- Height above sea level: 3,482 m;
- Highest point: Thabana-Ntlenjana (Lesotho);
- Countries: South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland.
The Drakensberg Mountains are a mountain chain in South Africa, famous for its unique origin and unusual forms with "cut off" peaks and sharp rock peaks. Tourists arrive in this unusual corner of the world to admire the beauty of the pristine nature, to plunge into the atmosphere of the Stone Age, studying the culture of ancient peoples, and to engage in a popular form of active recreation in these places - pony trekking.
Where are the Drakensberg Mountains?
The Drakensberg Mountains are 1,100 km long and span the territory of three countries: South Africa, Lesotho and the Kingdom of Swaziland. The average height of the mountains is estimated at 2000 m, and the maximum height reaches the peak of Thabana-Ntlenjan at 3482 m. Most of the territory of the mountains is covered by three natural reserves:
- the Drakensberg National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site;
- the National Park "Royal Natal";
- the natural park "Golden Gate Highlands", famous as the "Golden Gate" because of the unusual glow of the rock Brandvag at sunset.
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In the Zulu language, the name of the mountains sounds like "Kvatlamba", and translates "rocky place" or "pile of rocks", "barrier from copies".
There are several versions of the origin of the name of the Dragon Mountains:
- According to ancient beliefs, in these places there lives an unknown monster - a dragon, which was noticed by local residents in the 19th century.
- At the top of the mountain, at any time of the year, smoke is puffing up, which is very similar to the steam produced by the dragon from the nostrils.
- The peaks of the mountains, consisting of peaks, outwardly resemble the backbone of a mythical creature, so the ancient peoples, namely the Boers, so called these places.
What to do and see in the Drakensberg Mountains?
In these places there is a lesson for tourists with different preferences and everyone will be satisfied. The mountain of dragons attracts by the uniqueness of the landscape, unusually beautiful landscapes, special flora and fauna with rare disappearing species of plants and animals, ancient rock paintings that have been preserved for thousands of years. As entertainment, tourists are offered:
- Hiking or horseback riding (pony trekking). Duration of hikes - one or several days, including spending the night in rocky caves.
- A fascinating walk in a helicopter or a balloon with a view of the beautiful scenery from a bird's eye view.
- Safaris on off-road cars.
- Group or individual alloys on mountain rivers (rafting).
- Fishing (here is found trout).
- Playing golf.
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Landscapes and views
The dragon mountains are famous for their beautiful views and landscapes, which are opened from the tops. Enchanting pictures draw soft carpets from dense evergreen trees and waterfalls in combination with bare cliffs and rocks. Climbing to the top, you can see even the clouds under your feet.
A popular tourist destination is the Amphitheater - a natural rocky ledge, which is formed by a high 500-meter-long wall in the shape of a sickle 5 km long.
In the park "Royal Natal" the attention of tourists attracts a unique landscape of sheer rocks with a length of 8 km, which opens when viewed from the bottom up.
Also nearby you can see a very beautiful waterfall "Tugela" with a height of 948 m, consisting of 5 cascades. This waterfall is the second largest in the world.
Famous is the paradise valley of Nedemem, striking unusual beauty. Its peculiarity is that it is divided into two parts by a ravine, one of which is a juicy green spot from tropical trees, and the other is absolutely naked.
It was the landscapes of the Dragon Mountains that inspired John Tolkien to write his trilogy "The Lord of the Rings", which received worldwide recognition and fame.
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Flora and fauna
The climate of the Drakensberg Mountains differs on its different parts, which affects the diversity of flora and fauna. In the east, the humid tropical climate predominates, which causes the presence of dense greenery formed by trees and lianas. In the west - this is a dry and windy climate, so the western slopes are represented by savannas, mostly covered with shrubs. The nature of the mountains at an altitude of more than 2000 meters is represented mainly by meadows and stony steppes.
In the territory of the national park "Drakensberg" a strip with alpine vegetation is recognized, recognized by the World Endemism Center. Here you can meet such endangered species of birds as the bearded, bald ibis, the yellow-breasted horse, the Cape hyphus. Of rare mammals, you can identify the antelope oribi, white rhinoceros, zebra Berchella, black wildebeest. More than 250 species of different animals live in the territory of the Drakensberg Mountains.
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Historical heritage of the Dragon Mountains
For many years these mountain ranges have been the site of battles and battles that have affected the course of the history of South American lands. Therefore, it is very popular tours to places where in the distant past the local people "Zulus" fought with the European colonizers for their freedom, and later in these places was the famous Anglo-Boer War.
Sightseeing of the Drakensberg Mountains are cave settlements with rock carvings of ancient Bushman peoples who lived 8000 years ago. These places are considered unique, as the images are surprisingly well preserved, and the plots amaze with the richness of the imagination of the San people. Bushmen depicted ritual dances, hunting, battles, fragments of everyday life. Such places where the ancient nationalities left their mark, there are about 600, more than 40 000 drawings were found in the territory of the Drakensberg Mountains.
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How to get there?
The Drakensberg Mountains in Lesotho is a very popular tourist destination, without a trip to them, almost no one trip to the countries of South Africa. The services of tourists are offered a wide range of activities, rest in tent camps or cozy small hotels with excellent service and food. About 2 million tourists come here a year.
Get to the mountains preferably in organized groups and guided tours, accompanied by experienced tourists. The transfer is usually organized from the cities of Johansburg, Durban in South Africa. You can get there by car. To do this, on the route number 3 you need to follow to the place Harrismit, then follow the signs to the park "Natal". Travel time is about 3 hours.