_Drakensberg Mountains


 "Ukahlamba", or "Barrier of Spears" is a 200 kilmometre long mountain range, called the "Dragon Mountains" by the early Dutch voortrekkers.

Made up of awe-inspiring basalt cliffs, snowcapped in winter, which tower over riverine bush, lush yellowwood forests and cascading waterfalls, the range forms a massive barrier separating KwaZulu-Natal from the Kingdom of Lesotho.

Combining sheer natural beauty with a step back in time to the early tribes of Africa, the experience of exploring the Drakensberg is truly unforgettable.



Highlights of the Drakensberg Mountains include:

Magical Scenery


With towering rocky peaks, clear flowing mountain water, thundering waterfalls and green rolling hills, the Drakensberg Mountains provide you with panoramas you normally only dream about.

Stop off at viewpoints along the winding sand roads, or hike into inaccessible locations to gaze over the world while enjoying the peaceful solitude.

Hikes


No mountain range is complete without a series of hiking trails, and the Drakensberg offers a plethora of choices.

Choosing from easy 1 hour strolls, to longer overnight treks, you can explore the mountains on whatever level you choose.

Bushmen Paintings

The early San bushmen inhabitants of South Africa used the caves and crevices of the Drakensberg Mountains for shelter.  Some 20 000 individual rock paintings have been recorded at 500 different cave and overhang sites between Royal Natal National Park and Bushman's Neck.

Subjects of the bushman and san paintings range from animals (mainly eland) to humans, therianthropes to ox-wagons and mounted men with rifles.  In Ndedema Gorge 3 900 paintings have been recorded at 17 sites. 

Royal Natal National Park

The national park was proclaimed in 1916, and contains some of the most spectacular scenery in Africa.  The main feature of Royal Natal is the Amphitheatre, a rock wall about 5 kilometres in length, and approximately 1000m in height between the Sentinel (3 165m) and Eastern Buttress (3 047m), with a number of domes rising from its relatively flat summit plateau - the largest of these named Mont-aux-Sources - a  literal description of this source of five rivers.

Of these, the Tugela plummets 948m in five clear leaps, making it the world's second highest waterfall.   The Tugela Falls' upper reaches occasionally freeze in winter to create dazzling columns of ice.

Adventure Activities

There is something for everyone in the Drakensberg, with hiking trails, bird watching, game viewing, horse trails and safaris, guided tours, 4x4 trails, quad bikes, golfing, trout / fly fishing, white water rafting and rock climbing.

The Karkloof Forest in the Natal midlands can be experienced from above on a tree-top canopy tour.

Sani Pass and Lesotho


What started off as a rough mule trail used by herders and traders, is now a scenically incredible 4x4 trail, and the only road between the tiny kingdom of Lesotho and KwaZulu-Natal.

At the top of the pass is Africa's highest pub, and on the other side lies Lesotho, a rural and undeveloped mountain kingdom.