Royal Natal National Park

So you’ve seen Cape Town. And enjoyed a Big 5 experience. What’s next? It’s gotta be the Drakensberg.

While the Drakensberg mountain range extends roughly north / south the length of the country, the “Drakensberg” usually refers to the mountain range as it exists in KwaZulu Natal. There are two conservation areas: the Royal Natal National Park (relatively small at 8 000 hectares) and the uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park (243 000 hectares).

Let’s start with the little one – the Royal Natal National Park. The names that you’ve probably heard or come across in your research are the Amphitheatre, Tendele, and the Thukela (Tugela) Falls.

Amphitheatre

The Amphitheatre is the second most-photographed scene in the country (after Table Mountain).

Amphitheatre

So how do you get to see it? If you’re based at Halls Country House, regain the N3 highway and head north. Follow Winterton & Bergville signs and keep truckin’. Turn left into the Royal Natal National Park and head for Tendele. It’s 163 kms. on good roads and it’ll take about 1 hour 45. It’s a very scenic drive and a super day out. When you get there, hop out your car, walk 50 metres to the river and you can take a photo exactly like the one above. There are numerous trails including quite a demanding one to the base of the Thukela Falls. We'll pack you a picnic to take along.

Tendele Camp

Tendele Camp is perhaps the “jewel” in Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife’s crown. All chalets have magnificent views of the Amphitheatre, so if you want to gaze at it for a few days, it’s a great self-catering camp. Shop in Bergville on your way in.

Thukela Falls

Thukela Falls

The Thukela Falls (which drops into the Amphitheatre) is, depending on your source, either the second- or the fourth-highest waterfall in the world.

The Thukela Falls arrives at the bottom of the Amphitheatre after 5 “leaps”. If you take the whole thing top-to-bottom, it’s the second highest. But if you're measuring just it’s longest “leap” – it’s the fourth highest.

From Tendele, if you walk upstream you can get to the bottom of the Tugela Falls. It’s more than a walk – it’s a “boulder hop”. If you’re young and fit (with strong ankles) allow about 5 or 6 hours there and back.

And the top-down view of the Thukela Falls? Like the photo?

For the “top-down” view you need to be more adventurous. You need to plan your travel itinerary to allow 2 nights at the Witsieshoek Mountain Resort Hotel (via Harrismith and Phuthadthaba). It’s all that's there. The distance, “as the crow flies”, from there to Tendele Camp is a few kilometres at most – the only problem is the Amphitheatre’s in the way. The bottom line is: a day trip to the top of the Thukela Falls needs to be attacked from the escarpment side rather than the KwaZulu Natal side.

Get an early start in the summer (this is not the place to be caught in a thunderstorm). Head for the Sentinel car park (a few minutes). From there it’s about a 5 hour round trip. Part of the climb involves about 50 metres of “chain-ladders” – steel staples driven into the vertical rock face. There are 4 ladders next to each other. People often “freeze” on these ladders and having 4 together enables faster climbers to step across and around those who aren’t having such an easy time of it. Fabulous. Yes. But not for the faint-hearted!