Walking in the Drakensberg. Jeff Williams
Lesotho.
While tourism has always been encouraged and is now an important part of the economic development of communities bordering the Park, it would be wrong to underestimate the problems that ensue. These include resort development and its knock-on effects and, sadly, physical damage to cave paintings. Examples of future development might include cable cars, hotels on the plateau and skiing as well as the ever-present threat of private housing schemes. Walkers will not see this as advantageous and there is certainly a lobby that feels that this will put unreasonable pressure on an already vulnerable ecosystem. Personally, my recommendation is to visit the Park before further significant development takes place, however eco-friendly that might be.
An armed KZNW Ranger on patrol
About the walks
It should be said at the outset that no walks in the Drakensberg Park should be underestimated. The unpredictability of the weather is legendary and the terrain often difficult. Local advice is available and should be sought if there is any doubt about the feasibility of a particular route for your party.
The walks described here are grouped by geographical area from north to south. Each geographical section of the Drakensberg seems to have its own character, a certain ‘feel’ as you arrive, but it is a difficult concept to describe. So, although the Park is often and reasonably heralded as a single entity based on the obvious topographical features of the escarpment and the Little Berg, each part is in reality quite different from the next, with its own unique flavour and attraction.
The Contour Path is an important concept to grasp. It is, more or less, what it sounds like; a path following the contour as best it can across the whole of the area under discussion. Presently it runs almost completely from the Cathedral Peak area right down to Bushman’s Nek at the extreme south of the Drakensberg Park. But, and it is a big but, anyone who thinks that this infers a nice level path which is invariably easy to follow should think again. It is often extremely undulating, can be very rough underfoot and, on occasion, tricky to follow. Nevertheless, it does have a useful, sometimes pivotal, link role when creating round-trip daylong walks and is also a handy tool in route description.
Sleeping Beauty Valley – Magnificent Valley leads off to the right (Walk 69)
By virtue of their inclusion in this book all the walks are recommended. What makes one route better than another? Inevitably it is in the eye of the beholder and involves a number of parameters including scenery, botanical interest, bird life, rivers to play in and many other factors; often it is not even precisely definable. So, personal preferences notwithstanding, there’s no star system or similar here.
Route selection
All guidebooks have limitations of space. This means that route selection is inevitable and some areas with good potential for walking may need to be excluded completely. Mnweni is an inhabited grazing and farming area which is not within the Park proper, lying immediately south of the RNNP. Although some aspects of the area are certainly improving, there is a lack of accommodation and facilities generally and tourism is currently limited. Mkhomazi KZN Wildlife Office entrance to the Park has reasonable access from the Nottingham Road area but no facilities or campsite and, although it has superb, remote walking country available, has little to offer the confirmed day walker. Similarly Vergelegen, which has its own access distance issue, has no facilities and many of the paths are overgrown. Certainly it is a great start point for longer forays into the High Berg but day visitors rarely go there.
Local Zulu craft worker
The Drakensberg is an area with massive potential for walking and is South Africa’s most popular walking area. Backpacking with appropriate gear including food, a stove, sleeping bag, and a tent or a cave for overhead cover extends horizons considerably. However, of the visitors to the Park, the majority plan on returning to their base accommodation before nightfall. This applies particularly to foreign visitors who are unable to bring equipment on the scale required within the constraints of airline baggage allowances, and who may not wish to locate, hire and then collect equipment after arrival, or do not wish to hire a guide with equipment.
This book is aimed specifically at those who wish to do walks that can be completed in a day. There is something here for families with small children, as well as intermediate walks and some much tougher challenges.
Getting there
Access to South Africa by air is currently almost entirely through Johannesburg. Most European long-haul carriers fly there directly (including British Airways and Virgin Atlantic from London Heathrow) as does South African Airways. There is an Emirates flight from Dubai directly to Durban and Turkish Airlines fly there from Istanbul. The routes have become quite competitive and it is well worth using an agent or the Internet to seek out the best fare, even if it means a change of flight in a European city. From the United States there are non-stop flights to Johannesburg with Delta (Atlanta) and South African Airways (JFK, New York) plus a direct flight with South African (IAD, Washington) with a refuelling stop in Accra.
Visitors from the EU and Switzerland do not require a visa to enter South Africa. Residents of other countries should check at www.home-affairs.gov.za.
There is no public transport to carry you into the Drakensberg so self-drive is the only reasonable possibility. There are many car hire companies located in the airports.
Almost everyone gets to the area from or via Johannesburg or Durban. From other locations the main axis of the N3 toll road still applies unless you design your own cross-country route. Although ‘N’ roads may have central barriers and slip-road exits there are important differences from European motorways. Pedestrians are frequently seen, there is some hitchhiking, livestock may wander onto the road and petrol stations can be relatively long distances apart. There is a series of small towns, some a little way off the N3, which are recognised ‘feeders’ for the Drakensberg and where you can refuel and pick up supplies, especially important if you are self-catering.
A good route-planning road map is important for identifying the shortest or the most interesting way of getting to your destination in the Drakensberg once you leave the N3. Many by-roads are unsurfaced, can be very rough and in wet weather may make for challenging driving conditions. Even surfaced roads may have huge potholes.
Even surfaced roads need vigilance
From Johannesburg
Leaving OR Tambo International Airport you exit on R24 which joins the N12 briefly before you take the slip road L onto the N3. This road and its southern destination of Durban are well signposted. It may be busy and slow at rush-hour times but is navigationally simple. The first key town is Harrismith, about 3hrs steady driving from the airport. From then on the relevant exits and some associated notes are shown under the headings of the individual Park sections. Generally the signposting from the N3 is satisfactory.
From Durban
King Shaka International is the airport for Durban and is sited at La Mercy, some 30km north of the centre of the city. There is a connection from the airport to the N2, the north–south main coastal road. Drive south and after about 30km join the N3 at a large interchange, following signs for Pietermaritzburg which is about 80km distant.
Soon after Pietermaritzburg opportunities arise to leave the N3 axis to make your way into the Drakensberg area of your choice. These are detailed in the information box at the beginning of each geographical section. Wherever you are heading, Durban is closer than Johannesburg, sometimes substantially.
Fuel, cash and permits
Some hotels and some of the camps in the Park have petrol