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escarpment — English
The steep slope that terminates a plateau or any relatively flat or level upland surface. Escarpments are often spectacular landscape features. The impressive Drakensberg escarpment as seen from KwaZulu-Natal defines the border between South Africa and Lesotho and is one of South Africa’s prime tourist destinations (see “destination”). From Lesotho’s side, however, is it not impressive at all – in fact, it cannot even be seen! This is the case in all high-lying plateau areas – everybody down below stares at the escarpments edging the plateaus, but on the plateau itself there is no escarpment to stare at. Perhaps an even more spectacular escarpment in South Africa is the Drakensberg escarpment separating the so-called Highveld and the Lowveld. The rugged escarpment in Mphumalanga and Limpopo also contains prime tourist destinations, especially for foreign tourists on their way to the Kruger National Park (see “intervening opportunity”).
