Drakensberg - South Africa's best kept secret
South Africa offers tourists coming to our country a huge choice
of holiday destinations. But its the Drakensberg
Mountains that are still kept as an secret place thats seems
a bit off the normal beaten track and while some folks do make
it to the Drakensberg most dont.
The best place to start your journey would be to download the
free Drakensberg
Tourist Map which will give you a great idea of where
everything is. This is the only to scale tourist map thats
available for the region. It shows all the back roads, indicates
which are recommended and which are not and indicates how far
things are. But what I like about the map is that its freely
distributed, includes all the activities that the region offers
and a great selection of the best accommodation that the
Drakensberg has to offer.
The Drakensberg starts in the North with Clarens and the Golden
Gate National Park and ends in the South at Bushmans Nek.
Inbetween you will find the Royal Natal National Park with its
Amphitheatre, Mweni the wildest part of the mountains, Cathedral
Peak, Monks Cowl, Injasuti, Giants Castle National Park, Kamberg
with the best bushman rock art site in the whole Drakensberg
Mountains, Loteni, Sani Pass, Cobham, and Garden Castle.
There is lots to do in the region but the main reason you come
to the Drakensberg is because of the mountains. While every part
of the Drakensberg is special and has its own uniqueness there
are a few spots you dont want to miss. The best place to get to
the top of the escarpment is at Sentinel peak. The return hike
is 5 hours and takes you the top of the Tugela Falls which falls
some 948 meters into the Royal Natal National Park below. The
view from on top of the Amphitheatre is proberbly one of the
most spectacular views in the world. Most tourists tend to walk
at the bottom and while its worth the visit ist just not the
same as the top.
The Central Drakensberg and Northern Drakensberg form one region
and by far the best example of this section of the Drakensberg
Mountains is Gian
ts Castle National Park. Essentially the experience in any
part of this region is the same where you have the oppertunity
to hike the lower reaches of the Drakensberg Mountains or
otherwise stay low in one of the valleys. What makes Giants
Castle more interesting is the large choice of trails and the
lack of other people. I suppe it wont stay that way forever but
the experice of walking in the montains and not seeing another
sole can still be found here. From Giants Castle looking south
the mountains become softer , less dramatic but make no mistake
hiking trails in thes gentler landscape is just as good and
should be included in your trip. Kamberg is a really good spot
where the added attraction of the best site of bushman rock art
is available.
Bushman Rock Art is most definatly a reason to visit the
Drakernsberg Mountains The excellent video presentation before
the 3 hour guided tour at Kamberg gives a great explaination of the history of the people as
well as the rock art at game pass shelter. The rock art at
Giants Castle at the main caves is also good and is a very easy
walk. The Didima Rock Art Centre at Cathedral Peak offers a
great presentation although the paintings are reproductions. All
rock art must be viewed with a guide.
Horse riding through the foothills of the Drakensberg is an
experience not to be missed. Sengani horse
trails offers safe trails for beginners and experienced
alike. Spionkop game reserve even offers game viewing on horse
back.
Steeped in history, the Battlefields Region offers enthralling
tales of British, Boer, Zulu and Voortrekker history. The Anglo
Boer War reached as far south as Mooi River and the many sites
are best visited with a specialist guide
The region offers a fun and fascinating collection of art
galleries, craft shops, cheese tastings, leather work, antiques,
clothing, gifts and pottery. All the activities represent a
unique collection of South African creativity. Take a slow
journey to view outstanding galleries such as Millgate, Indigo
Fields Gallery, and Zombeza. Community development projects like
Eyethu Ceramics and Thandanani Craft uplift local communities
allowing tourism a wider benefit.
A trip up Sani
Pass into Lesotho and a visit to the highest pub in Africa
is a must. It's a dramatic 4x4 trail climbing 1330m in 6,5km's
Passports required.
Game viewing is available at Weenen, Spionkop, Umgeni Valley and
Golden Gate. For Birders the Lammergeyer hide at Giants Castle
the Crane Foundation at Kamberg and the bird of prey display at
Falcon Ridge are highlights. Fort Durnford in Estcourt offers
one of the most complete bird egg collections in South
Africa.
For adventure seekers the region offers white water rafting and
quad bikes , the longest cable slide in South Africa, a gorge
swing and a flying trapeze, bicycle tours and even hot air
ballooning
The Drakensberg Boys Choir is a world renowned choir which
performs most Wednesdays at 3:30 pm. Bookings 036 / 468 1017.
Don't miss this enriching cultural experience. Another enriching
culteral experience is Mpopomeni Zulu tourism experience where
tourists have the oppertunity to meet local people, hear a bit
of the history of the settlement and taste some of the
traditional food. Whats great is that the experience is about
real people and does not feel touristy at all.
Or just pamper yourself at one of the region's many health spas.
For a difference Indigo Fields offers a real Africa day spa
experience
Drakensberg resourses -
www.drakensberg-tourism
.com - Hiking trails and accommodation in the Drakensberg.
The best tourism promotion website for the Drakensberg and Natal
midlands available on the net.
-
www.drakensberg-tourist-map.com - downloadable map for the
Drakensberg and Natal Midlands Regions. The most essential tool
for torists visiting this region
-
www.drakensberg-accommodation.com - A huge list of links to
accommodation in the Drakensberg Mountains
-
www.drakensberg.net -
pictoral guide to the Drakensberg
-
www.antbear.com - Antbear Guest
House near Giants Castle in the Central Drakensberg
-
www.vergzient.co.za -
Vergezient Mountain retreat in the Northern Drakensberg
-
www.palmswift.com - Palmswift
B&B accommodation in Winterton
-
www.sycamore-ave.com -
Treehouse accommodation in the Natal Midlands
-
www.sengani-horse-trai
ls.com - Horse trails in the Drakensberg Foothills
-
www.dbchoir.info - Drakensberg
boys Choir
-
www.bergfree.co.za -
Mountain guide for the Drakensberg region
-
www.midlandsreservations.co.za - Drakensberg central
reservations office