Hiking paradise with dramatic scenery
North of Durban on the border with Lesotho lie the elongated Drakensberg Mountains. From the car you can already look forward to mighty fine views and great scenic variety. If you have the time and are sporty, take several days because this area is ideal for hiking and mountaineering. You will walk across gentle slopes and along babbling mountain streams, with jagged peaks looming in the distance. As you ascend further into the heights, the treks become more challenging, but the reward is great: wherever you are in the Drakensberg Mountains, it is breathtakingly beautiful and rugged; a combination of tranquility and beauty. The Giant's Castle N.R and Royal Natal N.P. guarantee spectacular views of the mountain range. Sometimes fog banks roll over the ridge, and then suddenly the sun breaks through making colors intensely deep. Where the world can't find you...
Imposing moose and prehistoric petroglyphs
Along the way, look out for the imposing moose(Common moose or Southern elk). This second-largest antelope can weigh as much as 700 pounds, and it nevertheless jumps over more than two-meter-high obstacles. The moose can often be seen at Lotheni and Giant's Castle. To this day, the moose has great spiritual significance for the Bushmen. Therefore, the moose regularly figures on Bushmen rock drawings. Caves with many thousands of petroglyphs can be found in the surrounding area. Bird lovers will enjoy the Drakensberg Mountains. Among others, you will find the Cape ibis, the Bearded Vulture and the Cape Woodpecker.
