| >
Travelogues > Southern Africa> |
Hiking the Drakensberg
Stretching over some 200 kilometers, from the Sentinal in the north to Bushman's Nek in the south, the Natal Drakensberg is one of the largest protected areas in Southern Africa.  Covering over 600,000 acres in the Kwazulu/Natal province, the area consists of six game parks and six state forests. It is a world of spectacular sandstone cliffs, towering peaks - often snow capped - waterfalls, soaring buttresses and it's the home of the bearded vulture, the Lammergaier.
Giants Castle is a favorite. An easy trail traverses the gentle foothill area, where the wildlife is incredible. Look out for baboons, many species of birds, unusual wildflowers and woody plants. If you long for heights, Cathedral Peak is a good choice. This mystical area is also the home of many ancient Bushman paintings. We made it to the top and back in a day, and the view was overwhelming. On a clear day you can see every peak of the mountain range! Based at Tendele camp you can spend a week at the Amphitheater, hiking a different trail every day. Little wonder then that the 'Berg' are South Africa's most popular backpacking and mountaineering area.
SOUTH AFRICA LANGUAGE - South Africa has 11 official languages. CLIMATE - South Africa's climate is healthy and invigorating, and due to the size of the country, varied. Each time of the year offers something different for the visitor. Among the most popular excursions are visits to the country's many superb game parks and game reserves, the most well known being Kruger National Park - not far from South Africa's largest city, Johannesburg. In Kruger one may have the opportunity to see all of the "Big Five" - leopard, lion, elephant, rhino and cape buffalo. Accommodation ranges from simple National Park lodges to some of the finest private tented camps in the world - with no amenity forgotten. Cape Town, on the southwest coast of South Africa, is a vibrant contrast to the game experience. With picturesque Table Mountain setting off the city one can also visit the Winelands area and Cape Point - food, drink and fantastic scenery await any visitor to Cape Town. Magnificent mountain scenery in the famed Drakensberg, the ancient forests of Tsitsikamma, the winding roads and historic sites of the Garden Route - all will enrapture the visitor. It is all of this -sancutuaries teeming with wildlife, glorious beaches, gracious winelands, cosmopolitan cities and a rich, diverse cultural heritage which make up South Africa - A World in One Country. |
