Oribi to the Amphitheatre

From deep ravines and roaring rivers to green mountains with misty peaks – you’ll see the most scenic parts of KZN on this 440km route from the Oribi Gorge to the Amphitheatre in the Drakensberg. Drive it in two days or stretch it to four or five if you want to take it slow

DAY 1 

Oribi Gorge to Kamberg (266km)

The mist clears at sunrise and I walk the short distance from my hut in Oribi Gorge Nature Reserve to Baboon viewpoint, which overlooks the deep, vegetated kloof.

Oribi Gorge is a place where you can hike (it has a few short day trails), picnic next to the road, or sit quietly with your binoculars waiting for a Knysna turaco to flash its red wings in the canopy. From here, the Umzimkulwane River cuts east through the landscape for about 20km before it joins up with the bigger Mzimkhulu River and flows into the Indian Ocean about 9km further, at Port Shepstone.

Maybe you’ve spent your holiday on the KZN South Coast and it’s now time to head back to Gauteng. There’s only one problem – you want to stay longer! Then this route is exactly what you need because it skirts the highways and takes you north to the Drakensberg. Along the way, you’ll drive through dramatic landscapes, cross a few rivers and witness how the scenery transforms as you climb higher and higher – from the sugar cane plantations of the South Coast to the misty cliffs of the Amphitheatre.

The route markers here can sometimes be confusing so I’ll provide clear directions to make it easier to tour along. The route will follow tar roads for long stretches, but also dirt roads, which would be better to drive in a bakkie or an SUV in the rainy season.

Flask coffee and rusks later, I walk back to my hut and pack my bags in the Mahindra bakkie I’m using for this trip. First, I fill up my tank at the small Engen next to the Paddock co-op. I set my odometer to 0,0km and start to measure my distances for the day.