What is Drakensberg?
The Drakensberg is the eastern portion of the Great Escarpment, which encloses the central Southern African plateau. The Great Escarpment reaches its greatest elevation – 2,000 to 3,482 meters within the border region of South Africa and Lesotho.
Where Is the Drakensberg In South Africa
The Drakensberg is the main mountain range of Southern Africa. The Drakensberg rises to more than 11,400 feet (3,475 meters) and extends roughly northeast to southwest for 700 miles (1,125 km) parallel to the southeastern coast of South Africa. Rock and cave art several thousands of years old have been found in the range.
There are many game reserves and parks. In 2000 uKhahlamba/Drakensberg Park has designated a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Drakensberg is part of the Great Escarpment and separates the extensive high plateaus of the South African interior from the lower lands along the coast. From its northeastern termination in Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces, the range extends through Lesotho to the Eastern Cape province.
The range separates Mpumalanga and Free State provinces and Lesotho on the plateau from lower-lying Swaziland and KwaZulu-Natal provinces near the coast. The Drakensberg is the main watershed of South Africa and is the source of the Orange River.
The most-elevated stretch of the Drakensberg, in eastern and southern Lesotho, is composed of severely eroded basalt capping a sandstone base. Its pinnacles and broken and fractured blocks present a steep eastern scarp (10,000 to more than 11,000 feet [3,000 to 3,300 meters] in elevation) along the length of the border between Lesotho and KwaZulu-Natal; a steep southern scarp (8,000 to 10,000 feet [2,400 to 3,000 meters] in elevation) lies along the length of the Lesotho–Eastern Cape province border.
The local Zulu name for the eastern face, Quathlamba, meaning “barrier of pointed spears” or “piled-up rocks,” is an accurate physical description of this part of the Drakensberg. Immediately below the steep scarps to the south and east are sandstone terraces with basalt outcrops and deep valleys running to the sea; this is an area of many game reserves and scenic national parks.
Northeast of the juncture of the Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, and Lesotho borders, the Drakensberg becomes progressively less elevated, the steep eastern escarpment giving way to gentle slopes; north of the town of Belfast in Mpumalanga province, the range once again becomes more rugged, attaining heights of more than 7,600 feet (2,300 meters).
The western and northern sides of the Drakensberg shelve gradually into the interior plateau, though in Lesotho the range descends into a jumble of weathered basalt mountains, where waterfalls and deep gorges are commonplace.
Which country other than South Africa does the Drakensberg lie in?
The Drakensberg Group is a geological group named after the Drakensberg mountain range where in its uppermost sections the rocks are found. The Drakensberg Group lies over most of Lesotho and localities in the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, and Free State provinces of South Africa.
Is the Drakensberg in Durban?
With the Drakensberg Mountain Range as its backdrop and about 180 kilometers from the capital city of KwaZulu-Natal Province, Durban lies the holiday hotspot of Glengarry. This places it in some of the prettiest countryside in South Africa.
How do you get to Drakensberg from Cape Town?
There is no direct connection from Cape Town to the Drakensberg. However, you can take the bus to Cape Town CPT Airport, take the walk to Capetown airport, fly to Pietermaritzburg, then take travel to Drakensberg.