Royal Natal National Park, in the The Northern Drakensberg, boasts some of the most splendid mountain scenery in Africa. The main feature is the world famous Amphitheatre, a rock wall approximately five kilometers in length, and 500m high.
Above the amphitheatre is Mont-aux-Sources peak where, as its name implies, the Orange river starts its long journey to the Atlantic ocean and Thukela river cascades down the face of the amphitheatre, in one of the highest waterfalls in the world, on its way to the Indian ocean.
Accommodation options within the Royal Natal National Park can be found at Thendele.
The Northern Drakensberg is supported mostly by the town of Bergville with a variety of accommodation options as well as accommodation in the larger Northern Drakensberg area.
The most popular activity at Royal Natal is undoubtedly hiking. A comprehensive hiking guide is available for purchase at the Visitor Centre, at Thendele camp office and at the main entrance gate. For your own safety, hikers must complete the mountain rescue register before and after their hike.
The guide shows a map of the park and the network of hiking paths which visit every part of the park from the gentle walk to Fairy Glen to the challenging hike up the Crack and down the Mudslide.
Trout fishing at Royal Natal is available in two dams in the park and in the Mahai and Thukela rivers, and picnicking and swimming in the clear mountain streams are popular pastimes.
The stables at Rugged Glen provide opportunities to ride into the mountains for unique views and sightings of mountain reedbuck and grey rhebuck that seem to have no fear of people on horse back.
Useful Facts about Royal Natal
- Thendele is located at the foot of the iconic uKhahlamba- Drakensburg
- Amphitheatre, a rock wall 5km in length and some 500m in height
- The world- famous Chain Ladder is the link to exploring the vast wonders of the iconic uKhahlamba- Drankensburg Amphitheatre summit.
- The cascading Tugela Falls in Royal Natal is one of the worlds highest waterfalls and the ideal backdrop for a picnic.
- Mont-Aux-Sources, as the name suggests, is the source of five of South Africas major rivers, including the Orange and Tugela rivers
- Queens Causeway- is a wheelchair friendly boardwalk following the Mahai river.
Gate entry:
There is a 24 hour gate. Pets are not permitted in the reserve. There is only Vodacom and Cell C cellular reception. The nearest towns are Bergville and Harrismith. Bergville is 45 km from the resort.
