Choose your country and language:

Africa

  • Global
  • Angola
  • Botswana
  • DRC
  • Ethiopia
  • Ghana
  • Kenya
  • Malawi
  • Mozambique
  • Namibia
  • Nigeria
  • South Africa
  • Tanzania
  • Uganda
  • Zambia
  • Zimbabwe
  • shotLeft

Americas

  • USA
  • Argentina
  • Brazil

Asia Pacific

  • China
  • India
  • Japan
  • South Korea
  • Australia

Europe

  • France
  • Germany
  • Italy
  • Netherlands
  • United Kingdom
Back

AA haven for adventurous travellers. From the simple pleasure of walking one of many trails, to exploring the rugged mountain peaks the Zulus call uKhahlamba—“the barrier of spears”—the Drakensberg experience offers you adventure, nature, culture and angelic hymns.

Set aside a good few days for the Drakensberg tour as there is so much to see and do, so many villages in its valleys to explore, trails to hike, people to encounter and sites to visit. Located in the Midlands of the KwaZulu-Natal province, it is centred on the Drakensberg World Heritage Site, which includes Giants Castle and the Central and Northern Drakensberg. The route extends from Hidcote in the south to Sterkfontein Dam in the north.

Did You Know?
GGiants Castle, part of the Drakensberg Experience Route, was one of the first conservation areas on the continent.

VVisit the 900m-high Tugela Falls, or hike the Mnweni Valley, view Cathedral Peak Valley and the Rock Art Centre at Didima, then take a visit to Champagne Valley where Champagne Castle and Cathkin Peak dominate. A must is Injisuthi Valley, which features South Africa’s highest peak, and Giants Castle with its famous San paintings. There is also a choice of three game reserves close by, one of which has the Big Five.

EExplore the Anglo-Boer battlefields like Spioenkop, Fort Durnford and Fere, the place of Winston Churchill's capture during the Anglo-Boer War. If you have extra time, a highlight of this area has to be a performance by the world-famous Drakensberg Boys’ Choir, with the magnificent peaks forming a perfect backdrop.

To the south, the freestanding basalt block of Giants Castle looms large, clouds streaming off its flanks. Just out of sight is another one of the Drakensberg's highest peaks, the delightfully named Old Woman Grinding Corn. Part of the magic of the mountains is in their names, given to them for their shapes, sculpted by water and weather: Cathedral's Peak, Devil's Tooth, Champagne Castle, Monk's Cowl, and the Sentinel, to name a few.

TThe Drakensberg is immensely important in terms of culture. Almost every rocky overhang has San rock art with an estimated 35 000 paintings in all. Some have said this mountain range is the greatest outdoor art gallery in the world.

The mountains protect rolling grasslands and endemic species, and are critically important in their role as a massive water catchments area. It was for these reasons that the Drakensberg Mountains were declared a World Heritage Site (natural and cultural) in 2000. Thendele Camp at Royal Natal National Park in the Northern Berg presents one of the Drakensberg Experience Route's most compelling views.

Who to contact
How to get there
Best time to visit
Around the area
Tours to do
Get around
Length of stay
What to pack
Where to stay
What's happening

Related articles

Breathtaking scenery

Go on, spoil yourself with a weekend getaway with the girls

Breathtaking scenery
Go on, spoil yourself with a weekend getaway with the girls
Here’s our top picks on where to let your hair down, toast to great friendships with KwaZulu-Natal’s scenic landscape as a backdrop
Breathtaking scenery

Find your inner social media guru at these image-worthy places around SA

Breathtaking scenery
Find your inner social media guru at these image-worthy places around SA
Here’s our top 5 places where students can find inspiration and the confidence to post image-worthy pictures on their social platforms.
Breathtaking scenery

Calling all students – explore these top 10 spots in SA

Breathtaking scenery
Calling all students – explore these top 10 spots in SA
Here are our top 10 picks where you can take a Shot’Left to relax, get adventurous or simply let loose and have a jol.
Active adventure

Students, find Inspiration when visiting these educational spots around SA

Active adventure
Students, find Inspiration when visiting these educational spots around SA
Whether you’re studying archaeology, marine biology, zoology or even an unrelated field, you’re bound to find inspiration at our top 10 pick of educational spots around South Africa.
Breathtaking scenery

The delight and complexity of South African architecture

Breathtaking scenery
The delight and complexity of South African architecture
If calamity were to strike humanity, and archaeologists of a distant future were to enquire about how we lived, they would draw upon our architecture to paint a picture of who we were.
Breathtaking scenery

Beachwood Mangrove Nature Reserve - endemic treasures

Breathtaking scenery
Beachwood Mangrove Nature Reserve - endemic treasures
Take a walk along a series of boardwalks—see and smell red, white and black mangroves flourishing alongside wading birds, mudskippers and crabs, and finish with a breathtaking view of Durban.
Breathtaking scenery

The fascination of South African cave adventures

Breathtaking scenery
The fascination of South African cave adventures
South Africa offers a variety of caves for you to explore, from hominid fossil sites and ancient San cave paintings.

South Africa on social media