Mar 11 2013

Drakensberg 2013

Posted in ->Africa

The Central Drakensberg (Dragon’s Mountains) is 2.5 hours from Durban using the fast N3 motorway, but we ventured off on the winding R103, known as the Midlands Meander. Originally settled by British farmers, a mixture of very English craft shops, guest houses and speciality food markets line the road.
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We spent 3 days in the Central Berg at the Inkosana Lodge staying in lovely Zulu style rondavels. The weather was great and we got in a couple of very nice day hikes at around 1500 metres in the shadows of Cathkin and Cathedral Peaks.
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Nelson Mandela was captured here in 1962

Very Olde English pub on the Midlands Meander …

… a sample of its products

In this shed local women hand make the beautiful Tsonga shoes and bags

Zulu style rondavels at Inkosana Lodge …

… nicely decorated and with all mod cons

Dawn, day 1 – Cathkin Peak, Central Drakensberg

Hiking the Central Berg

One of many waterfalls

Day 1 sunset from Inkosana Lodge

Typical small Zulu farms and houses

Saturday is washing day

The original San bushmen left some wonderful cave paintings (c 2000bc)

Protea bushes growing under Cathedral Peak

Doreen falls …

… walking back …

… we saw many of these tree ferns

One of the baboons along the forest road

The sun rises over our rondavel

Sun breaks through the clouds over Inkosana Lodge