Trip to the Drakensberg in South Africa

So, on these rainy days, I’m finally getting around to writing a little travel journal about the Drakensberg.

The Dragon Mountains, known as uKhahlamba in Zulu and Maluti in Sotho or Tswana.

Roughly speaking, we can break it down into: * The far north in the Free State at Golden Gate NP (managed by Sanparks, while the rest is run by KZN Wildlife). * Royal Natal National Park with the Amphitheatre, Sentinel Peak, and its famous "hike" (which I won’t talk about since I’ve never been there—it’s still on my to-do list!). * Cathedral Peak and Didima * Monk's Cowl * Giant's Castle * Hihghmoor and Kamberg * Sani Pass (which I haven’t visited in ages and won’t cover here).

Highlands Mountain Retreat is the place to stay in Golden Gate if you can snag it. When the weather’s nice, the view is absolutely incredible—probably the most beautiful I’ve ever seen in South Africa!

Just a heads-up: it’s stunning but high up and cold, even *very* cold. The bungalows are cozy, and the little road leading there is charming. The park offers hikes ranging from easy to tough, but be warned—the maps are... not very clear or reliable, and we ended up on an endless, exhausting trek. There are plenty of animals (mostly antelopes, so not super diverse in terms of wildlife), hikes as mentioned... game drives on a paved road, and various walks. You feel remote but aren’t *that* far from civilization.

Further south, Royal Natal NP.

Once you're there, it's tricky to go back to "do some shopping in town." The little "grocery store" only stocks the basics. Thendele (via KZN Wildlife and not SANParks since you're in KwaZulu-Natal), two camps—I prefer the upper camp, which has a better view. That said, both are great.

Arrival



Upper camp, the view







You’ll spend part of your day just staring in awe at the Amphitheatre under different lighting.





And keeping an eye on your neighbors

Lots of hikes to do, from not too tough to very challenging.

We’ll stick to the not-too-tough ones: "Policeman Helmet"





and "Tiger Falls".





And?

A little stop by the lake...

A loooong time ago, this park was my first spot in the Drakensberg. We stayed outside at the Orion Mont aux Sources, went horseback riding with Apostle, our Black guide (my very first travel journal), and saw the San paintings. I didn’t recognize anything about the place except for the Policeman...

But in the late afternoon, someone in our group wondered if... if we could go see the San Paintings. It was late, but we headed to the park entrance.

Earlier that morning, I’d already taken a walk there and couldn’t resist showing off by speaking Zulu to everyone around me... Which had already made an impression (what a show-off).

"Well, yes, sir and ma’am, it’s late, the guides aren’t here anymore—couldn’t you come back tomorrow?"

I grumbled a little (just a bit), put on my sad Zulu face, and suddenly, there was a flurry of activity—phone calls everywhere to find us a guide!

We were told to meet at the trailhead because the guide (who was still in his "city clothes") was coming back for us from the village... And off we went, one of those magical moments where, alone in the mountains as the day fades, we walked through the landscape, privileged to have our own private tour.









And on top of that, the guide’s compliments! !

Further south, Monk's Cowl.

Beautiful spot, lots of hikes including several that are doable for regular folks.

Stayed outside since I’d found a hidden gem in the mountains—still civilized—with this view...

That said, access isn’t straightforward—you’re better off with a high-clearance vehicle and big tires. BB and self-catering. Friendly folks but a little paranoid about safety in South Africa.

Walks in the park





And on their property



with San paintings



This area is Champagne Valley. More touristy, with plenty of activities and roads in "good condition"—which won’t be the case farther down in the Kamberg-Highmoor section.

"Well, yes folks, it's late, the guides aren't here anymore—can't you come back tomorrow?"

I grumble a little (barely), put on my sad face, and suddenly it's all hands on deck—they're calling everywhere to find us a guide!

We're told to meet at the trailhead because the guide (who's still in his "city clothes") is coming back just for us from the village... And off we go, on one of those magical moments where, alone in the mountains as the day fades, we walk through the landscape—privileged to have our own private visit.

Hello, We went there as a couple a few years ago. Our goal was to do a hike that passed by this site... We set off without a guide (wasn’t it the right time?), and when we arrived, the site was fenced off, but the gate was open. So we walked around the place, making sure to follow the rules and not touch anything... before continuing our hike.

Thanks for this really useful travel journal!

I’ll admit that’s kinda what got me going

It's official! 2 nights booked at Thendele Camp! The rest of the itinerary is still in the works 😊

Heading down to Cath Peak and Didima.

Cath Peak is really beautiful, but it climbs quickly and steeply right from the start (from the resort, in this case).



Didima is the KZN camp with a view of the mountain....

Still lower down, Giant's Castle



Let’s focus on a common practice in South Africa (SA).

Controlled burns before spring.

Nowadays, it’s called ecological burning.

In August and September... a gentle scent of burning fills the countryside.

All over the veld and the mountains. This is done even along roadsides with intentional fires, either manual or using a sort of toaster-like device behind a tractor. It’s practiced... in the bush... some fires are set on purpose to prevent larger ones or to allow new vegetation to take over.

In the mountains... you can find perfectly defined burned areas.





That said, whether it’s accommodation or hikes, Giant’s Castle is all good.

We’re now heading to a much less crowded part that’s totally worth it.

The area south of Giant’s near Estcourt.

Two spots.

Kamberg... be warned, it’s a steep climb to reach the stunning San Paintings.





With a guide waiting—smart move—at the very top...



After visiting the tourist center...



And my favorite, Highmoor...

Several hikes that are more "flat" but watch out—they’re long...

With Giant’s constantly in the background or the valley stretching endlessly.











The only major downside is the roads, which were—two years ago—pretty much impassable.

And the lack of tourist facilities...

Let's continue down to reach the Sani Pass...

The name remains legendary, but access via Lesotho has improved a lot thanks to the new Chinese-built roads, and the descent section has also been leveled out...

So, it's less legendary now.

The beer at Africa’s highest pub is still worth it! Going up or down is still quite something... Especially depending on the weather conditions!

There are plenty of excursion options.











Don’t nitpick the photos—it was ugly out there! !