PROPERTIES — NORTH WEST
Lower Tonquani
"If you think you’ve peaked, find a new mountain."
Venue Information
Venue Overview | Lower Tonquani is a beautiful, long kloof with crystal clear pools, shady spots and classic climbs congregated around the lower section of the kloof near the Cedarberg Kloof/ Tonquani/Boulder Kloof junction. |
Permit / Permission info | Land owned by the MCSA, open to MCSA members and guests (1 guest per member) otherwise permits are required. Contact MCSA Jhb for permits. |
Approx travel time from Jhb | Approx. 60 to 90 minutes. |
Parking info | Safe Parking is available at Mountain Sanctuary Park. |
Walk-in | There are various ways to walk into Lower Tonquani, including:
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Accommodation | Camping is available at the top end of Cedarberg Kloof at the top of Grey Gully – no facilities available apart from a cage to store food. Otherwise Mountain Sanctuary Park has camping and chalets, as well as ablution facilities and a small shop selling refreshments. |
Availability of drinking water | Water available all year in the kloof, which is safe to drink. |
Climbing route guide | The MCSA has published a route guide, Rock Climbing Routes in the Tonquani Complex. |
Climbing info | This is a long section of the kloof with over 120 trad routes on excellent rock. The climbs are mostly multi-pitch with a range of grades from 7 to 26, including a number of classic climbs of all grades. Some 90 metre and longer climbs, with superb views, can be found in the area where Cedarberg Kloof intersects Tonquani. |
Child-friendly | Yes, if 12 years and up as the walk in is long, and can be tricky – with steep sections, pools to boulder hop and wade and boulders to navigate. |
Swimming | Yes. |
Camp fires | Strictly no fires permitted. |
Other attractions | Crystal clear pools to swim in, a wide variety of birds, animals and plants and beautiful scenery to inspire photographers and artists. Kloofing from Upper to Lower Tonquani is a great way to explore the kloof – but be very careful when negotiating the traverse above the Help-Help Pool as the rock is extremely slippery. |
Dangers | The general area has had muggings, so be alert. The access from Upper to Lower Tonquani using the traverse above the Help-Help Pool is over-polished rock and hazardous to inexperienced parties. |
Contact details | MCSA Jhb Section - admin@jhb.mcsa.org.za Mountain Sanctuary Park: Tel: 014 534 0114/ www.mountain-sanctuary.co.za |
Disclaimer
Mountaineering (climbing and hiking) is de facto an activity which carries certain inherent risks. Neither the MCSA, nor any of its members or representatives accept responsibility for any deaths, injury or illness sustained or suffered by any person or for any theft, loss or damage to any property that result from participation in MCSA activities, no matter in what manner caused and whether allegedly due to negligence or not.