Adventure in the Drakensberg mountains

Oh, you beautiful Drakensberg - we fell in love with you!

From Johannesburg, we drive about 3.5 hours south to the "Golden Gate Highlands National Park" in the northern Drakensberg. We are already amazed on the way when we see the magnificent red and sandy rocks protruding from the lush green. Are we really in Africa?

After a few hours in the car, we are very much looking forward to our little hike and park the car at "Glen Reenen Rest Camp", where you can buy tickets for the national park at the reception (internationals 252 Rand = approx. €13 per person). We want to do two one-hour tours, put on our hiking boots and start right across the street. After a small bridge, we slowly climb up the mountain on narrow but well-developed paths. We make good progress and reach "Echo Ravine" after 20 minutes, a kind of mini canyon or cave with a stream. We walk towards "Boskloof" at the fork in the road so that we don't have to go back the same way, because our actual destination is the "Brandwag Buttress".

Suddenly, there's a rumble and the rain clouds, which seemed far away before, unleash themselves on us. The weather can change so quickly in the mountains. It's a good thing we left our rain jackets in the car in the bright sunshine and now we're soaked to the bone within seconds... We consider turning back, but after 10 minutes the rain is already over and the sun comes out. So let's climb the mountain after all. Past great hollows in the sandstone, through trees and thickets, we finally climb up to the summit platform using a chain, and once again we are surprised at how quickly we have reached the top. The trails are really easy for everyone to manage, and there are beautiful little hikes here. And the view from up here!

On the huge rock "Brandwag Buttress", we almost feel like we're in the movie "The Lion King" ("Look, Simba. Everything the light touches is our kingdom...")🦁😊. We enjoy the view a little longer before making our way back. Normally, the last tour is a circular route, but since a bridge was washed away in the floods a week ago, we have to take the same way back. Both hikes together can be easily completed in 1-1.5 hours without breaks.

Now it's time for us to spend the night in the small artist village of Clarens. On the way there, we stop in disbelief at a picnic area and find ourselves in a group of big Barbary apes!🙉 They wander through the tall grass and collect acorns from the ground. A completely surreal experience for us...

Our accommodation in Clarens at "Knockout View" is sweet, and so is the town. Unfortunately, most shops, galleries, and many restaurants are already closed on Sundays. We find a place to have dinner in the local brewery, which is really delicious! They also have fantastic cocktails and craft beers ;)

After another thunderstorm and lightning in the sky, we quickly make our way home. Shortly after, we experience the strongest rain we have ever seen here. But after 15 minutes, it's all over again.

A new day in the Drakensberg! After breakfast, we drive 3 hours to the central Drakensberg. On the way, we expect spectacular views over wide valleys, beautiful mountains, and huge dams. Suddenly, 8 zebras come galloping towards us along the lake at the "Sterkfontein Dam Nature Reserve"! We are completely excited and never expected to encounter these animals outside of the well-known national parks!

We continue until we reach the "Monks Cowl Campsite", where we can buy entrance tickets for the "Maloti Drakensberg Park" for 50 Rand (€2.50) per person. When we want to change at the car, it starts raining heavily again... Should we really go on the 3-hour hike on the "Sphinx Trail" in the rain? We wait a few minutes and then decide to go anyway. And we should not regret it! The beauty of this landscape is overwhelming!

First, we walk through a small forest along the water, then continue uphill in the sun. We see colorful grasshoppers and countless butterflies. The trails are really easy to walk and the views of the wide landscape in the valley and the incredibly green Drakensberg are simply fantastic! Every bend offers a new perspective.

We pass the "Crystal Falls", a beautiful high waterfall with wonderfully clear water. We cross the river, and then it's not far anymore. However, a heavy rain front builds up in front of us again and the thunder rumbles ominously... It may not be the best idea to be on the summit during a thunderstorm, but we won't be able to make it back down before the rain, so we keep going.

Once we reach the top, we enjoy the view to the fullest. Around us are fir tree-like green mountains, a great play of light and shadow, the vast hilly grassland, bushes with protea blossoms, colorful birds, and we are actually spared from the rain. We love it here!

But we still have a few kilometers to go to Durban and we have to make our way back. Inspired by this beautiful nature, we practically fly down the trail and make good progress. Without breaks and photo stops, the hike can be completed in around 2-2.5 hours.

We need another 3 hours to get to Durban, where we spend the night and devour a "Durban Bunnie" (hollowed-out loaf of bread with a type of stew/curry inside) for dinner. Here, there is a clear Indian influence, as Durban is home to the largest group of Indians outside of India. However, we don't have much time in the third largest city in South Africa, because after breakfast at the waterfront on Durban's beach, we decide to continue driving directly due to the rainy weather and only make a short stop at the Whalebone Pier.

Now it's finally time for safari! Stay tuned!