Giants Castle Game Reserve

A large and remote reserve, Giant's Castle was established in 1903 to protect the eland, the largest of the antelope. The highest peak in South Africa, the Injasuti Dome (3409m) is part of this reserve.

The area is a rich source of San (Bushman) paintings (more than 50 sites) with some caves containing several hundred of these beautiful works of art.

The last Bushman was shot in this area only a few years before the reserve was established. A visit to one of these galleries is a truly thought provoking experience.

A tableau of San family life has been established under a sandstone overhang in the Cave Museum, a short distance from the KwaZulu Wildlife camp. Here, visitors are able to see lifelike San models, their clothes, tools and weapons. Tours are conducted to this interesting museum twice daily.

For those interested in birdwatching, there is a Vulture's Restaurant near the camp. Visitors may see the great bearded vulture, the Lammergeyer with its 3 metre wingspan. These raptors specialize in dropping bones from a great height onto rocks to get at the marrow.

During the winter months, meat is put out near a camouflaged hide close to the camp (the Vulture Restaurant) to feed the lammergeyer, the rare bearded vulture. The higher areas of the reserve will reward ornithologists with splendid views of the acrobatic black eagle and jackal buzzards.

Horse rides are available to better appreciate the stunning scenery of Giants Castle. Pony rides through the Wilderness Areas, staying in huts or mountain caves are also available from the adjacent Hillside Camp. These extend to two or three days along bridle paths with spectacular views enabling the visitor to get away completely from urban stresses. A wide variety of accommodation is available from luxury lodges, self catering bungalows and camping sites to mountain caves.

Hlubi Chief Langalibalele

In 1873, Giants Castle bore witness to the pursuit of Amahlubi chief Langalibalele. A detachment of British troops came upon the rearguard of the Amahlubi at a pass high in Giants Castle. The Amahlubi were trekking into Lesotho because they refused to register weapons that had been used as payment for their work at the Kimberley diamond diggings.

The British troops were well outnumbered and with assegais and bullets raining down on them, beat a disorderly retreat, leaving several dead colleagues. Cairns at the top of the pass now mark their graves and their names were given to adjacent peaks - Erskine, Bond, Potterill, Kambula and Katana. The pass has thus henceforth been known as the 'Langalibalele Pass'.