Just two days after we returned from Shingwedzi in the Kruger National Park (which we’ll be telling you all about soon, promise!), we headed back to Giant’s Castle in the uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park to pick up where we left off when we had to cut our trip in March short due to illness.

Part of the planning for our original trip was to spend a day visiting the crafters and speciality shops in the KZN Midlands between Mooi River and Howick along the R103-road, particularly to stock up on a variety of cheeses and other delights to enjoy in the evenings in front of the fireplace. With check-in at Giants Castle being only from 14:00 onwards, we decided for this return visit to then get the “shopping” out of the way first before heading to the reserve. An early (04:00am) start out of Pretoria allowed us to visit all the nice stalls and shops we wanted to, discover a few new ones and do some birdwatching along the Lower Loteni and Kamberg roads on the way before arriving at Giant’s Castle just after 16:00 in the evening (dusk comes really early in the ‘Berg in winter!).

Blue Cranes on the Lower Loteni Road

Secretary Bird on the Kamberg Road

Oribi grazing next to the Kamberg Road

A juvenile Bearded Vulture

A juvenile Bearded Vulture

Black-headed Heron on the Kamberg Road

Giant’s Castle entrance

This Jackal Buzzard (photographed by Marilize) was our first sighting just in at the gate at Giant’s Castle

We were allocated Chalet 26 for our 4 night stay, a 2-bedroom unit which is very privately situated and offers a spectacular view of the slumbering Giant that looms over the reserve named after it below.

Giant’s Castle, Unit 26, uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park, June 2019

The view from Chalet 26

A close-up view of the sleeping Giant

In a scenically grand environment like you’ll find at Giant’s Castle there’s beautiful landscapes all around, making hiking an absolute joy and the reason why we spent so much time on the different trails (thankfully we had really good weather during our visit)

Heavy clouds descending on the Drakensberg

Scenic vistas along the Bushmans River

The road leading to the REst Camp at Giant’s Castle

Beautiful spots along the Bushmans River

This Crassula is hanging on for dear life on a sheer rockface

Beautiful mountain blooms

Beautiful spots along the Bushmans River

The Main Caves in which you’ll find a fascinating museum dedicated to the San, or Bushman, people

Giant’s Castle scenery

Giant’s Castle scenery

Beautiful spots along the Bushmans River

Deep pool in the Bushmans River

Beautiful spots along the Bushmans River

Giant’s Castle scenery

Scenic vistas along the Bushmans River

Scenic vistas along the Bushmans River

Scenic vistas along the Bushmans River

Scenic vistas along the Bushmans River

This huge boulder looks like it might have been the shell of a prehistoric tortoise!

Beautiful mountain blooms

Sunlight flushing the dark from the valley below Giant’s Castle

Giant’s Castle scenery

Giant’s Castle scenery

Giant’s Castle scenery (photo by Joubert)

Beautiful mountain blooms (photo by Joubert)

Beautiful spots along the Bushmans River (photo by Joubert)

View of the Drakensberg from the Bergview Trail

View of the Drakensberg from the track to the Vulture Hide

View from the track to the Vulture Hide

Of course, being one of South Africa’s oldest protected environments there’s no shortage of wildlife to be found at Giant’s Castle, even if it can often be easily overlooked in the grand environs they inhabit!

Baboons are probably the most easily seen mammal in Giant’s Castle, as they move through the Rest Camp daily

Baboons are probably the most easily seen mammal in Giant’s Castle, as they move through the Rest Camp daily

Baboons are probably the most easily seen mammal in Giant’s Castle, as they move through the Rest Camp daily

A pair of mating baboons high in the mountains

Baboons are probably the most easily seen mammal in Giant’s Castle, as they move through the Rest Camp daily

Geranium Bronze butterfly

Dassie, or Rock Hyrax

Eland were the main reason the Giant’s Castle reserve was proclaimed

Eland on the run along the Bushmans River

At night, Eland often shelter in the camp

Eland were the main reason the Giant’s Castle reserve was proclaimed

Eland were the main reason the Giant’s Castle reserve was proclaimed

Eland were the main reason the Giant’s Castle reserve was proclaimed

Gaudy Commodore (dry season form)

Grey Duiker

Marsh Mountain Blue

Mountain Reedbuck ewe

Red-sided Skink

Little Scarlet Dragonfly

Speckled Rock Skink

Common Hottentot Skipper (female)

Trapdoor Spider on the move

Foam Grasshopper nymph (species unknown)

Yellow Pansy

Horses and ponies are an invaluable tool to rangers in mountainous areas, and while they’re not indigenous these beautiful animals look very much at home in their highland abode.

Horses and ponies are an invaluable tool to rangers in mountainous areas

Horses and ponies are an invaluable tool to rangers in mountainous areas

Horses and ponies are an invaluable tool to rangers in mountainous areas

Horses and ponies are an invaluable tool to rangers in mountainous areas

Baboons invading the paddock at Giant’s Castle

Horses and ponies are an invaluable tool to rangers in mountainous areas

The Drakensberg may not boast the richest variety of birdlife in South Africa, especially in winter, but we still had a great time bird-watching while out and about, and often the birds came to visit us while we were relaxing at the chalet.

African Stonechat

Southern Bald Ibis

Cape Crow

Black-headed Heron

Bokmakierie

Buffy Pipit

Cape Batis

Cape Robin-Chat

Cape Rock Thrush (male)

Cape Rock Thrush (female)

Cape Turtle Dove

Cape Wagtail

Cape White-eye

Chorister Robin-Chat

Dark-capped Bulbuls

Drakensberg Prinia

Familiar Chat

Forest Canary

Fork-tailed Drongo

Male Greater Double-Collared Sunbird

Ground Woodpeckers

Gurney’s Sugarbird

Gurney’s Sugarbird

Levaillant’s Cisticola

Olive Thrush

Olive Woodpecker

Red-eyed Dove

Red-winged Starling (male)

Southern Boubou

Speckled Mousebird

Speckled Pigeon

Streaky-headed Seedeater

Tawny-flanked Prinia

White-necked Raven

Yellow Bishop (non-breeding plumage)

We had a wonderful time at Giant’s Castle, and are incredibly grateful that we could return so soon. Along the most direct route, Giant’s Castle lies about 500km from our home in Pretoria, but with our four days in the mountains flying past unbelievably quickly we decided to prolong our return journey by taking a more scenic road over Oliviershoek Pass and through Golden Gate Highlands National Park (where our Autumn Highlands Holidays kicked off in March 2019).