For the Tourism Trade and Visitors to the Drakensberg
Spring 2023
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Black-Backed Jackal - Charles Sharpe - Wikimedia Commons
Spring in the Drakensberg is breathtaking, with vibrant shades of green covering the slopes and endless floral displays adorning this stunning escarpment. It's a beautiful display of new life that is truly mesmerizing.
“Now every field is clothed with grass, and every tree with leaves; now the woods put forth their blossoms, and the year assumes its gay attire".~ Virgil
This edition includes overviews of:
Drakensberg Black-Backed Jackals
Did you know that the Drakensberg Black-Backed Jackals, or Canis Mesomalis, are among the oldest canine species? It's true! Fossil evidence shows that they roamed the earth some two million years ago, making them remarkable survivors with an impressive ability to adapt to their surroundings.
These jackals have a diverse diet, which includes invertebrates like beetles, crickets, and spiders, as well as small mammals such as rodents, hares, and young antelopes. They also eat carrion and fruit, and berries. In the wild, they forage throughout the day, but in urban areas, they become nocturnal.
These animals usually live as monogamous pairs with their offspring and defend their territories. The black-backed jackal has two subspecies; one can be found throughout Southern Africa, and the other in Eastern Africa. These medium-sized jackals have a unique black and silver fur coat on their back, with a long and pointed muzzle and a bushy tail with a black tip. The rest of their bodies are covered in reddish-brown fur.
You can sometimes see black-backed jackals in the Drakensberg at night, where they frequently call out, adding to the wild and beautiful atmosphere of the mountain range.
Malcolm Pearse's Photo Gallery of San Rock Art
Visitors can explore the Winterton Museum's enchanting San Rock Art Photo Gallery. Malcolm Pearse was commissioned to develop this display. It provides valuable insights into the Drakensberg San and their intricate frescoes, along with the meanings behind them. The gallery showcases images of the region's most significant San Rock Art sites, portraying their rituals, daily life, and spiritual beliefs. Additionally, visitors can purchase a guide or manual to help interpret each image.
This gallery is just one of the museum's many highlights, which offers a comprehensive overview of Central Drakensberg's history. It's an excellent attraction to explore on a rainy day. This area's official tourism information centre is next to the museum.
When Garden Castle was Giant's Castle
Garden Castle, initially called Giant's Castle, is a prominent peak in the Southern Drakensberg. Captain Alan Gardiner bestowed this name in the mid-1800s. However, it was later altered by Dr Sutherland, the Surveyor General at that time, in 1865. He renamed it Garden Castle to honour his mother's maiden name.
As a result, the title of Giant's Castle was bestowed upon one of Drakensberg's prominent cornerstones. This landmark protrudes from the escarpment, acting as a barrier between the Central and Southern regions. In addition, the Zulu name for this peak is iNtabayikonjwa, which translates to "don't point at." This name is derived from a superstition that pointing at peaks can bring bad weather.
DrakensbergSagewood
Sagewood or Buddleja salviifolia is easily noted while hiking in the Montane and lower Sub-Alpine vegetation belts of the Drakensberg. This tree, which grows to four to eight metres, is quite common in the region and can be easily spotted at the edges of hiking trails. Its upper leaves are dark green and have a wrinkled and dimpled texture, while the underside is distinctly white. The leaves are elongated and pointed. In addition, the tree bark has a reddish-brown hue, and the young branches are covered in fine hairs.
From August to October, the plant showcases an abundance of large flower panicles that droop down and come in varying colours, such as white, lilac, and purple. These flowers are then followed by small hairy capsules serving as the plant's fruit.
Another similar tree in the Drakensberg is the Weeping Sage or Buddleja auriculata. The main difference between these two trees is that the Weeping Sage has drooping branches, giving it a willow-like appearance. It is also a shorter tree, reaching a height of only two to four metres.
Grindstone and Cataract Valley Loop
A moderate hike, the Grindstone Cave and Cataract Loop begins at the Injisuthi Camp. Follow the cairns to reach Yellowood Forest and Grindstone Cave. On your way to Grindstone Cave, you will come across Shower Cave. While at Grindstone Cave, take in the awe-inspiring grindstone and San Rock art in the nearby shelter. From there, follow the trail and cross Old Woman Stream near a breathtaking waterfall. As you descend into Cataract Valley, join the contour path leading back to Injisuthi Camp. This trail is approximately 13 kilometres long and takes roughly 6 hours.
Source: Komoot
Hiking Tips
Sign the mountain rescue register;
Wear sturdy hiking boots and carry a walking pole;
Apply safe river crossing principles;
Wear a light rucksack even for a walk;
Ensure it contains food items for at least one day, warm clothing and a poncho (the weather in the Berg can change suddenly), sufficient water, a small medical aid kit, a cell phone, map, compass, torch, whistle and a box of matches; and ideally a bivvy bag;
If you encounter a bushfire, try to get to a small grove of trees or a large rocky area as quickly as possible or light a fire break around you. At worst, run directly through the fire and roll;
If caught in a lightning storm, urgently head for a forest. At worst, squat over insulating material and ideally cover yourself with a poncho or raincoat. Discard any metal items and leave your backpack a distance from you. Do not lie down or stand under an isolated tree; and
Walk in a group of at least three people.
Hiking Safely in the Drakensberg Part 1: Crossing Rivers
Crossing a river or swollen stream can be hazardous when hiking in the Drakensberg. Unfortunately, many hikers have lost their lives attempting to cross such obstacles. To ensure your safety, it's important to consider the following before attempting a crossing:
- First, determine if an alternative route or a nearby bridge is available.
- Secondly, assess if the river is flowing faster than a normal walking pace, and if so, do not attempt to cross.
- Additionally, if the river is deeper than knee height, avoid crossing it.
- Identify the calmest point to cross and ensure your belongings are in waterproof stuff sacks.
- Undo your hip and chest strap to remove your rucksack if you fall while crossing.
For solo hikers, face upstream and hold your walking poles in front of you for balance. Walk forward at a 45-degree angle to the bank or shuffle sideways until you reach the opposite bank. Remember to prioritize your safety above all else.
When crossing a body of water with a group, everyone must undo their rucksack chest and hip belts. The strongest member of the group should take the lead and form a wedge. The members in the rear should link their shoulders while the middle members hold onto the person before them. Face upstream and walk at a 45-degree angle until reaching the opposite bank, or shuffle perpendicularly until reaching the opposite bank.
An alternative group approach is to form a line facing upstream and link shoulders. The strongest members should take up the end positions. Walk upstream at a 45-degree angle or shuffle sidewards until you reach the opposite bank.
One of the most important reference books Drakensberg hikers should consider reading is Steve Long's, "Hillwalking". It is the official handbook for Mountain Training's walking schemes in the United Kingdom. If you have paid a guide to lead you, ensure they are qualified and ideally registered in the adventure and mountain guide category. Don't hesitate to ask them to show you their registration card.
Drakensberg Events in the Central and Northern Drakensberg
Winterton Parkrun takes place every Saturday morning from the Waffle Hut starting at 08.00. Cannibal Cave Parkrun takes place in the Northern Drakensberg;
Cathkin Park Walking Group takes place every Tuesday. 8.00 in Winter and 7.00 in Summer. Contact Nick at 0794936424;
Central Drakensberg Hiking Group Saturdays and overnight hikes. Contact James Seymour for details. 0829255508;
Cathkin Park Community Projects Run takes place on the last Friday of the month at 17.00 in Summer and 16.30 in Winter at The Nest;
Drakensberg Boys’ Choir School has a concert on Wednesday afternoons during term times at www.webtickets.co.za or 0364681012
Mountain Music Club occurs on the last Saturday of every month from 5 pm, usually at Mac’s Café, Cedarwood Shopping Centre. Dave: 0724839049.
2023
1st – 2nd Sept: The Berg Show at VS AGRI Grounds (Old Kenaf Factory)between Winterton and Bergville. Joanine 0828564368;
1 st - 2 nd Sept: NG Kerk Winterton Basaar at VS AGRI Grounds;
8th Sept: Internal Music Competition. Drakensberg Boys’ Choir School. 0364681012;
9th – 10th Sept. CANSA Relay for Life at Forderville Primary School. Anil. 0837872277;
8th – 9th Sept: Drakensberg Boys’ Choir School Open Weekend 0364681012;
29th Sept- 1st Oct: Lube and Tube on the Tugela River 08246447803;
30th Sept: Run the Berg. www.runtheberg.co.za;
7th Oct: Bass Fishing Competition. Winterton Lutheran Church. Various Dams;
21st - 22nd Oct: Kudu Canter Trail Run: www.kuducanter.co.za;
28th Oct: Art and Craft Exhibition and Auction and 5km Fun Run at Spionkop Lodge. Lynette 0825730224;
4th Nov: Innistraat Market. Winterton;
25th Nov: Drakensberg Marathon. 42km, 21km and 10km. Bergville Sports Centre Barry Holland 0832520691;
8th - 10th Dec: Christmas in the Berg at the Drakensberg Boys’ Choir School www.dbchoir.com
Source: Ann Gray
Drakensberg's Tourism Market
The Central and Northern Drakensberg has several major resorts that accommodate over 100 guests and a significant concentration of smaller self-catering, B&Bs, lodges and Guest Houses—easily accessed from this region's core markets, Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal. This area is about a four-hour drive from Gauteng and two-and-a-half hours from Durban. It is possible to fly into Pietermaritzburg and reduce the driving time to this destination.
The Drakensberg is positioned at the consolidation or mature stage of Butler's Tourism Area Lifecycle model in domestic tourism and the exploration phase concerning the foreign market. The domestic market mainly comprises leisure holiday tourists who self-drive to the area. They tend to be couples or family groups. Occasionally conference and incentive groups visit the area, particularly resorts such as Champagne Sports Resort, Alpine Heath and Drakensberg Sun. These are the 'Well-to-do Mzansi Families', 'Spontaneous Budget Explorers' and 'Seasoned Leisure Seekers'.
Foreign tourists are predominantly self-drive young and middle-aged adventure seekers (Next Stop South Africa's and Wanderlusters from the Millennial and Generation X groupings). Attracted to the area for hiking and other adventure opportunities, such as zip-lining, hot-air ballooning, and helicopter flips.
According to South African Tourism, some 65,000 foreign tourists visit the Drakensberg annually. This segment is approximately 8% of the foreign tourists visiting KwaZulu-Natal and 1% of all foreign tourists visiting South Africa. This portion seems to be a growing market, as an estimated 47,000 visited this area in 2016.
The nature of this market can be assumed to be in line with the foreign makeup of the KwaZulu-Natal overseas tourism market that predominantly comes from the UK, Germany, USA and France.
Tourism KwaZulu-Natal has determined that some 186,000 domestic tourists visit the Drakensberg annually. The key markets are the provinces of KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.
The overall Drakensberg tourism market is worth in the order of two billion Rand per annum.
This market is beginning to recover from the ravages of COVID. The Smith Travel Research (STR Statistics for the Drakensberg Midlands and as supplied by Tourism KwaZulu- Natal have revealed that:
South Africa's occupancy rate for hotels, lodges, etc., for January to December 2022 was 55% versus 36% for the same period in 2021. South Africa's Average Daily Rate or ADR was R1316.00 as opposed to R1108.00 in 2021. The Revenue per Available Room or REVPAR was R720 versus R398 in 2021.
In the case of the Drakensberg & Midlands, the occupancy rate was 67% vs 47%. ADR R1146 vs R1083 in 2021 and Revpar R771 vs R505.
South Africa's foreign tourism arrivals were up 153% for January to December 2022 as opposed to the corresponding period in 2021. The number of foreign tourists in 2022 was 5.7 mn vs 2,3 mn in 2021.
Tourism growth for the Drakensberg and Midlands seems to be slowing down. The year-to-end July occupancy figure was 58.5% vs 59.9% in 2022. This growth has been stifled due to South Africa's poor economic performance and a Global economy that is also struggling.
July 2023 was a reasonable month, with an occupancy level of 65.8%. However, it was lower than 71.9% in 2022. Average Daily Rates (ADR) were up this month at R1 289.02 vs R1 156.99 in 2022. Revenue per available room (RevPAR) was R847.61 vs R831.42 in 2022.
Globally, tourism is expected to recover to 2019 levels in 2024.
Drakensberg's Weather Charts
Drakensberg Tourism Directory
Download the Drakensberg Experience Map
Adventure Operators
Active Escape
All Out Adventures
Berg Adventures
Cathkin Trails for Mountain Bikers
Drakensberg Ballooning
Drakensberg Canopy Tours
Drakensberg Hikes
Drakensberg Mountain Bike Trails
Dragon Peaks Resort
Four Rivers Adventures
Hike The Berg
Hot Air Ballooning SA
Leap Adventures
Scootours
The Northern Horse
Ushaka Horse Trails
Westline Aviation
Battlefield Sites
Bloukrans
Colenso
Doornkop Laager site
Elandslaagte
Fort Durnford
Rensburgskop Battlefield
Siege of Ladysmith (various)
Spioenkop
Thukela Heights (Various)
Vaalkrans
Weenen
Willow Grange
Winston Churchill Capture Site
Zaailaager / Saailaager
B&Bs
Alkamia B&B
At Home
Bell Park B&B and S/C
Bingelela Restaurant / Pizzeria & B&B
Cathkin Cottage B&B
Easby B&B
Itumeleng B&B Bergville
Nzima B&B
Tugela Fall B&B
Backpackers
Amphitheatre Backpackers
Drakensberg Bush Lodge
Inkosana Lodge
Booking Agencies & Tour Operators
Africa Ignite
Berg Adventures
Cathkin Booking & Management Services
Cathkin Park Reservations
Golf got you
Ron Gold Historical Tours
Camping & Caravanning
Mountain Splendour Eco-Resort
Dragon Peaks Mountain Resort
Monks Cowl Camp
Royal Natal Camp
Injisuthi Camp
Coffee Shops & Restaurants
Bingelela Restaurant / Pizzeria & B&B
Canaan Coffee & Gifts
Champagne Bistro
Chocolate Memories
Drakensberg Brewery
Farmers Fork
Four Rivers
Kabbo Burger Factory
Mac's Coffee Shop
Pig & Plough
Scrumpy Jack Farmstall
The Coffee Patch
The Griller Restaurant
The Salesyard
The Tower of Pizza
Thokozisa Restaurant
Valley Bakery
Waffle Hut
Conference Venues
Alpine Heath
Alpine Heath
ATKV Drakensville Resort
ATKV Drakensville Resort
Cathedral Peak Hotel
Champagne Castle Hotel
Champagne Sport Resort
Dragon Peaks Mountain Resort
Little Switzerland Hotel
Sandford Park Country Hotel
The Nest Hotel
Wits End Mountain Resort
Craft Shops
BergAir
Cedarwood Village Shopping Centre
Chocolate Memories
Farm Friends Farmstall
KwaZulu-Natal Weavers
Sandra's se Winke;
The Oaks Supermarket
The Outspan
Thokozisa
Estate Agents
Chas Everitt - Pierre de Wet 0645120809
Game Reserves/ Conservation Areas
Kwaggashoek Game Ranch
Slievyre Game Farm
Spionkop Nature Reserve
Weenen Nature Reserve
Zulu Waters Game Reserve
The Drakensberg World Heritage Site
Golf
Hlalanathi Berg Resort
Champagne Sports Resort
Cathedral Peak Hotel
Monks Cowl Golf Resort
Guest Houses
Ashtonville Terraces Guesthouse
Monte Vista
The Riverhouse
Lodges, Hotels & Resorts
Alpine Heath
Ardmore Guest Farm
Blue Haze Country Lodge
Cathedral Peak Hotel
Champagne Castle Hotel
Champagne Sports Resort
Cheetah Ridge Lodge
Dragon Peaks Mountain Resort
Dragons View Lodge
Esiweni Lodge
Ezulwini Berg Resort
Hlalanathi Berg Resort
Inkungu Lodge
Kwaggashoek Game Ranch
Little Switzerland Hotel
Mackaya Bella Lodge
Monks Cowl Golf Resort
Montusi Mountain Lodge
Sandford Park Country Hotel
Spionkop Lodge
The Cavern Resort & Spa
The Nest Hotel
Museums
Ladysmith
Sandra se Winkel
Winterton
Other Attractions
Cathedral Peak Wine Estate
Dragon Rock Reptile Centre
Drakensberg Boys Choir School
Drakensberg Brewery
Falcon Ridge Raptor Centre
H and D Honey Products
Public San Rock Art Sites
Injisuti Camp, guided tour to Battle Cave
Main Cave, Giants Castle Camp
Road Side Assistance
Tyre Roadside Assistance 0617821591
Self-Catering
Accommodation at Trek Trips & Trails
Alpine Heath
Alpine Heath
Ama Casa Self-catering Cottages
Amphitheatre Backpackers
ATKV Drakensville Resort
Bell Park B&B and S/C
Birdsong Cottages
Celtis cottage
Champagne Cottages
Champagne Lane Resort
Champagne Valley Resort
Dalmore Guest Farm
Didima Camp
Drakensberg Dream Cottages
Drakensberg Hikes
Drakensview S/C
Fernwood Shareblock (Pty) Ltd
Giants Castle Camp
Glenside Farmhouse
Goodhope Country Escape
Graceland Self-Catering Cottages
Highbourne Cottages
Hill Billy Cottages
Ihophe(Turtle Dove)
Ihophe(Turtle Dove)
iKhaya Lodge
Ikhayamalafu Mountain Hideaway
Ikhunzi Cave
Ledges Retreat
Little Acres
Linglela Lodge
Nambiti House
Oak Cottage
Ondini Guest House
Ouma se Opstal
Peak View Cottage
Pumeleni
River Crossing
Rockwood Earth Lodge
Slievyre Game Farm
Sungubala Eco Camp
Swallowfield Rondavels
Tendele/ Royal Natal
Vultures View
Wits End
Spas
Alpine Heath
Champagne Castle Hotel
Champagne Sports Resort
Monks Cowl Golf Resort
Spoilt Green Eco-Spa
The Nest Hotel
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