The uKhahlamba Drakensberg Mountains are among the tourist destinations of the uThukela District Municipality; Tugela Falls is also in the region. Hikes with different time requirements, natural features and traces of history offer various ways to explore Uthukela. When planning, it is worth paying attention to the specific route information as well as the cultural and landscape themes.
Choose Drakensberg hikes by duration
Royal Natal National Park is a well-known hiking area. It was declared a national park in 1916 and offers hiking trails and attractive picnic spots for families. The hikes described also differ considerably: the Cathedral Peak Hike is 19 kilometres long, takes at least twelve hours, and starts and ends at Cathedral Peak Hotel.
The Amphitheatre Heritage Trail covers 25 to 30 kilometres over three days and ends in Royal Natal National Park. There are several possible starting points; Witsieshoek is one of them. The Up The Tugela River (Gorge) to the Tunnel hike offers a different time commitment: it is a 23-kilometre out-and-back route from the Mahai camp site and takes approximately seven hours.
The Icidi Pass hike starts and ends at the Mnweni Cultural Centre in Mnweni Valley. It takes at least three days and is extremely difficult. The durations given therefore range from approximately seven hours to multi-day hikes. To make your choice, you can first compare duration and route length; conditions on the trails may change. Check current trail conditions before setting out.
Fossils, landscapes and nature reserves
Wagendrift Dam and Moor Park Nature Reserve covers approximately 980 hectares and includes a picnic and fishing area. On the south side of the dam are large fossil deposits, with numerous petrified trees exposed at the surface. On Makhabeni Hill, overlooking Moor Park, there is also an Iron Age site dating to around 1300 AD. Landscape and history are reflected here in several specific details, without requiring the same kind of outing.
Rugged Glen Nature Reserve is part of the Drakensberg uKhahlamba Park and borders the northern foothills of Royal Natal National Park. Spioenkop Dam Nature Reserve also has historical significance: the dam was the site of one of the bloodiest battles of the Anglo-Boer War.
Culture, crafts and historic sites
In the Drakensberg region, cultural travellers can explore rock paintings; Mnweni Cultural Village is also a cultural tourism attraction. Thandanani, a cooperative of local craftspeople, sells crafts typical of the region. These experiences complement the hikes with culture and crafts, without requiring you to follow a particular route.
Historic battlefields are among the tourist destinations of the uThukela District Municipality. Ladysmith Siege Museum is a site on the Battlefields Route. Free guided tours of the Eskom (Tuva) Drakensberg Pumped Storage Scheme are also offered in the region; check availability before your trip. The Drakensberg Canopy Tour is located in an indigenous forest in the Central Drakensberg, in the shadow of Cathkin Peak. Drakensberg Horse Trails offers a riding experience in the Northern Drakensberg, with mountain rides, river crossings and rides across plains.
A look at the wider KwaZulu-Natal destination
KwaZulu-Natal also offers a broader natural and cultural context: uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park is designated an Important Bird Area. Maloti-Drakensberg Park contains an estimated 690 rock art sites; its rock art forms the largest and most concentrated group of rock paintings in sub-Saharan Africa. The park also provides an important refuge for more than 250 endemic plant species.
Discover more destinations: Bonjaneni, Ladysmith, Estcourt, Loskop, Colenso, Cremin, Waaihoek, Mansana.
For the wider travel overview: Kwazulu-Natal.
