Drakensberg Mountain Range
This mountain range is located in the eastern central area of the Republic of South Africa. West of the range is the land locked Kingdom of Lesotho.
The range forms a natural eastern international border between Lesotho and the republic. East of the escarpment, the province of KwaZulu-Natal is located.
The "Berg" as it is often referred to, consists of a high 180km long escarpment, in-cut by deep valleys that run easterly toward the Indian Ocean. In-between these valleys, peaks rising to 3300m are found. To the west of the escarpment lie large rolling mountains inhabited mostly by Basuto herdsmen who live an almost hunter gatherer lifestyle.
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| General |
This mountain range is located in the eastern central area of the Republic of South Africa. West of the range is the land locked Kingdom of Lesotho.
The range forms a natural eastern international border between Lesotho and the republic. East of the escarpment, the province of KwaZulu-Natal is located.
The "Berg" as it is often referred to, consists of a high 180km long escarpment, in-cut by deep valleys that run easterly toward the Indian Ocean. In-between these valleys, peaks rising to 3300m are found. To the west of the escarpment lie large rolling mountains inhabited mostly by Basuto herdsmen who live an almost hunter gatherer lifestyle.
The modern cities of Durban and Pietermaritzburg, are the closest major commercial infrastructure to the Drakensberg. The Berg is usually visited using a good network of roads.
Foreign visitors may find that getting to the entry points for climbing/hiking can sometimes be frustrating as there is no easily available public access system, so Tourist transfers or care hire are the best options . Distances by road from point to point can also be longer than visitors are used to.
If flying to South Africa, Durban International airport gives the best access. Pietermaritzburg also has a small airport where domestic flights can be caught. Travelling with a guided party is the best option.
The KZN Wildlife (KZNW), who manage much of the Drakensberg Park, controls access to most peaks. In order to enter these areas it is necessary to obtain a permit from the office of the ranger in charge of the relevant area. Rescue registers are located at all offices and must be completed. There is no hazard of malaria in the Berg or Durban area.
Unless you intend to be staying in one of the many KZNW hutted camps all other trips into the Drakensberg require you to be fully prepared for all eventualities. This means that you will need to carry your own shelter or tent, (unless you are using caves or the huts in Giants Castle area), Food, Sleeping bag, Cooking equipment, and clothing for any weather type or temperature. The weather can change very fast and it is common to experience four seasons in one day in the Berg.
It is recommended that the minimum party size is three to four persons and that a walking rope is carried. Even on day walks, rivers can cut you off when the Berg storms cause the rivers to swell so prepare in case you need to spend the night out.
Most of the time the weather is good by Northern Hemisphere standards. Many days can go by with perfect sunny weather. However it should be noted that the Drakensberg lies in the summer rainfall area of Southern Africa (October to March). During this time thunderstorms, accompanied by sleet and hail, could occur several days in succession. From September to April it is also usual to get periods of several days of rain and mist shrouding the summits, making climbing very unpleasant, if not impossible. Daytime temperatures can become very high and may be accompanied by high humidity.
From May until August is certainly the best time for the Drakensberg - with long spells of mild, stable skies.
These fine periods are broken by cold fronts moving in from the south west of the country, bringing rain and often-heavy snow falls even to valleys of the little Berg.
Warning: Blizzards can occur for many days, making travel at high altitude impossible, with temperatures well below freezing.
The basalt formation of the Drakensberg expresses itself in a variety of structures - peaks, buttresses, pinnacles, needles, spires and so on.
• The highest peak in the Drakensberg escarpment is Injasuti at 3459 m.
• The highest peak in Africa, south of Kilimanjaro is on the Lesotho side of the watershed and therefore not a true Drakensberg peak is known as Thabana Ntlenyana, and stands recorded at 3482 m above sea level.
Horse riding - Trout Fishing - Bass Fishing - Paragliding and Hand gliding -Ornithology and Botany - Mountain Biking and 4 x4 drives. - Bushman paintings - Golf and sports - Helicopter and light aircraft scenic rides - Anglo Boer War Battlefields
A full range of accommodation is available from the most basic to five star resorts.
Medical emergencies in the Drakensberg fall under the authority of the Provincial Ambulance and Emergency Medical Service (AEMS). However, due to the hazards and technical difficulties encountered in the Berg, the Kwa-Zulu Natal Section of the Mountain Club of South Africa carries out rescues. Helicopters from the South African Air Force support the highly efficient and well-equipped rescue team.
In the event of an accident or death, the nearest Parks Board ranger or police station should be notified as soon as possible. They will make the rescue call. Phone 10177 anywhere in KwaZulu-Natal. |
| Hiking | The Berg is a hikers paradise. There is a good net work of paths from the lower altitudes up to the 2000 meters above sea level. Above this level the vegetation is usually quite short making for easy cross-country trekking. At high altitude one can do multi day treks along the escarpment edge in a true wilderness area. | | Ice Climbing | Ice climbing in the Berg is limited to about 2 to 3 months at the end of winter. The Southern berg around Giants Castle and Sani Pass are best for this. Because of the remote nature of the area, other than at Sani Pass, ice climbing will be full mountaineering trips, with participants having to carry in all equipment and being prepared to live in the wild. | | Rock Climbing | The Drakensberg was formed by a molten Basalt layer covering sandstone beds below. Subsequent erosion has caused the deep gorges and spectacular peaks. Many climbs have rock located between broad grass ledges and scree slopes. The rock has formed into rounded overhangs, sometimes loose blocks and gullies, making the climbing often quite daunting. The Drakensberg climber must remember that mind that, these are large mountains with the usual dangers of rain, snow, lightning and rock falls. Climbs are generally on poor quality rock which is fragile and protection is usually sparse. |
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| Targeted Activities |
Hiking, Ice Climbing, Rock Climbing |
| Season Availability: |
All Year
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| Altitude: |
2000-3400 meters |
| Number of Lifts: |
0 |
| Camping: |
Allowed |
| Rescue Services: |
Mountain Rescue Services Present with Helicopter Evacuation |
| Starting Price: |
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