Tag Archives: royal natal national park

Autumn Highland Holidays – Royal Natal’s Cascades

While the Amphitheatre, which we showed you a few days ago, certainly is Royal Natal’s most awe-inspiring feature, there’s another spot in the Park that few visitors do not spend some time at, and that is The Cascades – a beautiful stretch of the Mahai stream where the water drops over, around and even through some large rocky barriers, just a few minutes walk from the camping area. The rock pools are a delight for people old and young to cool of weary feet and bodies after a tough day’s hiking.

The Cascades

At the Cascades in Royal Natal National Park

Autumn Highlands Holidays – All Eyes on the Amphitheatre

26 Replies

At Royal Natal in the uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park, there’s one spectacular natural feature that stands out above all the rest, literally and figuratively, and that is the amazing Amphitheatre – a wall of rock 5km wide with its highest peak, the Sentinel, towering over 1,800m above the Tugela River flowing in the valley below and 3,165m above sea level!

On our first day, the Ampitheatre was completely shrouded in clouds

Still heavy skies on the 2nd day, but they lifted the veil a little

Drakensberg Amphitheatre seen from Thendele in the Royal Natal National Park, 23 March 2019

The Eastern Buttress of the Amphitheatre

Sentinel Peak

Walking in Royal Natal

The Amphitheatre from the Tugela Gorge walk

The Amphitheatre from behind Thendele

The Amphitheatre from Thendele

The Amphitheatre from unit 12 at Thendele

The Amphitheatre

Tugela River

Iconic Royal Natal

The Amphitheatre from the Tugela River

The Amphitheatre from Mahai Visitor Centre

The Amphitheatre from Fairy Glen walk

The Amphitheatre from Mahai Dam

Fun in the Mountains!

12 Replies

We’re still enjoying our holiday in the Drakensberg very much, and it seems we’re not the only ones taking a break!

Iconic Royal Natal

19 Replies

Beautiful early morning sunshine illuminates the Amphitheatre formation here in Royal Natal National Park, with the Tugela River in the foreground.

Joubert’s photographic study of Thendele’s Guineafowl

50 Replies

This afternoon we were relaxing on the veranda of our cottage here at Thendele in the Royal Natal National Park, when a flock of Helmeted Guineafowl came around for a visit, presenting Joubert with an excellent opportunity to practice some close-up bird photography – and with great success I might add!

9 years old: March 2019. Joubert photographing guineafowl at Thendele

Joubert’s photos of Thendele’s Guineafowl

The clouds also lifted just high enough for a while to provide a clear view of the Amphitheatre!

Drakensberg Amphitheatre seen from Thendele in the Royal Natal National Park, 23 March 2019

Catching our breath at Royal Natal

16 Replies

We spent most of today out-and-about in the Royal Natal National Park, enjoying the breathtaking scenery despite regular downpours.

Tugela River

Mahai Dam

We also got a quick glimpse of the magnificent Amphitheatre peaking through the clouds!

A Change of View

12 Replies

The 21st of March is celebrated as Human Rights Day in South Africa, and we’ve moved southwards into the Drakensberg to Thendele Camp in the Royal Natal National Park. Behind those thick clouds are hidden another of South Africa’s most inspiring natural features; the Amphitheatre, which we hope will be revealed in all its glory tomorrow!

A walk in the Park

16 Replies

There’s no doubt that hiking is the biggest pastime enjoyed by visitors to the Royal Natal National Park. Walking through the mountains allows access to so many beautiful spots. We particularly enjoy the easy trails that lead from the Mahai campsite and visitor centre, like Otto’s walk and the trails to the Cascades and Fairy Glen.

The beautiful campsite at Mahai

Bushbuck are commonly encountered along the trails

Looking up at the mountains

The cascades trail

Crystal clear mountain streams

This was the last installment on our December visit to Royal Natal National Park in the uKhahlamba Drakensberg. From here we travelled to Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park in Zululand, and from tomorrow we’ll be sharing some of what we experienced there.

Drakensberg Birding

19 Replies

The varied habitats of the Royal Natal National Park provides excellent habitat for a wide range of bird species. We’ve already introduced you to the rare Bush Blackcap, which is often recorded in the reserve, and the Lesser Striped Swallows that shared our accommodation unit, but there’s so many other feathered inhabitants in the Park that we can dedicate a whole blogpost just to them – in fact, this gallery contains just a few of the more than 60 species we ticked during our December visit!

Groundscraper Thrush

Southern Masked Weaver

Southern Masked Weaver attacking his own reflection

Cape Wagtails

Cape Robin-chat

Chorister Robin-chat

Malachite Sunbird

Male Greater Double-collared Sunbird

Female Greater Double-collared Sunbird visiting a Common Sugarbush

Male Violet-backed Starling

Female Violet-backed Starling

Helmeted Guineafowl

Fiscal Flycatcher

Cape Crow

African Dusky Flycatcher

White-throated Swallow

Sickle-winged Chat

Cape White-eye

Hadeda Ibis

African Hoopoe

Breathtaking Mountains

13 Replies

Come rain or shine, and no matter which way you look, the mountain scenery at Royal Natal National Park, dominated by the magnificent cliff face of the Amphitheatre, will take your breath away!