Johannesburg - The uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park – whether you go by the Zulu name uKhahlamba, meaning “barrier of spears”, or the Afrikaans name Drakensberge, meaning “dragon mountains”, you’ll get the message – this mountain range is awesome in every way.
Thousands of foreign visitors make their way from all quarters of the world to hike, climb or just experience the crisp mountain air and spectacular views. The Amphitheatre is one of the geographical features of the northern Drakensberg, and is widely regarded as one of the most impressive cliff faces on Earth.
The cliff face of the Amphitheatre is roughly three times the size of the total combined area of all the cliff faces in Yosemite’s famous El Capitan and more than 10 times the size of El Capitan’s most famous (south-western) face.
So, with my intrepid adventurous spirit, we made our way to the Drakensberg Sun, situated in the Champagne Valley, central Berg, for a two-night stay on a family weekend getaway with a twist.
The Drakensberg Sun is within easy reach for Gautengers and four hours by car on the N3.
The journey is effortless, with fantastic roads taking you right into the heart of the Berg. We were greeted on arrival by friendly and professional staff who assisted in offloading our considerable luggage and provided some refreshing welcome drinks at the reception.
Return guests – and from seeing the visitors’ book there appears to be many of them – will be in for a surprise. The hotel has recently undergone a soft revamp of about R25 million. So out with the old drapery, carpets and dated baths and bedrooms and in with the new, more modern fixtures and fittings.
The hotel occupies quite an extensive tract of land and has 78 rooms.
Guests can choose from a range of room options, from standard, superior, executive or even the one-of-a-kind presidential suite.
Family rooms are available for those wanting to share. Each room is equipped with facilities such as a tea and coffee station, fridge, electronic safe and air-conditioning. A porter service and 24-hour room service are also provided.
The food was brilliant and we opted for the buffet – breakfast and supper – which has a great selection ranging from vegetarian all the way to roasts and curries.
Facilities that can be enjoyed within the resort bring together luxury, comfort and enjoyment. Highlights include the Spoilt Green Eco-Spa, the Lakeview Restaurant, Grotto Bar, a swimming pool, trout-fishing dams, pitch-and-putt golf, relaxation areas and plenty more.
Loads of activities are on offer for children, with staff on hand to help during supper. Should you feel like taking a break from relaxing, activities are offered each day.
These include horse riding, hiking (a wide selection of hikes take you to breathtaking waterfalls and streams), canoeing or, for the more adventurous, a Drakensberg Canopy Tour which proved to be the highlight of our Berg adventure.
Hotel guests receive a welcome discount, which makes a huge benefit when travelling with a family. Tours cost about R470 a person and are conducted with the professionalism expected from an international tour operator.
Following your harness fitting and a thorough safety brief, you proceed by 4x4 on a 10-minute journey over the mountain to the start of the canopy tour, which begins at Barry’s grave. Dick Barry was one of the early mountaineering pioneers of the area and fell to his death off Monks Cowl in 1938 at the tender age of 22. His parents buried him at this site overlooking the mountains, which he so loved.
Experience nature like never before as you slide through the forest canopy and enjoy a unique bird’s-eye view on the world around you.
Set within the magnificent Blue Grotto Forest, the tour is guaranteed to take your breath away.
The forest is home to more than 150 species of birds, including the rare Bush blackcap. My girls and I loved the experience, with our guides always reassuring us about the zip lines and speeds. The 16 lines will take you the better part of three hours to complete, with some interesting facts on the forest and surrounds relayed at every stop.
At one point we landed at the top of a 500-year-old swaying yellowwood tree about 70m off the forest floor. The canopy tour was an unforgettable experience for my girls.
The experience was very professionally recorded by one of the guides with a DVD available to purchase at the end of our little eco-expedition.
The afternoon was spent exploring the surrounding area, including Ardmore Guest Farm, which is known for its collectable ceramic art and loom weaving. The Drakensberg Chocolate memories is also a must visit for those wishing to tantalise the taste buds.
The Bunsen vacuum-processed Arabica blends of coffee brewed in the most scientific manner, along with chocolate, makes for a sense- and taste-enhancing experience. Don’t miss this.
Visit that other national treasure, The Drakensberg Boys Choir School, which is 8km down the road from the hotel.
Being a great lover of choral music and not a bad tenor myself, it was a must to show my family this legendary school whose famous former Drakensberg Boys Choir alumni include the Bala Brothers, Jacques Imbrailo, Nicholas Nicolaides and Rory Rootenberg.
Widely regarded as one of the finest boys’ choirs in the world, the choir travels extensively on overseas tours to rave reviews. The mission of the school: To prepare boys for life and leadership through excellence in music, academics, sport and social enrichment in a Christian environment.
The school has a concert schedule so have a look an their site if you hope to hear them singing.
So how much can one possible fit into a weekend at the Drakensberg Sun? You will have to plan a week-long stay to really appreciate the many activities on offer at the resort and surrounds and if you want to escape the rat race for a little piece of heaven this is the place to go.
So making our way back to Johannesburg I spontaneously decided: what the heck, with Durban being only two hours down the drag, why not pop in and let the family enjoy a quick dip in the Ocean at Durban’s popular North Beach?
So leaving the Berg at 11am we arrived in Durban at 1pm and spent the following three hours frolicking in the waves. We left Durban at 4pm but not before stopping over at that legendary curry haunt “Johnnies” in Overport for some of their famous rotis.
We arrived back in Joburg at 9pm none the worse for wear. A fantastic weekend was had by all and we will definitely be back for a rvisit to the Drakensberg.irls.
IF YOU GO
Drakensberg Sun
Tel: 036 468 1000
Fax: 036 468 1224
www.drakensbergsun.co.za
Cell: 083 661 5691
Drakensberg Boys’ Choir School
www.dbchoir.co.za
036 468 1012
Drakensberg Chocolate Memories
Contact: Tammy or Eduard
Call: 072 310 3376
Saturday Star