The river rises at the western end of the Mount-aux-Sources plateau, finds its way to and then plunges over the Amphitheatre's rim in an 850 metre long series of dramatic cascades and falls, one of which drops a sheer 183 metre and then flows eastwards 322 kilometres to the Indian Ocean. In mid-winter the uppermost cascade freezes to a stalactite-like sheet of ice. A superb 11-kilometre path leading up the Tugela River to its spectacular gorge near the foot of the waterfall, without any climbing necessary, is one of the finest walks in South Africa. There are 31 different walks in the area of the park and climbing possibilities are innumerable, ranging from easy to extremely severe.