Drakensberg

Brief Description [uKhahlamba / Drakensberg Park] at UNESCO

The uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park has exceptional natural beauty in its soaring basaltic buttresses, incisive dramatic cutbacks, and golden sandstone ramparts. Rolling high altitude grasslands, the pristine steep-sided river valleys and rocky gorges also contribute to the beauty of the site. The site’s diversity of habitats protects a high level of endemic and globally threatened species, especially birds and plants. This spectacular natural site also contains many caves and rock-shelters with the largest and most concentrated group of paintings in Africa south of the Sahara, made by the San people over a period of 4,000 years. The rock paintings are outstanding in quality and diversity of subject and in their depiction of animals and human beings. They represent the spiritual life of the now extinct San people.

Northern Drakensberg

• Golden Gate National Park
• Sentinel Peak
• Royal Natal National Park

Central Drakensberg

• Cathedral peak
• Monks Cowl
• Injasuti
• Giants Castle Game Reserve
• Highmoor Nature Reserve
• Kamberg

Southern Drakensberg

• Loteni Nature Reserve
• Vergelegen Nature Reserve
• Cobham Nature Reserve
• Sani Pass
• Garden Castle Nature Reserve
• Sehlabathebe National Park

Natal Midlands

• Karkloof Nature Reserve
• Umgeni Valley Nature Reserve
• Midmar Nature Reserve

Battlefields

• Spionkop Game Reserve
• Weenen Game Reserve
• Tugela Game Reserve

National Parks making up the Drakensberg Region
as listed at the Drakensberg Tourist Map

Drakensberg Experience Route

“The Drakensberg Experience is located in the Midlands of the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. The route is centred on the Drakensberg World Heritage Site, which includes Giant’s Castle and the Central and Northern Drakensberg.

The route extends from Hidcote in the south to Sterkfontein Dam in the north, including towns such as Estcourt, Winterton, Bergville, Weenen and Geluksburg, and covering the area up to but not including the towns of Colenso and Ladysmith.”

Resources:

uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park

Drakensberg at Vertical Endeavour

SA National Parks Photo Gallery at SouthAfrica.info

Getaway to Africa presents The Lost Language of the First People

Discover Africa images of the Drakensberg