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Drakensburg, a world heritage site, is a 130-mile-long
mountain range on the border between KwaZulu-Natal
and Lesotho. Drakensburg translates as 'Dragon Mountains'
after a Boer man report seeing a giant winged-lizard flying
over the peaks. Its Zulu name, Quathlamba, means 'battlement
of spears' which accurately describes its jagged escarpment.
When to go
Summer (November to February) is the best time to visit the
mountains to avoid frosts, though it can be wet then.
Activities
There are many places to stay, from private resorts, to B&Bs,
to caves. There are thousands of marked trails traversing
indigenous fern forests with opportunities for horse treks,
abseiling and trout fishing. 35 thousand bushman rock-art
paintings are testimony to a million years of human habitation
since the Stone Age, particularly condensed in the Ndedema
dome region. The southern part of the mountain range is
an adventure playground filled with golf courses in stunning
surroundings, fly fishing, mountain biking, bird watching
and polo. For more than a casual afternoon's hike you will
need to pay a fee and complete the Mountain Rescue Register.
Best sights
The Royal Natal National Park is the most visited area
with its 2.5 mile natural amphitheatre of sheer basalt cliffs
and Thukela Falls - the second highest waterfall in
the world at 3110ft. Here, you will need prior mountaineering
experience and suitable equipment, including ropes, to tackle
the many free-standing peaks like Devil's Tooth, the
Pyramid and the Column. If you're very lucky,
in the Champagne Valley, the world-renowned Drakensburg
Boys Choir may be putting on a mountain-top choral show.
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