A national asset which boasts the most magnificent scenery in the Northern Berg, the spectacular 8000 ha Royal Natal National Park gained it’s regal prefix after a visit by the British Monarch King George VI and Queen Elizabeth in March 1947. The walking and riding paths in the park are a sheer delight. There are 31 paths, ranging from easy going to very strenuous – and each one leads to a spectacular beauty spot. There are a range of well established tourism facilities in the vicinity of the park, as well as accommodation to suit all tastes. Forming a backdrop to the park are the 1000 m sheer basalt cliffs of the Amphitheatre. Recognized as one of the great scenic showpieces of southern Africa – and certainly one of the most painted and photographed – the wall of the amphitheatre stretches across 4 km, between the Eastern Buttress (3047 m) in the south and the Beacon Buttress (3121 m) and the Sentinel (3165 m) to the north.

TROUT AND BASS FISHING

One of the best kept secrets of the Drakensberg is it’s abundance of excellent trout and bass fishing. The rivers and well stocked dams are regular favourites with the serious and skilled fly fisherman who is in the know – although this should not daunt uninitiated visitors who wish to try their hand at this most challenging and personally satisfying of angling pursuits. The demands of trout and bass fishing are not the sort of action to appeal to a day tripper out for a quick catch ( and locals are reluctant to encourage this sort of casual angling) – but as a resident guest, you can be sure that your resort host will do everything to help you enjoy this treasure of the Drakensberg.

SCENIC SELF DRIVES

There are a number of scenic routes in the Drakensberg that can be comfortably and safely driven in the family car. Allow yourself enough time to drive at least one of the following during your stay in the Berg, all of which are majestically beautiful: Injasuti Drive; Amphitheatre Drive; Monks Cowl Drive; Oliviershoek Pass; Mikes Pass; (Cathedral Peak Valley); Golden Gate; Witsieshoek Mountain Drive. Route maps and details of these drives, as well as surrounding attractions, are available from the Drakensberg Tourism office in Bergville, as well as from local accommodation establishments.

DRAKENSBERG BOYS CHOIR

The central Berg is home to the internationally acclaimed Drakensberg Boys Choir School and the region is justifiably proud of the boys – all aged between nine and fifteen and from various cultural backgrounds. The choir has toured extensively, establishing an enviable reputation before audiences as far a field as the United States, Europe, Israel and the Far East. If the boys are not on holiday or touring, a public performance is held every Wednesday afternoon in the school auditorium, which has excellent acoustics. As the choir has achieved an international reputation for maintaining an exceptional musical standard, many first time concert goers expect to hear only classical and formal choral music. They come away delighted and refreshed after a varied programme of jazz, popular, religious, classical and folk music. Talented musicians perform in quartets or smaller groups, displaying the versatility that has made the choir famous. Don’t miss a performance by the Drakensberg Boys Choir.

VULTURE RESTAURANTS

Although some 250 bird species have been recorded in the Berg – nearly a quarter of all species found in southern Africa – it is the birds of prey which are most at home in the upper reaches of the mountains. Impressive predators such as Black Eagles, Cape Vulture – also commonly known as the lammergeyer. Largest of Africa’s birds of prey, these giant raptors have a wingspan of nearly 3 m, allowing them to soar at great height and speed between the towering peaks and along the crags. Although capable of carrying off a lamb, the Bearded Vulture’s (Lammergeyer) preferred meal is carrion, and particularly the marrow in bones. Witnessing these giant birds dropping bones while in flight, allowing them to shatter on the rocks below before swopping down to extract the marrow with their long, scooped tongues is truly a memorable experience. There are several hides in the Berg from which visitors can watch the bearded vulture (Lammergeyer) and other rare raptors planning the thermals, or feeding on carcasses that have been laid out to them. One of the more popular is a Giant’s Castle in the Central Berg. Ask your hotel, lodge or camp – as well as the information officers in the area – for the locations of the hides and, more importantly, the times of feeding.

HORSE RIDING

Horse Riding in the Berg is a great way to spend a day, and the full length of the Drakensberg is negotiable on horseback. If you are a novice rider, your mountain holiday is the ideal time to acquire some horseback skills, as there are numerous spectacular bridle paths that can be comfortably managed by the inexperienced rider. If you are confident in the saddle, this is an opportunity to explore the foothills and experience the true magic of the mountains – including one unforgettable trail leading to the summit of Mont – Aux- Sources. Almost all the resorts in the Berg offer guided horse trails, and several include overnight adventure rides for groups of five or more.

FLORA AND FAUNA

Binoculars and a spotting list are essential items of equipment for bird watchers visiting the Berg, for there are more than 250 bird species in the region, including the Natal Sugarbird, the rare Wattled Crane, swifts, sunbirds, kingfishers and the Orange Breasted Rockjumper. The higher reaches are home to the bold and powerful birds of prey- the magnificent Bearded Vulture (Lammergeyer), the Cape Vulture, Black Eagle, Martial Eagle and the Jackal Buzzard. The vegetation of the Berg is determined by altitude and aspect (orientation of the sun), resulting in many diverse forms of plant life. Erica, lichens and moss thrive in the alpine summit regions. Below 2800 m scrub and tussock grass grow in exposed areas while ferns, rare cycads and indigenous trees are found in deep gorges and gullies. The abundant and perennial supply of water in the Berg provides rich, plentiful grazing and the area is a habitat for a quarter of the mammal species indigenous to southern Africa. The game list includes blesbok, black wildebeest, eland, zebra, red hartebeest, mountain reedbuck, duiker, grey rhebuck and jackal.

SAN ROCK ART AND CAVE MUSEUM

The Berg has long been famous for the wealth of rock art that is a legacy of the San people (Bushmen) who inhabited southern Africa for thousands of years before the arrival of the first settlers. At the beginning of the 19^th century fierce competition for land resulted in the Difiquane Wars. As the great chiefs Dingane, Shaka and Matiwane fought over land and cattle, tribes were fragmented and forced to migrate in an attempt to escape the bloody havoc spiraling across the territories of Zululand and Natal. By the time of the Voortrekker wagons emerged over the Drakensberg escarpment in 1838, most of the local tribes had dispersed northwards and the remaining San people had fled high up into the mountains passes. Hunter gatherers, the nomadic san men hunted with bone or stone tipped poisoned arrows, while the women collected wild fruits and roots. They lived in caves and rock overhangs, and with earth colours and primitive tools adorned the walls of their dwellings with scenes of dances and ceremonies, hunts, animals and supernatural creatures. Their art was pervaded by a profound appreciation of the harmony of nature and all it’s wonders. Acclaimed artists Professor Walter Battiss, who studied their work, wrote ‘No artist has said more, saying less’. Visiting one of these Stone Age galleries is an unforgettable experience. The best and most accessible is in the Giant’s Castle area, where the open air Bushmen Museum at the Main Caves uses life like models to depict a typical situation in the daily life of a hunter gatherer family unit. There are guides to take visitors on a tour of the caves and museum, which includes a display of recently discovered artifacts. The history and culture of the San people is also captured on a tape recorded presentation. The Injasuti Battle Cave in the Injasuti Valley has 750 paintings illustrating a pitched battle between two warring clans.

ARTS AND CRAFTS

The women of the Berg area are skilled in age old handcrafts such as the plaiting and weaving of indigenous grasses – a Zulu tradition that has been handed down from mother to daughter over generations. The women grass (grashu) creates baskets, bowls and mats in a wide variety of out of Africa colours. The men and young boys also produce uniquely sculptured clay animals. The local Amazizi people, who are descendants of iron age pastroralists and have a district accent characterized by clicks, produce baskets, beadworks, woodwork and a wide range of other traditional handcraft. It is possible to buy locally produced arts and crafts from vendors at the entrance to parks, resorts, and at roadside view sites or from specialist outlets in the area.