Tugela River

The Tugela River (Zulu: Thukela; Afrikaans: Tugelarivier) is the largest river in KwaZulu, South Africa. With a total length of 560 km (350 mi), and a drop of 1370 metres in the lower 480 km, it is one of the most important rivers of the country.

The river originates in Mont-aux-Sources of two other major South African rivers, the Orange and the Caledon River. From the Drakensberg range, the Tugela follows a 560 km (350 mi) route through the KwaZulu-Natal midlands before flowing into the Indian Ocean. The total catchment area is approximately 29,100 km (11,200 mi). Land uses in the catchment are mainly rural subsistence farming and commercial forestry.