The hook
South Africa's grandest mountains, a towering wall of basalt cliffs and green foothills rising to the roof of the country, hiding thousands of ancient San rock paintings in its caves and overhangs.
01Why it's worth it
The Drakensberg, the "dragon mountains," form a huge escarpment along the border with the mountain kingdom of Lesotho, and they are the highest range in Southern Africa. The scenery is spectacular: sheer basalt buttresses and pinnacles above rolling grassland and forested valleys, with dramatic set pieces like the Amphitheatre, a five-kilometre curved wall of cliff. It is superb hiking country, from gentle valley walks to serious multi-day routes up onto the high plateau, past waterfalls (including one of the world's highest, Tugela Falls) and into remote wilderness. The range also holds one of the greatest concentrations of prehistoric rock art in the world: the San people painted thousands of images of eland, hunters, and trance scenes on its rock shelters over millennia, and many are still vivid. Cool, green, and much quieter than the safari and city circuits, it rewards walkers and lovers of mountain landscapes and deep human history alike.
02How to experience it
Base at a resort or camp in areas like the Amphitheatre (Royal Natal) or Cathedral Peak, and hike to your ability, from waterfall walks to the high escarpment. Seek out the San rock-art sites with a guide. Add the switchbacking Sani Pass up into Lesotho for the views. Spring to autumn is best; pack for changeable mountain weather.