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We consider the changing tourism and management dynamics that occur when a site is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. We use the example of the uKhahlamba-Drakensberg World Heritage Site (South Africa), a mixed natural and cultural property listed predominantly because of its beautiful southern alpine mountain scenery and its spectacular rock art. It was listed in 2000. This case study allows us to explore the gap between the tourism boom anticipated prior to nomination and actual post-inscription visitor numbers and management realities. Drawing upon the UNESCO nomination file, management plans and several field trips (between October, 2009 and October, 2011), we start with an analysis of the UNESCO inscription process and the expectations at the time of nomination. We then consider the evolution of the post-inscription tourist dynamics and discuss the reasons behind the low visitor numbers realised at rock art sites and the implications of this. Our comparative approach focuses upon the major rock art tourism sites and highlights the key importance of local tourism infrastructure and accessibility in determining visitor numbers. Moreover we see the direct negative effects of stakeholder failing to cooperate and failing to realise sustainable local community involvement. Besides the broad lessons that we can learn from this example we explore the ways in which stakeholders can be confronted and called upon to deliver on their UNESCO World Heritage List nomination commitments regarding tourist development. Finally we discuss problems inherent to the category of mixed property as established by UNESCO.