Rock pool below the Drakensberg Escarpment - Fotografia de stock

The Drakensberg (meaning â??Dragon Mountainâ?) is situated in the Eastern parts of South Africa running approximately 1000km northeast and forming the north-eastern border of South Africa and Lesotho. Known in Zulu as uKhahlamba (â?Barrier of Spearsâ?) these are the highest mountains in South Africa with peaks reaching well over 3000m. The highest peaks in the range are Thabana Ntlenyana (3482m) in Lesotho and Mafadi (3450m) in South Africa. This giant mountain range separates the South African provinces of Kwazulu-Natal and the Free State. The Drakensberg is often referred to as simply â?the â??Bergâ? by local mountaineers.Hiker ShadowThe mountain range is mainly basalt rock and situated on a base of sandstone which gives the mountains its characteristic look of giant blocks and steep pinnacle peaks. Nature has carved many caves into the soft sandstone and some of these caves have rock art paintings of the San (â?Bushmanâ?) people.The Drakensberg is home to many spectacular natural features, not least of which is the impressive Tugela Falls which tumble some 947m over the Amphitheatre in the Royal Natal National Park. The Tugela Falls is the second highest waterfall in the world and feeds into the mighty Tugela River flowing over 520km through the Natal Midlands before reaching the Indian Ocean. Vegetation in the â??Berg is mostly Afro-montane in the lower foothills, changing to Afro-alpine in the summit regions. Open grass with occasional protea bushes is common on North facing slopes with the Southern slopes usually covered with forest or thick bush