Camels crossing the desert near Africa's highest sand dunes at Temet, Air and Tenere Natural Reserves world heritage site, Niger

Elephants crossing the Zambezi river in Mana Pools National Park world heritage site, Zimbabwe

Ice cliffs near the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro National Park world heritage site, Tanzania

Black and white ruffed lemur, Rainforests of the Atsinanana world heritage site, Madagascar

(clockwise from top left: Grauer's gorilla (Kahuzi-Biega); Victoria Falls; Hawkmoth caterpillars (Dja reserve); Protea flower (Cape Floral Region)

Drakensberg - South Africa

Map showing the location of the uKhahlamba - Drakensberg park world heritage site in South Africa Area: 2,428 km²

Inscribed: 2000

Criteria (mixed site): (vii) aesthetic (x) biodiversity (and cultural criteria (i), (iii) )

Values: The Drakensberg is one of the major mountain ranges of southern Africa with dramatic scenery, high levels of biological endemism, and a concentration of rock art spanning 4,000 years. The highest reaches of its escarpment feature sheer basalt cliffs, with ramparts of golden sandstone rising above high rolling grasslands, rocky gorges and pristine steep-sided valleys. Hundreds of sandstone caves and rock shelters harbour the largest concentration of early rock art in sub-Saharan Africa. These are outstanding in their quality and diversity of subjects, their depiction of animals and human beings and as a record of the beliefs and way of life over 4,000 years of the Khoisan people who used to inhabit the region.

Slideshow of the uKhahlamba/Drakensberg Park/world heritage site.

Impressions (based on a visit in April 2005): The site is well protected and serves as a crucial water catchment reserve, so its continued preservation is not significantly threatened. There are excellent visitor facilities and a well maintained system of hiking trails etc, providing a first rate visitor experience. The wider landscape (adjoining the world heritage site) suffers from widespread soil erosion, and significant problems of invasive exotic vegetation - a legacy of the apartheid system which forced thousands of black South Africans into high density ‘homelands' in the marginal lands close to the mountains. The site can be considered secure, at least for the time being, and there may be scope for future trans-frontier expansion to cover parts of Lesotho at the top of the escarpment.

Read more about uKhahlamba Drakensberg park in this article from the World Heritage magazine (pdf download)!

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Basuto woman collecting firewood kindling from outside her hut near the summit of Sani Pass in the uKhahlamba - Drakensberg park world heritage site in South Africa One of the numerous delightful waterfalls to be seen in the uKhahlamba - Drakensberg park world heritage site in South Africa Eland depicted in San rock art at Kamberg Nature Reserve within the uKhahlamba - Drakensberg park world heritage site in South Africa Massive cliffs of the high berg in Giant's Castle Game Reserve, part of the uKhahlamba - Drakensberg park world heritage site in South Africa