South Africa Guide
KwaZulu-Natal
Royal Natal National Park
The Royal Natal National Park (daily 24hr; R25) is famed for its views of the Amphitheatre, which probably appears on more posters and postcards and in more books than any other single feature of the Ukhahlamba Drakensberg. Almost everyone does the Tugela Gorge walk, a fabulous six-hour round trip from Thendele, which gives close-up views of the Amphitheatre and the Tugela Falls plummeting over the 947-metre rock wall.
Routes to the park are surfaced all the way. Coming from the south along the N3, take the Winterton/Berg resorts turn-off and follow the clear signposts through Bergville to the park entrance, some 46km away. Several of the resorts offer transfers from Bergville or the N3 if you book ahead and notify them, but they tend to be expensive.