Northern Drakensberg Nature Reserves

Royal Natal National Park easily features some of the most spectacular mountain scenery in Africa. The star of the show is the famous Amphitheatre, a massive 500-metre high rock wall that stretches for five kilometres. Standing like a sentinel above the Amphitheatre is Mont-aux-Sources peak. From here, Tugela Falls, the second highest waterfall in the world cascades down the face of the Amphitheatre on its journey to the Indian Ocean. The park is a hiker’s paradise offering a network of hiking paths ranging from a gentle stroll to Fairy Glen and the challenging Crack and Mudslide. A detailed hiking guide is available at the visitor centre, Thendele Camp office and the main entrance gate. Trout fishing is also a popular activity with options of the Mahai River, Thukela River or in a dam. There are some lovely spots for picnicking and swimming in sparkling mountain streams. Rugged Glen stables offer horse rides into the mountains with stunning views and sightings of mountain reedbuck and grey rhebuck.

The lofty spire of Cathedral Peak soars above several craggy pinnacles of the Cathedral range. This region of magnificent mountain vistas is one of the favourites in the ‘Berg’ for hiking and rock climbing. The most trodden hiking trails include Cathedral Peak, the Organ Pipes and Ndedema Gorge boasting a variety of San rock art. The landscape is dominated by what is known as the massive Ridge of the Horns. Stretching four kilometres, this range features some of the most spectacular peaks in South Africa including Cathedral Peak, Bell, Outer Horn, Inner Horn and the Chessmen. If you have a 4WD vehicle venture to the top of Mike’s Pass to see superb views of the Central Drakensberg. The Rainbow Gorge as well as the Didima Resort and San Art Centre; an Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife Project is well worth a visit. Photo credit: Cathedral Peak Hotel.

An easy 35-kilometre drive from Ladismith or 14 kilometres from Winterton will get you to Spioenkop Dam Nature Reserve, a popular weekend getaway for watersport junkies. The savannah landscape around the dam is home to interesting wildlife including white rhino, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, numerous antelope and prolific bird life. The views from the summit of Spioenkop Mountain are breathtaking. You can spend hours gazing out over lush green plains to the mesmerising Drakensberg peaks extending from Giant’s Castle to the Sentinel in Royal Natal Park. The Discovery Trail presents two wonderful hiking options, a 3 or 6 kilometre loop around the southern shore in an area free of dangerous game. Various picnic sites are dotted around the dam’s edge.

Famous for its golden sandstone cliffs and abundant antelope and zebra herds, Golden Gate Highlands National Park nestles in the rolling foothills of the Maluti Mountains. The park is named for the glowing golden ciffs lit by the sun, paticularily the imposing Brandwag rock. This unique reserve is a true highland habitat. Wildlife you are likely to see are black wildebeest, eland, blesbok, oribi, springbok and Burchell's zebra. If you're lucky you could spot the rare bearded vulture (lammergeier) and the equally rare bald ibis, which breed on the ledges in the sandstone cliffs. Try to visit the Vulture Restaurant! Ribbokkop, the highest point in the park, reveals a breathtaking tapestry of red, yellow and purple hues as its warm shades merge with the cool mountain shadows towards evening. Other stunning lookout points are the Zuluhoek lookout point, Generaalskop viewpoint (third highest point in the park); Oribi basin and Drakensberg view. Hikers can chose from various day trails (varying from 1 hour to 5 hours) or the awesome two day Rhebok Hiking Trail (2 days and 1 night). Up for an African cultural experience? Get to experience the Basotho way of living dating back to the sixteen century by tasting traditional cuisine and learn about the traditional equipment and weapons at the Basotho Cultural Village. The Herbal Trail introduces visitors to the medicines that were (and still are) used by the African Traditional Healers.