The Drakensberg

The Drakensberg, the Dragon Mountains, form the highest range in South Africa, a great basalt escarpment rising in a wall of buttresses, pinnacles and vast rock amphitheatres along the border with the mountain kingdom of Lesotho. Protected as a World Heritage Site for both its beauty and its heritage, it offers some of the finest hiking in the country, from gentle valley walks to demanding scrambles up to the escarpment edge, past cascades and, in the Tugela gorge, one of the tallest waterfalls in the world. The range also holds the greatest concentration of San rock art in Africa, thousands of delicate paintings of eland, hunters and dancers left in caves and overhangs over many centuries, which can be visited with guides. Crisp air, huge views, clear rivers and a sense of wild grandeur make it a favourite escape, with resorts and hiking bases spread along its length.

Highlights

• The Amphitheatre - the vast curved cliff wall of the northern range, with the Tugela Falls.
• San rock art - the ancient paintings of eland and hunters in caves and shelters.
• Hiking the escarpment - trails from valley walks to climbs onto the high plateau.
• Giant's Castle and the Central berg - peaks, rivers and reserves along the range.

When to go

April to September, the dry winter, gives the clearest skies and best walking, though nights are cold and snow can dust the peaks; summer is green but brings dramatic afternoon thunderstorms and can be dangerous high up. Spring and autumn are mild and lovely. Always check the weather before heading onto the escarpment.

What to expect

The high routes are serious mountain terrain where the weather can turn violently and quickly, with lethal lightning storms in summer and cold, mist and snow in winter; several routes need proper preparation, and some involve exposed chain ladders. It is a big region rather than one site, so where you base yourself matters. Roads to some trailheads are rough. The rock-art sites are protected and visited only with guides.

Nearby

The battlefields of KwaZulu-Natal lie to the east; the kingdom of Lesotho sits over the escarpment; Durban is a few hours away.