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An historic Drakensberg mountain pass
Langalibalele Pass, KwaZulu-Natal
Giant's Castle – winter in the Drakensberg.
© Chris Marais
Did you know?
Shortly after his release in from prison in 1990, Nelson Mandela laid a wreath on Langalibalele’s grave near Estcourt.
Ah, Giant’s Castle at the end of a long winter. The russet-toned land is sleeping. There is a great silence, punctuated only by the distant call of an elusive bearded vulture.
These Drakensberg ridges are lined with snow, and the lower sandstone hills are a study in sepia. The air is cold, and there is a chill on your exposed cheeks.
This place, like most of the Drakensberg range, was once the domain of the San (also known as Bushmen). Their exquisite artwork adorns many caves and overhangs in these mountains.Near Giant’s Castle is a passage once called the Bushman’s Pass, which the San used to cross back and forth from Lesotho. It has been renamed Langalibalele Pass.
Langalibalele (which means ‘the sun is boiling hot’ in Zulu) was chief of the amaHlubi, an Nguni ethnic group. Many of the Hlubi men worked in the diamond fields of Kimberley, and instead of being paid in cash, they were given firearms.
The British colonial government in the then-Natal ordered the Hlubi to register its firearms. Langalibalele baulked at this directive and hostilities were declared.
He decided to take his people over the Bushman’s Pass into Lesotho.
Major Anthony Durnford led the colonial forces trying to prevent this passage. The skirmish that ensued on 3 November 1873 was chaotic, and left five colonial soldiers dead.
There were massive reprisals by the British, and on 11 December 1873, Langalibalele surrendered. He was sentenced to life imprisonment on Robben Island.
In 1875 he was transferred to Uitvlug Farm near Pinelands in Cape Town and held there for 12 years.
In 1887 he was sent to the Swartkop location near Pietermaritzburg and held under house arrest for 2 years until his death.
These days hikers make their way up from the Giant’s Castle Camp to the historic Langalibalele Pass.
On their way, they will encounter ‘Rock 75’, a large boulder with the number 75 painted on it by members of the 75th Regiment Royal Engineers involved in the so-called ‘Langalibalele Rebellion’.
Further on, they come to the Main Caves Bushman Museum, which has a reconstructed display of a San family going about its daily business. There are very good examples of San rock art in the area.
In the words of the late South African painter, Walter Battiss, who was one of the first to champion the importance of San rock art: ‘No artist has said more, saying less ...’
Travel tips & Planning info
Who to contact
KwaZulu-Natal Wildlife (Giant’s Castle)
Central reservations: +27 (0)33 845 1000
Email: webmail@kznwildlife.com
Private accommodation in Giant’s Castle area
Email: andrew@drakensberg-tourism.com
Midlands Meander
Tel: +27 (0)33 330 8195
Email: administration@midlandsmeander.co.za
How to get here
Visitors coming from the north should turn off the N3 into Estcourt. At the intersection of Conner and Lorne streets, turn on to the Ntabamhlope road and follow the signs to Giant's Castle.
Visitors from the south should turn off the N3 into Mooi River, go through the town and follow the Giant's Castle signs to the reserve 64km away.
Around the area
The lush KwaZulu-Natal Midlands are approx. 100km away – an excellent day-drive option, with lunch included at 1 of the many fine restaurants on the Midlands Meander.
Tours to do
Champagne breakfasts, barbeques and sundowners at the Lammergeyer Hide (vulture restaurant); visits to the Main Caves Bushman Museum and San rock-art shelter, with over 450 rock art paintings – the guided tour costs R270 per person; organised trips to Kamberg ‘Pass Shelter’, regarded as 1 of finest rock art shelters in the world.
Get around
The best way to get around the Drakensberg locations is by driving yourself or on a guided tour from centres such as Johannesburg or Durban.
What will it cost
Daily visitor entry to the Giant’s Castle Nature Reserve: R30 for adults, R15 for children.
The reserve's chalet prices range from R720 per unit to R3 300, depending on the size of the chalet.
Private lodges and guest houses have their individual prices – check the listed websites.
Length of stay
Giant’s Castle warrants a 3-day visit.
What to pack
Pack seasonally for the outdoors – and even if you come in summer, bring something warm for the odd chilly evening.
Where to stay
Giant’s Castle Camp has 43 chalets of different sizes, including a ‘honeymoon unit’, which has a very private setting with a lovely view of the mountains. All units are equipped with satellite TV.
There are also a number of private lodges and guest houses outside the reserve – check the listed Giant’s Castle website for options.
What to eat
Giant’s Castle Camp has a restaurant providing full catering, and many guest houses in the area pride themselves on their menus, which are full and varied.
What's happening
Check the listed KwaZulu-Natal and Midlands Meander websites for details of events in the area during your stay.
Best buys
Some exquisite craft objects like fine pottery or silverware along the Midlands Meander.