GoldenGateHighlands.kml normal #Nature_norm_copy0 highlight #Nature_over_copy0 Golden Gate Highlands 0 At the foothills of the Maluti-Drakensberg lies Golden Gate Highlands National Park , a spectacle of towering sandstone cliffs that turn gold, rose and russet-hued in the early morning or late afternoon sunlight. In this breathtaking landscape, explore deep shady valleys; and orange and mauve dappled grasslands where you´ll come across red hot pokers (aloes), wild lilies and watsonias on self-guided walking trails. See black wildebeest, eland, blesbok, oribi, springbuck and Burchell´s zebra on a drive through the park; and stop at the vulture restaurant, to look for rare bearded vultures circling above.

Golden Gate Highlands National Park Credit: SANParks

Rare bearded vulture

Hike up the Brandwag Buttress for glorious views, or head for Ribokkop, the highest point in the park; and go on a guided walk to Cathedral Cave, where a stream plunges 30m through the domed cave ceiling - out of season only, so as not to disturb the breeding colony of bald ibis roosting there. View numerous rock art sites and discover traces of fossilised dinosaur bones and footprints - the first ever fossilized Triassic dinosaur eggs were found in the park in 1973. Horse ride, mountain bike or just escape to Highlands Mountain Retreat, with its eco-log cabins built snugly into the mountain side, where panoramic views blend with this parks´ magnificent stillness.

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