The Amphitheater, Drakensberg, South Africa, is a place with mythological vibes. Here, you feel like a dragon is going to come out of the fog and fly between the scraggy peaks. The 850-meter cliffs are a gigantic horseshoe made entirely of rock, located on the uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park. Sometimes clouds flow between the rocks, and then they lift and uncover the valley below.
Drakensberg means “dragon mountain” in Afrikaans, another reason to go there and discover its stunning scenery.
Activity/Place Highlights
The Cathedral Peak
In this park, there’s a variety of terrains that are worth exploring. One of them is the Cathedral Peak with its splendid scenery; one of the most climbed peaks in Drakensberg. It can be climbed as a day hike, and the routes are one of the easiest.
The Devil’s Tooth
If you’re experienced in climbing and you want to take the challenge, then you should definitely try to climb the Devil’s Tooth. This one is a pretty serious route and not for beginners. In the past, it used to be considered an impossible climb, but nowadays it’s just one of the toughest challenges.
The Tugela Falls
Also, there’s an amazing waterfall called “Tugela Falls”, the second tallest waterfall of the word, right after the Angel Falls in Venezuela. Instead of being just one uninterrupted drop, the Tugela Falls is made up of five different free-leaping falls. Together, they add upto 948 meters.
Since the Tugela River doesn’t flow consistently over the year, the Tugela Falls sometimes is completely dry. However, if you visit at the right time of the year, the falls are easily visible from the main road. Rainy days give the best views of the waterfall.
How to get there
You can get to the Drakensberg mountainby taking a two-hour drive from Pietermaritzburg. On the other hand, from Johannesburg it will take you five hours. You can find various lodges where you can stay, and they are pretty close to each other. Since they are close to the park, you can get an easy access to it. However, don’t forget that you have to use the main roads. You may be tempted to use other routes, but they’re going to be rough and will have no services.
Inside Information
You can surely find a hiking guide available for purchase at the Visitor Centre, located in the main entrance gate. The guide will show you a map of the park and explain the network of hiking paths on the area.
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