UKhahlamba / Drakensberg Park, Protected area and UNESCO World Heritage Site in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
UKhahlamba / Drakensberg Park is a protected area in KwaZulu-Natal featuring sandstone cliffs, peaks, valleys, and river systems throughout its mountainous terrain. The landscape transitions between densely forested slopes and open grasslands, creating diverse zones for exploration.
The park was first declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site on 30 November 2000. In June 2001 the Maloti-Drakensberg Transfrontier Conservation Area was created, linking it with Sehlabathebe National Park in Lesotho. Since 2013 both parks together are listed as the Maloti-Drakensberg Park, covering 2,493 km², of which 65 km² lie in Lesotho.
The name uKhahlamba is isiZulu for "barrier of spears", describing the jagged Drakensberg skyline. The park's roughly 600 rock shelters hold about 30,000 San paintings made over some 4,000 years. The park is managed by the provincial authority Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife.
The area offers multiple hiking trails, climbing routes, and viewpoints with varying difficulty levels and lengths. Accommodation ranges from fully equipped lodges to simple mountain huts, depending on your needs and travel style.
About 600 caves and rock shelters hold roughly 30,000 San paintings, made over a span of some 4,000 years; parietal art in the wider area may reach back 40,000 to 100,000 years. The Mkhomazi Wilderness Area, deserted badlands between Giant's Castle and Sani Pass, is among the park's wilderness zones.
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