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    Drakensberg

    South Africa

    Drakensberg

    Region

    The Drakensberg, South Africa's highest mountain range, forms an over 3,000-metre-high basalt wall in KwaZulu-Natal at the Lesotho border, about four hours' drive from Durban or Johannesburg.

    by Felix Gillen

    1. Home
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    5. South Africa
    7. Drakensberg
    The Drakensberg, South Africa's highest mountain range, forms an over 3,000-metre-high basalt wall in KwaZulu-Natal at the Lesotho border, about four hours' drive from Durban or Johannesburg. As the Maloti-Drakensberg Park, it is a UNESCO World Heritage site, due to its landscape and thousands of San rock paintings.
    This region is a hiking area, not a safari destination. To the north lies the Royal Natal National Park with the Amphitheatre and the Tugela Falls, centrally are the areas around Cathedral Peak, Champagne Castle and Giant's Castle, where you can see San rock paintings in rock shelters. To the south, the Sani Pass leads up to Lesotho. Accommodations range from Ezemvelo nature conservation camps to resorts. The most pleasant for hiking are autumn and spring; in summer, afternoons often have thunderstorms; snow can fall in winter.
    Royal Natal National Park
    Klg113 / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0

    Place 1 of 2

    Royal Natal National Park

    Royal Natal National Park in the northern Drakensberg is known for its Amphitheatre, a rock wall stretching approximately five kilometers. From it, the Tugela Falls cascade almost 950 meters in several stages.

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    Sani Pass

    Place 2 of 2

    Sani Pass

    The Sani Pass is the only road connecting KwaZulu-Natal over the Drakensberg to Lesotho. The track winds up in tight switchbacks to approximately 2,870 meters.

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    Sights in Drakensberg

    Discover the most important sights and attractions

    Mont-Aux-Sources

    Mont-Aux-Sources

    Summit on the high plateau above the Amphitheatre, nearly 3,300 meters high. Its name means Mountain of Springs: Here, among others, the Tugela and tributaries of the Orange River originate. The ascent via the Sentinel Car Park and the chain ladders is one of the country's most famous day hikes, but challenging and highly weather-dependent.
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    Tugela Falls

    Tugela Falls

    The Tugela plunges in several stages approximately 950 meters over the edge of the Amphitheatre, making it one of the highest waterfalls in the world. It carries the most water in summer after rainfall; in winter, parts of it freeze. A day hike through the Tugela Gorge in Royal Natal National Park leads to the foot of the falls, while the route to the upper edge is via the Sentinel and the chain ladders.
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    Gudu Falls

    Gudu Falls

    Small waterfall with a swimming hole in Royal Natal National Park, reachable via a short hike from Thendele Camp. Best after rain, but trails are then slippery.
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    Essen & Trinken

    1

    Tshehetsa lephako

    Restaurant in Ha-Taudi.
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    JO-KER bistro & bakes

    Restaurant in Hlalanathi Resort.
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    036 Restaurant and Shisanyama

    Restaurant in Kwamiya.
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    The Cavern Resturant

    Restaurant in Südafrika.
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    aha Alpine Heath Resort

    Berghütten mit Küche und Terrasse in ländlichem Resort mit 4 Restaurants, Miniclub und Tennisplätzen.
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    Rock Paintings and History

    In the rock shelters of the Drakensberg, around 600 sites with over 30,000 individual San rock art images are known. They depict eland, hunting scenes, and ritual dances; many are several thousand years old, while some date from the 19th century. Main Caves in Giant's Castle, featuring a small museum, is easily accessible. Also well-known is the Gameplass rock face in the Kamberg area. Visits to many sites are only permitted with a guide to protect the paintings.

    Nearby

    Royal Natal National Park

    Royal Natal National Park

    Royal Natal National Park in the northern Drakensberg is known for its Amphitheatre, a rock wall stretching approximately five kilometers. From it, the Tugela Falls cascade almost 950 meters in several stages. The park is part of the Maloti-Drakensberg UNESCO World Heritage and offers hiking trails for all levels.
    Golden Gate Highlands National Park

    Golden Gate Highlands National Park

    The Golden Gate Highlands National Park is named after its golden-yellow sandstone cliffs, which glow particularly intensely at sunset. In the grasslands live zebras, eland, wildebeest, and bearded vultures. Trails like the Brandwag Trail and a panoramic road open up the park.
    Clarens

    Clarens

    Clarens is an artists' village in the eastern Free State, in the Maluti foothills. Galleries, cafés, and a known craft brewery dot the village square. The Golden Gate Highlands National Park lies just 20 km east.
    Sani Pass

    Sani Pass

    The Sani Pass is the only road connecting KwaZulu-Natal over the Drakensberg to Lesotho. The track winds up in tight switchbacks to approximately 2,870 meters. At the top, you'll find the Lesotho border post and expansive views over the Drakensberg escarpment.
    Free State

    Free State

    The Free State lies on the high plateau in the heart of South Africa. For travelers, the east is especially interesting: the sandstone mountains of the Golden Gate Highlands National Park and the artist village Clarens at the foot of the Maluti Mountains, near the border with Lesotho.

    Sources & method

    • Photos: Unsplash, Pexels. Each photo carries its credit.
    • The content is based on web research from public, traceable sources. How the content is made · The role of AI