Mountain destinations in Southern Africa

Drakensberg | Barrier of Spears  The Natal Drakensberg is one of South Africa's most outstanding attractions which draws thousands of visitors annually to its scenic beauty, crisp mountain air and clear waters. Giant's Castle, Champagne Castle and Cathedral Peak are names synonymous with one of the country's most spectacular natural wonders and a World Heritage Site - uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park. Each of these distinctively shaped peaks soars over 3 000 meters into the sky. The spire-like Cathedral Peak is the dominant feature among a line of free-standing peaks, Champagne Castle is attached to the escarpment and sits vigil over the internationally renowned Drakensberg Boys Choir and Giant's Castle is one of the most conspicuous.

Midlands Meander | explore, idle, browse  The enchanting KwaZulu-Natal Midlands has always been home to artists and craftspeople and an alluring draw card for visitors. With more than a 160 places to eat, drink, sleep, shop and have fun, the area is an ideal get-away-from-it-all destination where time seems to stand still. Visitors are invited to ride a horse, fish, fly, hike, bike, watch a cow being milked and ice cream being made – simple country activities which illustrate the farming foundation of the region. While exploring the fascinating Midlands you will come across the site where Nelson Mandela was arrested in August 1962.

Magoebaskloof | a Rain Queen and dinosaur food  Situated in the Limpopo Province this particularly beautiful part of the world lies at the foot of the northern tip of the Drakensberg mountain range. The dramatic landscapes, afro-montane forests and beautiful grasslands makes it a very popular hiking and outdoors area. Modjadji, the rain queen has her village next to the 305 hectare Cycad Reserve, the greatest concentration of the largest Cycad species in the world.

Eastern Cape | Passes, lakes and snow  This region, through which winds the Orange River, is home to Lake Gariep, Tiffindell - the only snow ski resort in the country, the hot springs of Aliwal North, and quaint Victorian towns like Lady Grey and the national monument town of Rhodes.

Cederberg | rooibos tea and citrus   Towering mountains, brilliant purple and orange at sunset, preside over the citrus orchards in the valley, laden with the scent of orange blossom in the spring. The Cederberg has an exceptional botanical diversity, being part of the Cape Floral Kingdom of South Africa, and among the twisted rock formations, farmers cultivate the world-famous healthy rooibos tea, found only in the Cederberg of South Africa. The mountains are filled with silent stories of Bushman rock art. Some are clear depictions of everyday events, other are enigmatic. Thousands of years old, this bushmen rock art speaks of the inhabitants of these rugged mountains, who lived lightly within a world they understood, and danced and painted energetically.

Panorama Route | God's Window, potholes and rondawels  The small town of Graskop is the gateway to the Panorama Route. Scenic landmarks with evocative names like God's Window, Wonder View, the Pinnacle, Bourke's Luck Potholes and Three Rondawels as well as the awe-inspiring Lisbon, Berlin and Mac-Mac waterfalls are a short drive away. Adding some historical romance into the mix, half an hour's drive from Graskop, the gold rush town of Pilgrim's Rest - a national monument in its entirety - gives you the chance to relive the 1873 gold rush in surroundings of unparalleled beauty. You can even try your hand at panning for gold.
 
Seven Passes | the brain of Thomas Bain  On the Garden Route is South Africa's Seven Passes route between George and Knysna. It's a scenic route which passes guest farms, tiny wooden settlements and heads for the dramatic Phantom Pass, named for a butterfly and not a ghost. There are however many famous South African mountain pass ghost stories that add myth to these heights. There's a legend about every one of South Africa's scenic passes. Who designed it, who built it, what happened to the builders, the tragedies and the joys of completion.

Swartberg Mountains | theodolite Eyes and convicts  The natural divide between the plains of the Great Karoo and the lush valleys of the Little Karoo has always been the imposing Swartberg range of mountains. There was a time when these crags were impossible to breach, and people had to take circuitous routes to get to their destinations. Thus a road between Oudtshoorn and the charming village of Prince Albert became one of the first mountain pass projects through the Swartberg. Thomas Bain, an extraordinary road engineer dubbed ‘The Man with Theodolite Eyes'. worked with 200 convicts and a lot of gunpowder to build the pass. The magic of this pass really hits you down in the river crossings, when you see the parapets of Cape Fold rock. More than 120 million years ago, the tectonic shifting of the earth caused these rocks to fold and thrust in on themselves, eventually taking on the appearance of flaky pastry.

Baviaanskloof | baboon valley  This Wilderness Area, which forms part of the Baviaanskloof Mountains, offers visitors a fascinating view of one of South Africa’s most rugged and beautiful areas. Located approximately 120 km west of Port Elizabeth in South Africa's Eastern Cape Province. This area includes the 200 km long Baviaanskloof - also known as the valley of the baboons - and the Kouga and Baviaanskloof mountain ranges and is made up of largely unspoilt and rugged bushveld and mountains. Troops of baboons, as well as small mammals like mongoose, Vervet monkeys and otters inhabit rocky mountain slopes, river beds and thickets and dense bush. Mountain Zebra and Cape Buffalo have been reintroduced to the area and the lucky may even catch a glimpse of the Cape leopard.

Cango Caves | crawl, duck and squeeze   Summon up your courage and go on the Cango Caves Adventure Tour. You’ll enter a mysterious and strangely beautiful underground world of fascinating rock formations, cellar-like chambers and low passageways. You’ll have to crawl, duck and squeeze but you’ll find the effort wonderfully worthwhile. The Cango Caves lie in a Precambrian limestone ridge adjacent to the Swartberg Mountains in the Cango valley, just 29km from the small town of Oudtshoorn in the Klein Karoo.

Waterberg | no malaria  This highly attractive malaria free area is in the rusty-red foothills of the "Water mountain", whose pleats and folds are thickly layered with bush willow. Narrow valleys of golden rocks with many streams and a variety of fauna and flora. All the big game is here including rhino, elephants, buffalo, zebras and antelopes, as well as leopard, lion and hyena, although not in the same density as around the Kruger region. Bird watching is good, particularly during the rainy season.

Pilanesberg | a volcanic relic   This National Park, also malaria free, lies amongst the only significant hills in the area which rise skywards out of the flat highveld plain. This massif is a 1,200 million-year-old volcanic relic of four concentric mountain rings. The Pilanesberg mountain is the highest peak towering 1,950 feet (600 metres) above Mankwe Lake, which sits in the heart of the ancient volcano. The volcano's circular bowl was recognised as being the perfect situation for a national park with its tall sides creating natural boundaries. The park is home to good populations of Africa's game, including the 'Big Five'; elephants, black and white rhinoceros, buffalo, lions, cheetah, leopard, wild dog and a wide variety of antelope - including the very attractive sable, eland, kudu and gemsbok.