Drakensberg

Magic Moments in the Mountains

The largest mountain range in South Africa is a truly magical place. It’s no wonder that J.R.R. Tolkien saw this landscape as inspiration for the part of Middle Earth called the Misty Mountains. The uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park is home to 35 000 examples of San rock paintings and a huge diversity of protected plant and animal species.

While there are many mountains in South Africa, KwaZulu-Natal’s 200km long uKhahlamba-Drakensberg escarpment is by far the most impressive. With peaks that exceed 3000m, the Berg – as locals like to call it – forms the backbone of the Maloti-Drakensberg Transfrontier Conservation and Development Area between the Kingdom of Lesotho and South Africa.

The uKhahlamba (“barrier of spears” in Zulu) is a dynamic wonderland of river valleys, mountain streams, rugged cliffs, hiking trails and stunning scenery that attracts thousands of travellers every year, mainly during the hotter summer months of December to February. With such natural beauty to its credit, it is not surprising that the mountain region literally bursts at the seams with exhilarating adventure activities and amazing accommodation.

In winter, the mountains are dusted with snow, transforming designated slopes into a winter playground!