Royal Natal

Royal Natal national Park is the gem of the Northern Drakensberg

Royal Natal 's main attraction is the dramatic Amphitheatre, 150 million-year-old basalt cliffs that dominate the skyline

Royal Natal comprises 8 094 hectares of majestic green clad Drakensberg mountains that rise vertically towards the sky.

Because of Royal Natal 's size and terrain, you can best explore the National Park on horseback. It is known that the naturally occuring antelope prefer the smell of horses to humans as they not to be intimidated by people on horseback.

Hiking, mountain climbing, birdwatching and picnics are also some of the popular activities you can choose. Or, you can participate in the 3 km (1.86 miles) Otto's Walkor the more adventurous 45 km (27 miles) Mont-aux-Sources , which is named after the highest peak of the plateau.

Royal Natal was proclaimed in 1916. With the neighbouring Rugged Glen Nature Reserve, which was a farm of the same name added to the park in 1950, the park covers an area of about 8 000 hectares. A black 1946 Daimler,lovingly preserved, is the vehicle that transported Britain's Queen Elizabeth II on a visit to these mountains with her parents and sister in 1947. Of course in those days she was still a mere princess, but the occasion earned the national park its royal monniker.

The Tugela River flows via the spectacular Thukela Falls into the Royal Natal National Park.