Sitting comfortably on the banks of the Klip River, Ladysmith was once a wealthy town that acted as a key stopover for gold and diamond prospectors on their way to the Transvaal and Kimberly. Ladysmith is also historically significant as it was besieged for 118 days during a crucial stage of the Anglo-Boer War, and encompasses many sites of interest. For those on their way to central and northern Drakensberg, it is worth making a stop here.
The Drakensberg Mountains in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, are an imposing wall of rock that rises to 3000m, creating untold inspiring views and hikes.
Known to the Zulus as the Barrier of Spears and to the first European settlers as the Dragon's Mountains, the Ukhahlamba Drakensberg is 1 of 8 South African UNESCO World Heritage sites, both for its significance as a natural resource and for the heritage of the San Paintings. For 1000s of years they hosted the San people who left their record on the walls on numerous sandstone caves. Today most of the Drakensberg is protected as a National Park and is a major attraction for the lover of the outdoors.
Cathedral Peak Nature Reserve forms part of the Central Berg. (ITT)
