Three Peaks challenges in South Africa

The landscapes of South Africa

A vast interior plateau occupies much of South Africa, edged by rugged hills and mountains above a narrower coastal plain. The eastern escarpment and the separate mountain landscapes around the Cape provide very different expressions of the country's relief. Coastal and inland settings are not interchangeable.

Much of the country is semiarid, while the east coast has stronger subtropical influences. Elevation and proximity to the sea add further contrasts. A South African mountain destination belongs to one of these regional landscapes, whether beside the ocean or along the edge of the elevated interior.