Fall Break in Royal Natal NP (uKhahlamba Drakensberg, South Africa)

First day in the beautiful Drakensberg mountains.
Driving from Johannesburg it was really hot but up the Berg it was a completely different world.
Green, chilly and wet.

 

This was supposed to be a walking vacation but Maarten unfortunately sprained his ankle while wave boarding just two days before our trip.
Even though he was very enthusiastic to hit the trail convincing us he is really fine, after walking some 8 km, he returned home limping.

 

Hike to Tiger Falls and Lookout Rock; no water in the falls.

There were warning signs alerting us to baboon danger already in the camp. Close by the   Lookout Rock I suddenly noticed a troop of them.  I was a bit nervous as the path led right through the group.  But they didn't even look at us.

We didn't really mind the wet weather but I have to admit that the sun made everything look much better.

View from our porch.

Because of Maarten's condition we had to walk solo.  This was on my first hike to beautiful Vemvaan Valley and the Policeman's Helmet.
The temperature was rising.

  



The final summit to the peak involved circling back and up a wooden ladder after which a rocky path led to the rocky outcrop itself. The drop-off on both sides of the ridge were very steep.

The spectacular view of our camp from the Policeman's Helmet rock formation.

Our cottage for the week.

Enjoying the view and Dutch beer!

The Devil's hoek trail was quite surprising, I mean it was permanently scrambling up and down through a large patch of forest  and in the end the trail simply disappeared in thick grass. I got lost several times. 
This valley is said to have a forbidding air, and the local people never venture there.
In the shady forest I encountered a group of heavily armed rangers. Felt weird.

 

Duiker (?) visited in the evening.

Very early morning view from our bedroom.

A tiny pretty long snake jumped right in front of me while on the Thukela Gorge Walk.  I identified it as a Striped Grass Snake or Skaapsteker but correct me if I'm wrong.
And...I was really glad that he was only this "tiny" and harmless to human.

Natal bottlebrushes make a brilliant red splash on the mountain side in spring. And are very photogenic, I have them in most pictures!

The scenery along the way was really lovely  and the flat Amphitheatre was coming closer rapidly.



Ladder in the Gorge.

There was some water in the river but also the Thukela Falls were hopelessly dry.

Anyway, the long hot trek was worth all the effort.

Dry river bed.



Maarten seemed to enjoy himself, however, I felt quite sorry for him.
Only the last day he joined Rob on the short Forest Walk around the camp.
(kite made out of Shoprite plastic bag!)

Luckily you didn't even have to leave the cottage to enjoy the wildlife. (bushbuck)

 

 

A flock of helmeted guinea fowls visited every evening. They waited out the storm sheltered on our porch.

The next to last night a huge storm came to the mountains and brought a total change in the weather.
We woke up into a foggy morning. I set off on a short but steep hike to the Lion's Buttress but had to return before I reached the top. I couldn't see much and if was very slippery therefore it wasn't safe to continue onto the ridge.
(field ranger's house)

 

Time to leave this tranquil place.  
Via Johannesburg back to Luanda. Life is hard!