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Hiking to Tiger Falls – Royal Natal National Park – Featured Blog

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Today’s posts from our featured Port Elizabeth Blogger:

Hiking to Tiger Falls – Royal Natal National Park:

The Drakensberg is famous for the trails that crisscross her spine, meanders across her back, explore her valleys, marvel at her fabulous buttresses, enter her wooded vales, wade through her streams and end up at waterfalls flowing over her.  It’s enough to want to throw your head back and shout in ecstasy.  Yes I know what that all sounded like, but heck, that mountain truly is sexy.  For our ten days of camping at Mahai in the Royal Natal National Park in the Northern Drakensberg we planned to split our time there between relaxing at the campsite, swimming at Cascades and doing three or four short morning or day hikes.  The first one we did was the Tiger Falls Trail.  The trail is an easy 6 km circular hike that starts right outside the campsite and heads uphill and on towards the mountain.  Along the way you get a great view of the Amphitheatre and Dooley mountain, stop for a break at Tiger Falls and enjoy the view from Lookout Rock before descending back into the Mahai Valley and back to the campsite via the Cascades. 

The view of Mahai campsite from the Tiger Falls Trail

Flowering Proteas along the trail 

The Damselfly approaching Tiger Falls

Tiger Falls is a great spot to take a break along the trail, fill your water bottle and kick off your shoes to cool down your feet.  Its even possible to climb up and in behind the waterfall, something the KidZ just loved doing.

The view down the Mahai Valley from Lookout Rock.  The campsite is in the centre of the picture

Heading down the path back into the valley and ready to go and take a swim at Cascades on our way back to camp

Source: Firefly The Travel Guy.

Swimming at Cascades – Royal Natal National Park:

When you arrive at Mahai campsite in the Royal Natal National Park in the Drakensberg, one of the first things you notice is that there is no swimming pool.  “What! No swimming pool? How is one supposed to cool down on those hot barmy summers days while camping?” you ask.  Mahai doesn’t have a swimming pool for a purpose.  The campsite sits on the banks of the Mahai River and 15 minutes upstream along the Queen’s Causeway is where you head to the Cascades if you want to cool down.  The Cascades is a series of cascading waterfalls and shallow areas offering bathers a safe spot to enjoy the crisp clean mountain water that flows out of the Berg.  You may not be able to dive into deep pools or swim lengths but I didn’t hear one person complain during the ten days we were there.  How often do us city folk get to swim in a mountain stream? 
The little bridge at the end of the Queen’s Causeway.  The Queen’s Causeway was built to allow the Royal family to comfortably walk up along the Mahai River during their visit in 1947.  The visit is also the reason why the park is allowed to be called the Royal Natal National Park.

The last stretch to the Cascades 

Campers and day visitors enjoying the Cascades
Yours truly playing ball with Miggie in the bottom pool
The Cascading waterfalls above the swimming area

Miggie having a waterfall shower

Chaos Boy warming up after a swim in the fresh mountain water
Miggie enjoying the view of the Cascades looking downstream 

Source: Firefly The Travel Guy.

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Port Elizabethan

This author is a 'catch-all' for occasional articles and letters written to MyPE. The Author of each article can be found in the signature at the bottom of each individual article.