Discover the Southern Drakensberg
The event takes place in the greater Underberg and Himeville area in the Southern Drakensberg. Located along the R617, the area consists of two villages with various activities on offer as well as a very interesting history that dates to the earliest inhabitants on the continent and the various interactions the early explorers and missionaries had with them. The most notable being Capt. Allen Francis Gardiner in the late 1800’s.
The area has become a mecca for outdoor enthusiasts because of the number of outdoor activities, adventure sport and recreation activities on offer, notably the Drak Descent MTB race, Run the Rivers Trail Run, Drak Challenge Canoe Marathon, Sani Stagger, the Underberg Ultra Trail Distance Run, Sani2c and now the Underberg Gran Fondo.
There is also the famous Splashy Fen Music Festival – the oldest music festival in the country.
Sani Spoors, the trail running and MTB Trail centre which hosts the Gran Fondo, offers more than 70km of the finest trails, traversing land on private farms that allow access to the most beautiful areas the Underberg region has on offer.
The area also holds many exciting walking and hiking trails from Sani Spoors to Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife National Reserves that offer huts, caves and numerous campsites for overnighting.
There are also many highly respected and qualified tour operators that will guide you to see the famous Sani Pass, indigenous flowers, rock art, beautiful birds and game or even those that will take you fishing to catch some trout in one of the crystal-clear streams.
Most of Underberg’s pioneer charm and untouched history can be found in the Himeville Museum.
Just across the border, up the famous 4×4 Sani Pass, lies the Mountain Kingdom of Lesotho. This trip is a must-do and will showcase the splendour of the area and highlight the Basutho Culture and way of life.
A visit to the area can include visits to the wonderful restaurants and hotels in the area.
The Olde Duck Café, Grind Café, Lemon Tree, Trendy Bean Coffee Shop, Stonehouse Kitchen, Old Hatchery and Balam Coffee Shop and the Underberg Country Club in Underberg all offer great food. Penwarn Country Lodge, The Bushman’s Nek Hotel, Drakensberg Gardens Hotel and Castleburn Resort are well worth a visit and also have great restaurants.
Himeville has the famous Stonehouse Kitchen, Whistling Goat, Moorcroft Manor and the Himeville Arms as its offering of restaurants. The Sani Pass Hotel and Moorcroft Manor are also well worth a visit. Please note BOOKING is Essential.
Southern Drakensberg – what to do:
Adventures:
Sani Spoors MTB and Trail Running offer the most spectacular trails in the area with over 70km on offer, ranging from short, kiddie friendly routes to the longer more technical loops. These all begin and end at the Olde Duck Café.
Sani Spoors and Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife offer a variety of hiking trails for a wide range of abilities.
Sani Spoors offers access from the Olde Duck Café to some of the most spectacular walks, hikes, trail runs and MTB tracks in the country, which can be hiked with a pram, a toddler, push bikes, to the more strenuous and challenging 30km+ routes. All routes are well marked and easily accessible.
Ezemvelo offers hikes from Cobham and Garden Castle Reserves.
Fishing:
Underberg is a renowned fly-fishing destination – only fly rods may be used and all fly fishing needs to be booked through the Underberg Himeville Fly-Fishing Club. This is well worth it and allows one access to great areas with beautiful lakes and rivers.
Wine & Dine:
There are over 10 Restaurants to choose from in the area -some at hotels but others in the villages and surrounds.
Arts, Culture and Historical Buildings:
The Southern Drakensberg provides great arts and culture experiences from the Underberg Art Studio to a cultural Sani Pass Tour into Lesotho. The Himeville Museum, housed in the old colonial fort, a national monument is well worth a visit.