Places to Visit While in South Africa for the World Cup: The Drakensberg Mountain Range

From 11 June 2010 to 11 July 2010, South Africa will host one of the world’s premier sporting events – the FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) World Cup.

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About 450,000 football fans are expected to flood South Africa to witness this iconic event. If you are planning to be there, it’s highly advisable to include some of South Africa’s beautiful tourist destinations in your itinerary. Here is a guide to one of the country’s most formidable tourist destinations: the Drakensberg mountain range.

The Drakensberg rises to a height of 3,482 metres, making it the highest mountain range in South Africa. It is located in the eastern part of South Africa, stretching for about 1,000 kilometres from south-west to north-east, with its largest portion lying in KwaZulu-Natal Province. This mountainous region – also known as the uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park – spans 243,000 hectares and was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) in 2000.

This basaltic mountain range is known for its beautiful flora and fauna. According to "Drakensberg: Barrier of Spears" by Mary Alexander, it has 299 recorded species of birds. The Drakensberg is also home to a wide array of wild animals, notably the rare Southern white rhino and the black wildebeest.

The Drakensberg contains many caves that were inhabited by the San people thousands of years ago. It is renowned for its intricate rock paintings depicting the daily life and spirituality of the Bushmen; it has the largest collection of rock paintings in sub-Saharan Africa.

There are many activities that can keep you occupied while visiting the Drakensberg. The adventurous may choose to try rock-climbing or abseiling, while other adrenaline junkies may go for white-water rafting. But if you prefer the gentler and more leisurely thrill of hiking, the Drakensberg has enough hiking routes to tickle your fancy – from the highest peak of Thabana Ntlenyana to the lower peaks like Cathedral’s Peak. Other activities include horse-riding and bird-watching.

There are many luxurious 5-star hotels, guesthouses and game lodges to choose from while looking for accommodation in the Drakensberg. You can be sure you’ll get affordable accommodation while there; you can choose to stay at the grass-thatched Antbear Guesthouse, the Cleopatra Mountain Farmhouse in the Kamberg Valley, the tree-houses of Sycamore Avenue, etc.

As June and July fall within South Africa’s dry winter season, it would definitely be an ideal time to visit the Drakensberg and savour its beauty. You only live once, so make the most of your football pilgrimage to South Africa by visiting this awe-inspiring range of mountains.

South Africa will host the World Cup – one of the world’s premier sporting events – from 11 June 2010 to 11 July 2010. This article serves as a guide to one of the must-see tourist destinations in the country: the Drakensberg mountain range. Also known as the uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park, it was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) in 2000.