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Barrier of Spears
uKhahlamba-Drakensberg
Spectacular views characterise the Drakensberg
© South African Tourism
For mountain grandeur nothing beats the uKhahlamba-Drakensberg, the largest, longest (1 000 km) and highest mountain range (many peaks are over 3000 m) in South Africa. Meaning “Dragon Mountain” or 'Barrier of Spears', its mountains form the backbone of the Maloti-Drakensberg Transfrontier Conservation and Development Area between the Kingdom of Lesotho and South Africa.
It’s a Ramsar and a World Heritage Site and contains the largest and most concentrated group of San rock paintings in Africa south of the Sahara - some 600 known sites. Rich in biodiversity, 2 153 plant, 299 bird, 48 mammal and reptile species are found here including eland, sacred to the San hunter gatherers, and endangered Cape and bearded vultures.
Hike its gorges, climb its peaks and frozen waterfalls, fly over its majestic amphitheatre, hang-glide its sheer cliffs, or kloof its ravines (same as canyoning) – views this awesome, are unequalled anywhere. Here too, some of the country’s biggest rivers converge in a mountain wilderness of raptors, waterfalls and breathtaking vistas, that are snow-capped in winter and lusciously green in summer.