A new tourism route has recently been established in the Midlands of KwaZulu-Natal which includes some areas of the Central and Northern Drakensberg. From Hidcote it extends 140 km to Sterkfontein Dam, including Estcort, Winterton, Bergville, Weenen, Geluksburg and Spionkop Dam along the way.
The route covers places that offer a variety of services and activities and is a good compliment to other routes already existing in the area such as the Midlands Meander, Sani Saunter and Boston-Bulwer Beat.
It is hoped that this will boost healthy tourism and investment in the area. The Berg will undoubtedly be included in this, even from a hiking and climbing perspective.
Some of places of accommodation on the route, which are strongly associated with the Berg, include: Ardmore Guest Farm, Cathkin Cottage B&B, Dragon Peaks Mountain Resort, the Drakensberg Sun, iKhayalamafu, Inkosana Lodge, Montusi Lodge, Little Switzerland, Mountain Splendour Resort, The Cavern, and most interesting of all, the Mweni Tourist Centre.
A number of adventure specialists are also on the list, who naturally offer hiking as one of the activities.
Let’s hope that hiking in the Drakenberg is boosted in a healthy and sustainable manner through this. Particularly for the Mweni, which is increasingly drawing visitors from a broader spectrum, other than from a small, die-hard bunch of hikers and climbers that revel in the rugged splendour of the mountains there. I truly hope that the local people there benefit from this, but at the same time that the special nature of the Mweni is preserved.
Click here for more info on the Drakensberg Experience.
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