Drakensberg Adventures

Drakensberg Adventures and Activities.

Hiking on the high escarpment of the Drakensberg in KwaZulu-Natal, where you’ll seldom encounter another soul, is one of South Africa’s most iconic adventures. Encompassed within the Ukhahlamba Drakensberg Park, South Africa’s highest peaks and longest mountain range are home to the endangered bearded vulture and an unrivaled collection of ancient and mystical rock art. It is also home to wild adventure and is the only place in South Africa where you can do ice climbing.

Apart from pure leg labour, there is only one other way to the top; a tortuous and breath-taking drive up the Sani Pass, and most 4x4 tours of the Drakensberg will include this route. Heli-mountain biking will get you some way up, into the higher foothills. The gravity-enhanced rollercoaster ride down is a mountain biker's dream come true. Otherwise, a hot air balloon flight will lift you gently upwards to marvel at the basalt domes and spires and sandstone cliffs.

Because of the altitude, tough access, and unpredictable weather, most of the Drakensberg’s numerous adventure attractions take place in the velvety folded foothills and lower valleys. Here you will find tumbling streams and rideable rivers offering further scope for the active and enthusiastic visitor in the form of kayaking and river rafting trips. Aerial cableway trails and big swings catapult whooping people through indigenous forests and across ravines. Paragliders brighten the sky with their colorful canopies. Friendly horses carry sightseers along scenic trails. Adventure bikers explore quiet winding backroads that lead from one quaint rural town to another.

The higher peaks and escarpment of the Drakensberg have a magnetic pull for those seeking adventure in its purest form. Put on your pack and respond to the call. To truly appreciate this bastion of wildness, guided hiking expeditions are the way to go.