On Friday afternoon we ventured down the N3 to Royal Natal NP in the Drakensberg Ranges. Royal Natal NP is the northern most part of the ranges and borders on Lesotho. The scenery in the area is stunning. The region is abounded with long dry grass, green rolling hills and impressive rock formations. The entire Ukhahlamba-Drakensberg Park is lined by basalt summits and buttresses.
Loren and Lesley joined us for the weekend expedition. We woke to drizzle and low cloud cover on Saturday, but luckily the drizzle subsided to allow us to go hiking. We hiked to Cascade Falls, then continued on to Tiger Falls and finishing at Tendele (base of the Amphitheatre). The hike offered breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains and specifically of the Amphitheatre. The Amphitheatre in Royal Natal NP is an 8km wall of cliff and canyon and has an 850m high (2nd highest in the world) waterfall. The terrain and flora were equally impressive. Wild protea's have overtaken a lot of the mountainside and understandly earn their title as the national flower of RSA.
We got back to camp in good time for some beers and snacks before settling into the evening with the mandatory braai and more drinks. The camp site was also home to guinea fowls and bush bucks who roamed freely and the odd baboon.
On Sunday we woke to a clear blue sky and sunshine. Loren and Pete went for a swim in the nearby Cascade Falls before we departed the campsite and drove through the Golden Gate Highlands NP to Clarens. The Golden Gate NP is a region with sandstone buttresses lining the length of the park. Not as grand as the Drakensbergs, but equally pretty and scenic. We had a delicious lunch and coffee in Clarens (why arn't there cafes like this in Joburg!) and perused the art galleries and shops before heading back to Joburg on the scenic route. At times, the countryside reminded us a bit of Tuscany with the rolling hills, manicured paddocks & tall poplars.
Pete at Cascade Falls
The Amphitheatre
Golden Gate Highlands NP and the typical sanstone hills