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.
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!
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.
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!
Lekker moi… mooi lekker! Dankie vir die skoenlappers. Ek dink jy moet vir ons ‘n spesiaale vlinder pos doen! 😉
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Ek’t geweet jy sou die skoenlappers geniet, AJ!
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Another very beautiful place in South Africa. You have captured its beauty well in your photos. I was last there in 2011.
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Thanks Kim! Giant’s Castle is one of our favourite mountain destinations too!
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Loved the landscapes, and some very unique and lovely wildflowers.
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Giant’s Castle is a beautiful place, and hiking there such a wonderful experience!
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Awesome pics. Thanks for sharing your experience. Cheers.
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Always nice sharing South Africa’s beautiful wild places with keen people, Dan!
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What a spectacular place!
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Oh absolutely! These pictures don’t really do Giant’s Castle justice – the landscapes are just too grand for that.
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Absoluut pragtig,Dries!Jou foto’s is besonders en wat ‘n voorreg om die skaars baardaasvoël te sien!
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Baie dankie, Dina! By Giant’s Castle was ons nog altyd gelukkig om die lammergeiers te sien, beslis n voorreg!
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Dis nou nog ‘n plek wat ek op my lysie gaan sit,danksy jou volledige verslag!
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Jul sal nie spyt wees nie, Dina!
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What majestic landscapes! And very well written too, thanks
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Very kind of you, thanks Kate!
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Looks like you had a glorious time.
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Most definitely, Sherry, and it flew past way too quickly!
Welcome here!
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Dit moes ‘n fees wees!
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Dit was beslis, Toortsie. En soos altyd verby in n oogwink…
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Such pretty butterflies and flowers! I liked the cloud hanging half way down the mountain, neat!
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Thanks Teresa! Giant’s Castle is such a beautiful place, on a large and small scale, that there’s plenty to take photos of!
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A wonderful and varied gallery. Love it.
janet
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Very happy to know that you did, thanks Janet!
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