Please reach out to us if you know of anyone else.

Where we are now
Updated April 2026

In March 2025, we set out to complete this expedition in 40 days. The mountains, however, had other plans. A severe chest infection, relentless weather, and a torn ligament forced us to pivot — and what was meant to be a single continuous push became something bigger: a living, evolving expedition shaped by setbacks and perseverance.

We have since completed every marked pass — according to the latest Slingsby maps — in the Northern and Central Drakensberg, returning to the mountains weekend after weekend to finish what we started. Walking Home 2.0 starts on 26 April 2026 — a 19-day expedition to complete the remaining 55 passes in the Southern Berg.

Read the full story of our journey so far

Organ Pipes Pass, Drakensberg
Organ Pipes Pass
04 / Why We Are Doing It

For the children, for the earth.

Early Childhood Development Program
The CEEE project
A journey to reconnect with the earth and raise awareness about the importance of education for earth stewardship and sustainable futures.

Woven into the story will be lessons of nature's gifts to humanity, the undulating path of life, the power of mental fortitude and the great capabilities of humans.

There is great purpose driving this expedition. While sharing the mountain's story they will be raising funds for a project called, Community Embedded Environmental Education: which aims to enthuse and empower underserved Early Childhood Development (ECD) teachers to incorporate environmental education and nature in the daily practice of their ECD Centres.

05 / Who We Are

Meet the team.

Two people driven by a deep love for the Drakensberg — and a wild idea that became an expedition.

Portrait of Michaela Geytenbeek
Team · Co-lead

Michaela "Mix" Geytenbeek

Qualified mountain guide · sustainability educator

Michaela is a sustainability education consultant with a keen interest in education for the earth and holistic child development. She is a qualified mechanical engineer, pre-primary and elementary Montessori teacher, off-trail mountain guide and a keen trail runner. She founded the Kinship Programme and completed an MPhil in Sustainable Development. Michaela is dedicated to fostering nature connectedness and has co-founded a Montessori school, designed environmental education curricula, and particularly enjoys working in underserved communities.

Mountain Experience
Michaela, a qualified mountain guide, has led a variety of trips in the Drakensberg - spanning from very leisurely trips along the Giant's Cup to single day missions of difficult passes, sharing her love for the mountains with others through PathFinders_SA.
Notable Hikes
  • Kilimanjaro2014
  • Annapurna Circuit2019
  • Amatola Trail2020
  • Alta Via 22021
  • Wild Coast Hike2023
  • Drakensberg Grand Traverse — Unsupported, 4.5 days2024
Portrait of Arno Pouwels
Team · Co-lead

Arno Pouwels

SAP technical consultant · thru-hiker · photographer

Arno is a SAP Technical Consultant working in the IT industry, where he combines his technical skills with his love for problem-solving. He is an avid trail runner, photographer, and hiker who finds joy in the simplicity of nature. Passionate about traveling on foot, Arno has completed thru-hikes on the Pacific Crest Trail and the Arizona Trail, embracing a minimalist approach to travel. He thrives on the challenges and adventures that the outdoors offer, always seeking new trails to conquer. The mountains are his happy place, providing a peaceful retreat from the demands of everyday life.

Mountain Experience
Arno has completed thru-hiking trips spanning multiple months. He has led various hikes in the Drakensberg, sharing his love for the mountains with others. Arno enjoys taking people who have never been to the mountains, guiding them to experience the beauty and tranquility of these natural landscapes.
Notable Hikes
  • Kilimanjaro2019
  • Pacific Crest Trail2022
  • Drakensberg Grand Traverse2023
  • Arizona Trail2024
  • Drakensberg Grand Traverse — Unsupported, 4.5 days2024
06 / Support our Expedition

Walk with us.

We acknowledge that we cannot achieve this alone. That would be lunacy. There will be days when taking another step seems too complicated, when routes may evade us, and when our skill set may not be adequate for the task at hand. Here's how you can help.

Heading up Xeni Pass
Heading up Xeni Pass
07 / Our Route

Where we're going.

Use the navigation to view the route for a specific day.

Walking Home 2.0 picks up at Day 21 on the map — that's our Day 1 for the Southern Berg expedition.

For the best experience, view this section on a desktop or tablet.

Days of walking
  • All
  • 01
  • 02
  • 03
  • 04
  • 05
  • 06
  • 07
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  • 11
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  • 16
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  • 18
  • 19
  • 20
  • 21
  • 22
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  • 25
  • 26
  • 27
  • 28
  • 29
  • 30
  • 31
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  • 35
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08 / Our Sponsors

With gratitude.

We are incredibly grateful for the generous support of our sponsors. Their commitment helps us make a significant impact and drive our mission forward. Thank you for believing in us and joining us on this journey.