Drakensberg, South Africa

I only just realised that there aren't any postcards from South Africa in this blog. Ooops.. Maybe it's not so surprising, though, considering I only have a few postcards from there. ...which is why I was so excited earlier this year to find a swap offer, and I received this GORGEOUS postcard. It's such a treat!

The Drakensberg is the highest mountain range in Southern Africa, rising to 3,482 metres in height. In Zulu, it is referred to as uKhahlamba ("barrier of spears"). Its geological history lends it a distinctive character amongst the mountain ranges of the world. Geologically, the range resembles the Simien Mountains of Ethiopia. The Drakensberg mountain range is didived into three sections known as Northern, Central and Southern. This postcard is from the northern part and you can see the peak known as Monk's Cowl on the right hand side.

The Drakensberg Park has exceptional natural beauty in its soaring basaltic buttresses, incisive dramatic cutbacks, and golden sandstone ramparts. Rolling high altitude grasslands, the pristine steep-sided river valleys and rocky gorges also contribute to the beauty of the site. The site’s diversity of habitats protects a high level of endemic and globally threatened species, especially birds and plants. This spectacular natural site also contains many caves and rock-shelters with the largest and most concentrated group of paintings in Africa south of the Sahara, made by the San people over a period of 4,000 years. The rock paintings are outstanding in quality and diversity of subject and in their depiction of animals and human beings. They represent the spiritual life of the now extinct San people.