Maloti Drakensberg Park

Maloti Drakensberg Park is located along South Africa’s border with the mountain Kingdom of Lesotho.

Understand

The Maloti Drakensberg Park is a joint initiative between the Kingdom of Lesotho and South Africa. Its goal is to conserve and manage sustainability of the significant natural and cultural heritage of the Maloti and Drakensberg mountains which straddle the 300-km border between the two countries. This area stretches across the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and the Free State and across the four districts of Butha Buthe, Mokhoylong, Qachas Nek and Quthing in Lesotho.

It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site which is of equal significance; home to gallery of rock art in the world. There are over 600 rock art sites, containing between 35 - 40,000 individual images, painted by the San or Bushmen people who are said to have inhabited this area for more than 4000 years.

History

The park was formed on June 11, 2001 by connecting the Sehlabathebe National Park in Lesotho and the Ukhahlamba Drakensberg Park in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

Landscape

Covered by green grasslands, there are various spring flowers, which turn to red in autumn and snow covered during the cold winter.

Flora and fauna

13% of the over 2500 species of flowering species are native to the park. The three bioclimatic zones at this park have a unique type of vegetation. The montane zone has grasslands and podocarpus latifolius forest, with protea savanna elements. The sub-alpine zone has fynbos biome, grasslands, wetlands, and protea savannah. The alpine zone has tundra like heath, Erica helichrysum, and grasslands. The alpine and montane areas at the park span about 500 kilometers to Lesotho, and South Africa.

Maloti Drakensberg is known for black eagle, bearded vulture and herds of eland, and many other indigenous plants and animals.

Get in

Durban has an airport which is few hours to the Drakensberg Mountains.

You may also drive into Lesotho from Johannesburg or Pretoria via the stunning Sani Pass – this is only suited for 4×4 cars at the moment.

Do

• Hiking. (updated Dec 2022)
• Mountain biking. (updated Dec 2022)
• Bird watching. (updated Dec 2022)
• Rafting. (updated Dec 2022)

Sleep

Lodging

• The Nest Drakensberg Mountain Resort Hotel, Route 600, Champagne Valley. Nest’s restaurant serves traditional South African country cooking, including a multi-course table d'hote dinner. In the morning and afternoon, tea and coffee is offered on the veranda viewing the Drakensberg Mountain. There is a bar with a lounge area in the main building and a fireplace. Guests can play a game of billiards or swim in the outdoor pool. Playground is available for younger guests to enjoy. It also offers free private parking to guests on site. (updated Dec 2022)