Drakensberg Mountains

mountains · South Africa · geology · Africa

Super tall peaks. The Drakensberg Mountains are part of the Great Escarpment and reach heights between 6,500 and 11,400 feet. They form one of the most spectacular mountain ranges in all of Africa.

Border guardian. These mountains create a natural border between South Africa and the mountain kingdom of Lesotho. The range marks where the flat Southern African plateau suddenly rises up like a giant wall.

Eastern giant. The Drakensberg is the eastern portion of the Great Escarpment, a huge curved ridge that wraps around the central plateau of southern Africa. It's where two completely different landscapes meet.

Changed the landscape. The mountains create the border between the high interior plateau and the lower coastal areas of South Africa. This natural barrier has shaped how people and animals live on both sides.