uKhahlamba Drakensberg Hiking and Sightseeing Tour – Three Day
Drakensberg Mountains
Hiking and Sightseeing Tour
R 11 500 per person based on a minimum of 2 Clients.
R 19 900 Solo Traveler rate
OVERVIEW
The majestic, mostly untouched mountain range, the Drakensberg will be the main focus of this tour. We will be visiting sites of San-Bushman Rock Art, some of which date back 28000 years. The hikes can be tailored to fit fitness levels and needs and at the Royal Natal National Park, there are wheelchair friendly strolls to the beautiful cascades.
Africa’s highest mountain range south of Kilimanjaro, and the largest and most concentrated series of rock art paintings in Africa – making it a World Heritage site of both natural and cultural significance Both the Zulu name uKhahlamba (barrier of spears) and the Afrikaans name Drakensberg (dragon mountain) fit the formidable horizon created by the range situated just outside Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. A massive basaltic cap set on a broad base of sedimentary rocks belonging to the Stormberg series of 150 million years ago, the mountains are South Africa’s main watershed. For more than 4000 years they were home to the indigenous San/Bushmen people, who created a vast body of rock art – the largest collection in Africa. “The site’s diversity of habitats protects a high level of endemic and globally threatened species, especially birds and plants.”
WHY WE THINK YOU’LL LOVE IT
✓ Walking in the Drakensberg mountains with nature all around you is incredibly peaceful.
✓ Learning about the original South Africans and looking at their Rock Art paintings.
✓ Enjoying the majestic Drakensberg mountains which are over 3500 meters / 11500 feet high.
ITINERARY
Day 1
applies to pick-up’s and drop-off’s in Durban City or Umhlanga area, feel free to contact us if you are unsure as to whether your pick-up location is covered. Should your pick-up location not be covered, we will still collect you, however, there may be an additional charge dependent on where you are based.
06:00am to 09.00am
From time of pick-up, it is approximately a 3 hour drive to Underberg.
During transit, your guide will share a bit of history with you and you are encouraged to ask questions to reap the full benefit of the tour. Rest assured that you will travel in absolute comfort as Tim Brown Tours use a Toyota Fortuner, Toyota Quantum and VW Kombi to conduct all tours. This is subject to availability and Tim Brown Tours reserves the right to make alternative vehicle arrangements.
09.00am to 15.30am
Once you have reached your destination, we swap the vehicle into a 4×4 to begin our tour up Sani pass into Lesotho. During this time your guide will give you a background of what the Pass was used for originally and now today. Your guide will be open to any questions throughout and will stop at different points up the pass for Photographs and breaks to stretch your legs.
Upon reaching the South African boarder post your passport will be stamped and then there is an 8 kilometre drive which is called “No mans land”. Basically, an area which belongs neither to South African or Lesotho. There after we reach the Lesotho boarder post where passports are again stamped.
11:00am
We begin our time in Lesotho where we visit the highest pub in Africa @ 2874 meters above sea level. Here you may enjoy the warmth, a drink and lunch. We will also visit the tiny Basotho village at the top of the pass and enter into one of the locals homes to learn a little more about the culture of the Basotho people.
14:00pm
We begin or decent from the Drakensberg mountain down back into South Africa and into Underberg.
15:30pm
Approximate arrival time in Underberg where we check into our accommodation in the quaint farming village. Dinner will be in the village.
Day 2
We will either take a packed breakfast or have an early breakfast as the drive to Royal natal National park in approximately 2.5 hours.
Once we arrive we will meet our San Rock art interpreter and hiking guide and do a 45 minute round trip hike to San Rock art with Interpretation and great views of the Northern Drakensberg/Amphitheatre.
10.30am
Depart for Giants castle stopping for lunch along the way or having lunch on arrival at Giants castle. This trip should take about 1.5 hours.
12.30/13.00 Lunch
We can then depart on a 1.5 to 2 hour hike to the Giants Castle San Rock art site
And interpretation it is an amazing site!
Alternatively if you would like to relax looking at the views of the mountain and the Bushmans river you may do so or could do a self walk down to the river.
18:30
Dinner and overnight at Giants castle resort.
Option 2.
06:00am – 09.00am
We will either take a packed breakfast or have an early breakfast as the drive to Royal natal National park in approximately 2.5 hours.
Once we arrive we will meet our San Rock art interpreter and hiking guide and do a 45 minute round trip hike to San Rock art with Interpretation and great views of the Northern Drakensberg/Amphitheatre.
10.00am
Begin a 3-4 hour guided contoured hike from Mahai looping around in a horse shoe shape to Tiger Falls, Look out rock, Gudu fall and forest before arriving back at Mahai.
14.30pm
We depart to grab a late lunch in the area before departing for our accommodation facility near Bergville. Dinner will be at the lodge.
Day 3
08:00am
A slightly later start with breakfast at 8am at the lodge.
09.00am
If we did not do the Giants castle San Rock art hike on day 2 we will meet our San Rock art interpreter and hiking guide and begin the hour to 1.5 hour hike to the San rock art display at Giants Castle cave.
10.30am
Return to the lodge and check out if we haven’t done so already and then depart for then Midlands.
12.00pm
We will visit the Nelson Mandela Capture site and explore the amazing Apartheid Museum before stopping for some lunch in the area.
14.00pm
We will visit the Howick Falls a 100 meter high waterfall which is very spectacular. The quaint town of Howick also has a number of small craft shops and a shop selling vintage/Antique items ranging from furniture to World war clothing, ammunition, medals and old coins.
15.30pm
We will depart for Durban approximately 1.5 hours drive.
HISTORY
Africa’s highest mountain range south of Kilimanjaro, and the largest and most concentrated series of rock art paintings in Africa – making it a World Heritage site of both natural and cultural significance Both the Zulu name uKhahlamba (barrier of spears) and the Afrikaans name Drakensberg (dragon mountain) fit the formidable horizon created by the range situated just outside Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. A massive basaltic cap set on a broad base of sedimentary rocks belonging to the Stormberg series of 150 million years ago, the mountains are South Africa’s main watershed.
For more than 4000 years they were home to the indigenous San/Bushmen people, who created a vast body of rock art – the largest collection in Africa. “The site’s diversity of habitats protects a high level of endemic and globally threatened species, especially birds and plants.”
PLEASE NOTE
- Group Rates are available on request.
INCLUSIONS
- Dinner Bed and Breakfast
- Entrance Fees
- Listed Activities
- Transport – Pick-up and Drop-off
- Guides
- Bottled Water (We only supply a limited number of bottles per day, should you require additional, this will be for your own account)
EXCLUSIONS
- Items of Personal Nature
- Lunch (Restaurant Available)
- Beverages: Beer; Wine; Cold Drinks
- Gratuities
- Any other items not listed in the Inclusions
- Furthermore, please note that all group activities are not private and you will be expected to share this experience with other paying guests not touring with Tim Brown Tours
PRICING
All prices are based on a per person sharing basis.
The price per person is R12 800.00 per adult sharing and R6400.00 per child sharing
Solo Rate – R19 990.00
Furthermore, please note that all group activities are not private and you will be expected to share this experience with other paying guests not touring with Tim Brown Tours.
ACCOMMODATION
Our usual venue Hilltop camp in Hluhluwe game reserve has deteriorated so much; the quality of the food has also decreased. A number of clients have commented on this and we have decided that it is best that we stay 20 minutes outside the reserve at a lovely Safari lodge which is also home to 4 of the BIG5. This lodge is set in a Sand forest which is a rare habitat and reserve has been proclaimed a World Heritage Site due to being set in a Sand Forest and having two other habitats; Savannah and Wetlands.. We only accommodate at this lodge and have our breakfasts and dinners there. We arrange packed breakfasts for the morning so we can get into Hluhluwe Imfolozi game reserve early. Daily we drive into Hluhluwe Imfolozi Big 5 game reserve and spend the day looking for Animals and have lunch at Hilltop camp which has a lovely view over the rolling hills.
You may request that we stay at Hilltop camp but there will be a surcharge of R1000 per person per day.