Visit the Drakensberg, South Africa

Known in Zulu as Quathlamba (‘Battlement of Spears’), the Drakensberg rises like a great green fortress, forming a natural border between South Africa and Lesotho. Basalt buttresses jut into the sky and folds of land create deep valleys where waterfalls plunge into rock pools and rivulets seep down the sheer mountain faces.

Unsurprisingly, hiking is a popular pastime here. The mountains are riddled with trails, some more strenuous than others, set against one of the most impressive backdrops on the continent.

You can also explore by mountain bike or on horseback, or take a 4x4 along the Sani Pass into Lesotho. Meanwhile, tucked away in the area’s caves, you’ll find 2,000-year-old San rock art.

Drive just three hours northwest of Durban and you’ll reach the Drakensberg, its wall of rock rising like an impenetrable barrier. Mostly covered in a velvet carpet of grass and mossy forest, the mountains are far from barren. Exploring the escarpment’s valleys and peaks, you’ll pass babbling streams, encounter grazing eland and can begin to identify some of the region’s 300 or so bird species, including the endemic mountain pipit and the endangered Cape vulture.

Hiking is one of the best ways to take in the landscape and crisp mountain air. In areas such as Giant’s Castle, you can follow trails independently or in the company of a local guide, who can tailor walks to your interests and fitness level and tell you more about the region’s geology, flora and fauna.

Another of the most rewarding areas for hiking in the Drakensberg lies within the Royal Natal National Park. Known as the Amphitheatre, it’s a 5 km (3 mile) curve of rock over which the Tugela River spills. Stand in its midst and you’ll see the thin wisp of water falling 500 m (1,640 ft) down the valley side, forming the Tugela Falls.

The lodges in the Drakensberg tend to offer a variety of outdoor activities. You could join guided horse riding trips, which cater to different abilities, whether you want to stick to gentle rides over flat fields or make exhilarating descents and ascents.

You can also go trout fishing or try a more exhilarating activity such as white-water rafting.

Spending time in this landscape, you can almost sense its age. For millennia, it has captured the human imagination, including that of the San People, indigenous hunter-gatherers who roamed this area thousands of years ago.

You can join guided trips to see some of the rock paintings they left behind, which have lined the walls of caves for more than 2,000 years. Illustrations range from animals of the time, including the eland you still see today, to human figures and symbols that are open to interpretation.

Crossing the Sani Pass

In the southern Drakensberg, we can arrange for you to experience the switchbacks of the Sani Pass, a steep 9 km (5.6 mile) mountain pass that takes you up to the highest point in Africa accessible by vehicle.

You’ll travel in a 4x4 driven by a guide experienced in navigating the pass’s narrow hairpin bends and rough tracks.

As you ascend 1,332 m (4,370 ft), you’re surrounded by wavy mountainsides and green rock-strewn valleys. The road you’ve just followed zig-zags behind you, and you’ll pass the occasional waterfall trickling down the valley side.

At the summit, which is 2,876 m (9,436 ft) above sea level, you pass the border into the Kingdom of Lesotho (undergoing a passport check). Then, you can sit down for a drink at the Sani Mountain Lodge — the self-proclaimed ‘highest pub in Africa’ — soaking up all-encompassing views over the pass before your descent.

Best time to visit the Drakensberg

The best time for hiking is in autumn (April and May) or spring (September and October). The days are warm at this time, but cooler than during the hotter summer months (November to March), when you’ll also experience daily thunderstorms. July and August are cooler and there might be snow on the peaks.