Where to go for a holiday? Drakensberg mountains!

The Drakensberg Mountains ... Have you ever heard of this unusual place? To be honest, many people think that this is not the name of a real geographic object, but the elements of a landscape in some fantastic book, for example, in The Lord of the Rings or the works of S. Lukyanenko.

Section 1. Drakensberg mountains. Description .

Such an unusual name is the thousand-kilometer mountain range of southern Africa. The Dragon Mountains, or as they are called, Drakensberg, are located in the province under the complex name of KwaZulu Natal.

The height of some peaks in this mountain chain exceeds 3300 m.

The nature of South Africa is amazingly beautiful. In winter, snow-covered mountains look slightly ascetic. Even it's hard to imagine that all this is only two hours away from the ever warm Indian Ocean!

Many vacationers at first often catch themselves thinking about whether in Africa they really did not forget whether their fate was somewhere in a magical city from long-standing childhood dreams. In the transparent mountain lakes there is trout, the rocks are decorated with Bushman drawings, on the horizon white caps of high mountain peaks and a stone's throw to the mighty ocean.

Section 2. Drakensberg mountains. Local Attractions .

Very often tourists come here just to admire the very peculiar rock paintings, once made by representatives of the San tribe. Non-detail pictures depict, as one would expect, hunting, fighting with enemies and home life.

To date, in Drakensberg, you can see about 40,000 elements of the art of the Bushmen. Nowhere else in the world does such a large collection exist. Scientists find it difficult to determine the age of many images. Why? Mainly, because of the quality and location of their application. But, in the opinion of anthropologists, the first civilization of Bushmen of this land was born according to rather modest estimates already more than 40 thousand years ago (sometimes a figure of 100 thousand years is voiced!).

Another one of the most popular sights is the Tugela waterfalls located in the Royal Natal National Park . This is a whole complex of five sources that create a really magnificent sight, changing in the second highest waterfall on the planet. Water with a deafening roar falls from a height of 947 m. In some especially cold winters, the waterfall freezes, turning the streams into dazzling icy columns.

It is, of course, worthwhile to visit the so-called "amphitheater", once formed by a crescent-shaped mountain wall. The length of this natural structure is about 5 km, and the height is 500 m.

Section 3. Drakensberg mountains. Tips and advice for travelers.

According to many tourists, it is most convenient to get here by bus as part of a tour group or on your own car. Those who want to explore the northern part, it is best to start your way from Pretoria, and to the south - the nearest road leaves Durban.

The best way to travel is from November to March. It is at this time that the comfortable and favorable temperature of the air is preserved here. The probability of precipitation is minimal, and the mountains are able to give their most distinctive colors. It is worth paying attention to the fact that in the winter months, it can become very cold here, literally in one day.

In their free time, as a rule, lessons are offered for horse riding, and everyone can also recover on the most fascinating safari on horseback.

Hiking will be appreciated by those who prefer to get acquainted with the local flora and fauna, take wonderful pictures and admire the surrounding landscapes. The most common pastime is the observation of the behavior and life of mountain birds, as well as fishing in local reservoirs and lakes.

Fans of thrill can reserve a place in the helicopter, then to go on an exciting air trip to the mountains.

Those who are tired of active recreation, it is recommended to visit the colorful souvenir markets or play golf in a measured manner.