We recently spent a week in the gorgeous uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park. The park is one of KwaZulu-Natal’s two UN World Heritage Sites, along with the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, due to its stunning natural beauty, wildlife diversity, and concentration of San rock paintings (the largest in the world!).
Basing ourselves in the Underberg and Himeville area in the south, we explored the Garden Castle Nature Reserve, Mzimkhulu Wilderness Area and surroundings.
Drakensberg means ‘dragon mountains’ in Afrikaans, and is also known as uKhahlamba or ‘barrier of spears’ in Zulu. The mountains form the border between South Africa and Lesotho, and reach over 3,300 metres at the highest peak.
For obvious reasons, the area is a hiker’s paradise. But nothing we can write here could live up to how beautiful this park is in real life – we hope you enjoy!
Hiking in the Garden Castle Nature Reserve, uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park
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A wildflower in the Garden Castle Nature Reserve Drakensberg mountains
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A view of the Garden Castle Nature Reserve, Drakensberg mountains
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View of Rhino PeakGarden Castle Nature Reserve, Drakensberg mountains
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Hiking to San Rock Art, Garden Castle Nature Reserve, Drakensberg mountains
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View of the Garden Castle Nature Reserve, Drakensberg Mountains
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View of Rhino Peak, 3051m, Garden Castle Nature Reserve, Drakensberg mountains
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View from Pillar Cave, on the way to Rhino Peak, Garden Castle Nature Reserve, Drakensberg mountains
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Wildflowers in the Garden Castle Nature Reserve, Drakensberg mountains
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View of the dam at the beautiful Castleburn Resort, Drakensberg mountains
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Sunset at the beautiful Castleburn resort