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About Drakensberg

The Drakensberg mountain region is situated in South Africa. Drakensberg budget travel holidays are the ideal way to experience adventure in the mountains.

Drakensberg Budget Travel

Drakensberg budget travel is very easy with great value for money backpacking tours and fantastic highlights. Below is useful information on Drakensberg to help you plan your budget holiday in Drakensberg. We offer a variety of budget tours and backpacking advice in Drakensberg.

Airports

Drakensberg nearest airports include:
• Durban International Airport

Birdlife

Drakensberg birdlife includes over 200 bird species, about half of these endemic. Roughly 30 species are endangered or highly endangered. Species include Barratt's Warbler, Swee Waxbill, harpbilled Honeyguide, Ground Woodpecker, plus birds of prey such as Bearded Vulture and Cape Vulture.

Conservation

With a number of beautiful reserves and parks within the range, Drakensberg conservation plays a key role in preserving the precious biodiversity of the region, which spans a large number of habitats across the province. Many species of bird and wildlife are endangered.

Malaria

Drakensberg is a malaria free zone, so you will not have to worry about malaria medication, unless you are planning to travel to a malaria zone in South Africa or to a known malaria zone country in Africa. If you are travelling to a malaria zone after your visit to Drakensberg, talk to a local doctor about malaria medication you will need to take.

Money

Drakensberg money and banking info includes:
• Banking hours are Monday to Friday from 09h00-15h30 and Saturday from 08h30-11h00.
• In the Northern and Central Berg there is a First National Bank and an ABSA Bank in Bergville
• Winterton has a First National Bank
• Estcourt, Mooi River, Himeville and Underberg have branches of most of the major banking groups

Plants

Drakenbsberg plant life is incredibly diverse, with vegetation ranging from valley basin thicket, boulder and protea studded grassland and secondary heath, to rock filled gullies and precipices, sub-alpine grassland and heath, seasonal bogs and rocky mountainsides.

Safety Tips

• Do not attempt to climb or hike if you have health or heart issues
• Temperatures can drop very rapidly in the winter months, with heavy snow
• The crime rate is very low in most of the region
• Do not feed baboons or other wildlife, or try and touch any animals you see
• Be careful when driving ' many roads can be steep along the mountain

Travel Books

Drakensberg recommended travel books include the following:
• Ukhahlamba-Drakensberg Park: World Heritage Sites of South Africa by Philip Briggs
• Images of Mystery: Rock Art of the Drakensberg by J. David Lewis-Williams
• A Guide to the Drakensberg by August Sycholt
• Wild Flowers of the Natal Drakensberg by Trauseld W.R
• The Drakensberg Bushmen and Their Art: with a guide to the rock painting sites by A. R Willcox

Visa Requirements

Get more information on visas in South Africa

Wildlife

Drakensberg wildlife ranges from eland and oribi on the slopes of the Drakensberg escarpment, to elephant and rhino in the Thukela Biospere. Other species include blesbuck, oribi, mountain reedbuck, duiker, leopard, jackal, black wildebeest and zebra.

Dayne - OverlandingAfrica.com13 Jul 2010: Hi Pooja, I have referred your request to our accommodation department and they will email you with options in the Drakensberg area. Cheers
Pooja12 Jul 2010: I need a budget accomodation for 12 adults. PLease let me know if you have a few cottages or farm houses etc. We will check in on 17th July 2010 and check out on 18th july 2010.
Dayne - Overlanding Africa.com15 Apr 2010: Hi Astrid, We only deal with Overland tours and we offer visits to the Drakensberg on these tours but we don't have tours to the Drakensberg specifically for hiking. I suggest you contact the Drakensburg Tourism Office who will provide you with a complete list of operators that offer hiking tours in the area. Cheers Dayne
Astrid15 Apr 2010: I would like to join a group hiking the Drakensberg leaving from Johannesburg the 2nd or 3rd of May returning the 6th or 7th of May. Do you offer such tours?

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