A special time at the Giant’s Castle

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Spending Easter in a beautiful natural location is almost a given for the de Wets. Our original plans for this particular long weekend was to visit the uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park, and specifically the Cathedral Peak area, but a last minute change in reservations had us heading for the Giant’s Castle area of the Park instead. A special place to celebrate a special holiday!

While we had only three days to spend at Giant’s Castle, the weather made sure we experienced almost every climatic experience the Drakensberg mountain range can conjure (with the exception of snowfall). Dark thunder clouds one day gave way to heavy fog and a constant drenching drizzle the next, followed in turn by a day of glorious sunshine! Giant’s Castle must be one of the scenically most spectacular parts of the entire Drakensberg range, and you cannot help but stand in awe at the shear majesty of the landscape surrounding you.

Thunder clouds descending on the Giant’s Castle area
Waking to a heavy fog
The road into the Giant’s Castle area
Bushmans River under overcast skies
Crystal clear mountain water
Beautiful little pond just below the camp at Giant’s Castle
the Drakensberg bathed in a glorious sunrise
the Drakensberg bathed in a glorious sunrise
Can you see the giant lying on his back?
Giant’s Castle scenery
Walking along the Bushmans River
Walking along the Bushmans River
Walking along the Bushmans River
Walking along the Bushmans River
Giant’s Castle scenery
Giant’s Castle scenery
Giant’s Castle scenery

Whether it rains or shines, Giant’s Castle’s grandiose scenery will keep your jaw dropping every so often. When that happens, and you bend down to pick it back up, take a moment to enjoy the magnificent juxtaposition of tiny beauties – pretty flowers, exquisite butterflies, delightful droplets, ornamental moss and lichens, and dainty insects – all around you!

Wildflowers abound in the Drakensberg
Mist-formed droplets on a spiders web
Orange Acraea
Lichen on a rockface
Beetles congregating on a bloom
Ladybug
Common Hottentot Skipper (male)
Water Bronze
Gaudy Commodore (dry season form)
Wichgraf’s Brown
Wildflowers abound in the Drakensberg
Wildflowers abound in the Drakensberg
Eyed Pansy

It goes without saying that such a scenically attractive piece of earth wouldn’t be complete without a myriad of wildlife to round off the picture, even if, as at Giant’s Castle, they have to be content with taking a back seat to the surrounding landscape.

Eland being dwarfed by the magnificent landscape
Eland being dwarfed by the magnificent landscape
Silhouetted Eland
The rangers’ horses huddled together on a cold morning
The rangers’ horses huddled together on a cold morning
Bushbuck ewe
Mountain reedbuck in silhouette
Buff-streaked Chat
Olive Thrush
Cape Robin-Chat in the garden at Giant’s Castle Camp
Chorister Robin-Chat
Cape Rock-Thrush (male)
Red-winged Starling atop a boulder
Lucky visitors may spot a Bearded Vulture soaring above
Jackal Buzzard in flight
Black Saw-Wing
Common waxbill
White-necked Raven
White-necked Raven
Bold baboons frequent the camp at Giant’s Castle
Bold baboons frequent the camp at Giant’s Castle
Bold baboons frequent the camp at Giant’s Castle
Bold baboons frequent the camp at Giant’s Castle
Bold baboons frequent the camp at Giant’s Castle

Giant’s Castle is one of our favourite destinations in the uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park, and we can’t imagine that we’d ever get enough of it (our previous visit was also over Easter, in 2014). Excellent amenities in the camp (managed by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife) and a terrific network of short and longer walking trails ensures that every visit is a pleasant and fulfilling experience, one we can highly recommend!

Giant’s Castle Chalet #4, uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park, April 2017

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