The Zulu name for the Drakensberg Mountains translates as “Barrier of Spears” and  they do seem to form an impenetrable barrier along the border with the mountain kingdom of Lesotho. However, at the Sani Pass, hardy traders in centuries past forged a dramatic trail between the peaks with their mule carts. The road doesn’t appear to have been significantly upgraded in the intervening years: it is still a graded (dirt) road, laced with dramatic switchbacks affording amazing views over the mountains and valleys below, and passable only in a 4x4 – even with a 4x4 the road is sometimes closed due to adverse weather conditions. For those who persevere they can reward themselves with a drink and a bite to eat in Sani Top, the highest pub in Southern Africa.