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Famous for their exceptional natural beauty the Drakensberg (Dragon) Mountains are South Africa's highest mountains and offer visitors a wealth of activities to participate in. The Majestic Drakensberg and the Natal MidlandsThe aptly named Drakensberg Mountains, meaning 'dragon mountains', form the highest in Southern Africa and stretch over 200 kilometres. These rugged, timeless mountains, lifted straight from the pages of Tolkein's Lord of the Rings, conjure images of ancient dragons living among their towering peaks, awesome amphitheatres and cascading waterfalls.
Nature reserves like Albert Falls and Midmar Reserve offer a wide range of activities such as boating, water-skiing, sailing, fishing, bird watching and game viewing in a temperate climate all year round. The more culturally minded can visit the many battle sites of the Zulus, Boers and British in this once hotly contested area of South Africa. |
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Known to the Zulu people as uKhahlamba which means 'barrier of spears', the Drakensberg feature over 35 000 rock and cave paintings made by the San people over a period of 4 000 years. The rock art of the Drakensberg is the largest and most concentrated group of rock paintings in Africa south of the Sahara and is outstanding both in quality and diversity of subject.
The uKhahlamba - Drakensberg Park, a world heritage site, is marked by its fascinating geological formations and exceptional natural beauty. Soaring basaltic buttresses, dramatic cutbacks, and golden sandstone ramparts contrast the rolling high altitude grasslands, pristine steep-sided river valleys and rocky gorges.
With names like Giant's Castle and Cathedral Peak, this never-ending wonderland is a hiker's and climber's paradise with a number of spectacular reserves such as the Himeville Nature Reserve, the Sehlabethebe National Park, the Golden Gate Highlands and the Sterkfontein Dam to explore. Stretching out from the valleys below the towering Drakensberg are the Natal Midlands. From the slopes of the mountains in the west to the rolling grasslands around Pietermaritzberg in the east waterfalls, lakes, dams, game reserves, Zulu villages and ancient battlefields invite visitors to explore their secrets.
