Maloti-Drakensberg Park

Maloti-Drakensberg Park is a highland mountain park that links montane landscapes and cultural rock-art sites in the Drakensberg range, forming a transboundary conservation area with adjacent protected land in South Africa. The park is recognised for both its outstanding natural landscapes and its extensive San rock art.

The landscapes have been inhabited and used by hunter-gatherer communities for thousands of years, leaving a rich record of rock paintings; modern conservation efforts have established the park to protect both ecological values and cultural heritage. The area is managed cooperatively across national boundaries to conserve biodiversity and archaeological sites.

The park sits along the Drakensberg mountain range in Lesotho (and adjoining protected areas in South Africa), occupying highland terrain in eastern Lesotho and bordering the escarpment region.

• Combined natural and cultural values: The park is a transboundary natural and cultural landscape spanning high mountain plateaus and escarpments, notable for biodiversity, dramatic scenery and extensive San rock art.
• Visiting note: Best viewing of the escarpment and many rock art sites is in clear weather outside the wet summer months; access to some highland areas may require a 4x4 or guided trek.

What to See#

• Drakensberg escarpment: High escarpments and basalt cliffs forming the dramatic Drakensberg escarpment, with alpine plateaus above and steep valleys below that host montane vegetation and endemic species.
• San rock art galleries: Extensive rock-shelter panels and overhanging galleries containing San (Bushman) rock paintings that record hunter-gatherer life and spiritual practices over millennia.

• Plan mountain walks for early morning to avoid afternoon thunderstorms and rapidly changing weather typical of the Drakensberg highlands; mornings also give clearer views of cliff faces and rock shelters.
• Hire a local guide from nearby villages or a registered park operator to reach and interpret San rock-art sites-many of the best panels are on community-managed land and require local knowledge to access.
• Aim for shoulder seasons (spring or autumn) to reduce crowding at popular trailheads and to avoid peak winter snow or high-summer storms; confirm access and road conditions with local authorities before setting out.