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The Southern Drakensberg Travel Guide The Southern Drakensberg
Area covers from Bushman's Nek in the South-East to Kamberg in the North-West
to Bulwer and includes the towns of Himeville and Underberg and the
Southern section of the uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park.
The scenic Southern Drakensberg Area is a must for any eco tourist. It is a land of great contrasts, with gently rolling hills and valleys giving way to the jagged basalt peaks of the uKhahlamba-Drakensberg mountains. The sunsets are stunning, with the superbly silhoutted peaks lingereing in the evening light - a must see! The contrast of the seasons is well defined; with the lush green and warm summers giving way to the cold dry winters. The weather here is so unpredictable that the locals never try to give even a "guestimate" on what to weather one can expect; for in an instant the area can be drenched by a thunderous storm or covered in a layer of snow. Snow is often experienced on the peaks and the higher berg, yet seldomly in the lower areas - less than once per year. The uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park [Nature Reserve] is an obvious destination choice and forms an integral focal point of this unique area, and especially so since its declaration as a World Heritage Site [Both Natural and Historical]. The many rivers, wetlands, indigenous forests and the rolling grasslands are home to a diverse range of animals and plants, including many endemic and endangered species. The Cranes - [Wattled Crane, Grey-Crowned Crane, Blue Crane] - the Cape Parrot and the Blue Swallow are all endangered or critically endangered. Fortunately viable populations do still exist in the Southern Drakensberg Area. KZN Wildlife are the custodians of the uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park and many of the smaller reserves that dot the landscape. Other than relaxation, hiking and walking are the primary activities in these reserves and there are literally hundreds of options from gentle walks to epic hikes that would test even the most seasoned of hikers endurance! Other activities include some of my favourites; birding, horse riding, fishing, swimming, cycling and canoeing. The accommodation in the park ranges from the many sandstone and basalt caves and camping to comfortable self-catering chalets (N.B. Chalets are in the Northern Areas only and many camps offer only camping so be sure to read up about each KZN Wildlife destination before you head out! ). However, bordering onto the Southern uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park are many private accommodation destinations that offer from self-catering chalets to luxury accommodation. One should not discard the smaller KZN Wildlife Reserves and Private Reserves / Establishments as they offer some interesting surprises. The only "Buffspotted Flufftail" many an avid birder or "twitcher" has seen has been in someone's garden and not in pristine nature! Accommodation in Private Reserves / Establishments is of a good to excellent quality and covers all of the EcoTravel Africa classifications, being:
The Destinations
Directory: Select
Destinations for the Southern Drakensberg Area The Private Reserves / Establishments offer a far wider range of activities and facilities than the KZN Wildlife Reserves. Everything from bowls, tennis, to golf, squash and paragliding to keep your non-eco-fanatical spouse / partner / family happy! Our selection of Eco-Destinations has taken this inevitable problem into account by selecting a range of destinations that cover a broad range of interests, such as driving up Sani Pass with Major Adventures ! Always make sure that your Field or Mountain Guide is registered with DEAT and suitably qualified. FGASA and SAMGA manage the qualifications required by the DEAT. The Southern Drakensberg Guide:
Travel Guides: • Activities & Interests • Regions & Areas• Routes • Maps • Nature Reserves • Wildlife - Fauna & Flora • |
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