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Drakensberg travel info Known to the Zulu people as Ukhahlamba, or 'Barrier of Spears', the Mountains of the Dragon provide a magnificent semi-circular border between KwaZulu-Natal and the inland mountain kingdom of Lesotho.
The Drakensberg Range is the source of the Tugela River, the largest river in the Province, and it plunges some 2 000 meters over the edge of the Mont-aux-Sources Plateau in a spectacular waterfallm, the Tugela Falls.
The escarpment is frequently covered in snow in the winter months, transforming the area into a picture-postcard winter wonderland. This area is popular for hikers, rock climbers, trout fishermen, and other holidaymakers. For the more adventurous there are many trails, which use caves in the mountains as overnight stops. A weekend of hiking and climbing, interspersed with dips in the icy pools and rivers, goes a long way to restoring those weary of city life.
Carpets of wild flowers herald the spring and in autumn the fields along the Drakensberg are often waist-high with a sea of confetti-like pink, white and deep velvet red cosmos blossoms. In the higher reaches on the slopes of the Little Berg, varieties of protea trees show their prehistoric flowers.
The mountains also contain thousands of Bushman painting sites, evidence of the small, primitive San people who practised a prehistoric life style in the area long ago. The earliest of these paintings are about 800 years old, and the golden age of the painters was between 400 and 200 years ago.
Seasons
The autumn months (Apr-May) are the most pleasant. Spring (Sep-Oct) is also very appealing, because at that time the wild flowers are in full bloom.
Wildlife
More than 300 bird species have been recorded.
You may see: Bushbuck, oribi, mountain reedbuck, tiny duiker, eland, baboons, mountain reedbuck, grey rhebuck, grey duiker, eland, klipspringer, bushbuck, oribi, leopard, caracal, serval, jackal, otter, mongoose, genet, porcupine, back to Drakensberg top
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