Mountains and rock art
The Zulu name uKhahlamba means barrier of spears. The escarpment rises above 3,000 metres along the Lesotho border, with Champagne Castle (3,377 m) and Cathedral Peak above the Central Berg resorts, and the Amphitheatre and Tugela Falls in the north.
The park holds the largest and most concentrated group of San rock paintings in Africa south of the Sahara; Game Pass Shelter near Kamberg and the Didima centre at Cathedral Peak are good places to see them.
How to do it
Champagne Valley is about 247 km from the chalets, roughly three and a half hours. A day trip is possible with a very early start, but the Berg rewards a night or two. Drakensberg Ballooning also flies here.
Good to know
- Route
- N3 inland past Pietermaritzburg, then Winterton
- Weather
- Summer storms in the afternoon; winter can bring snow
Questions
How far is the Drakensberg from Amanzimtoti?
About 247 km to Champagne Valley in the Central Berg, roughly three and a half hours by car.
Sources: UNESCO: Maloti-Drakensberg Park · drakensberg.org. Checked October 2026; prices and hours change, so confirm with The Drakensberg before you go.
