Durban - The best way to tell that you have left the city and have arrived in the Southern Drakensberg is the sound of the Piet-my-vrou, which usually makes its presence known after a bit of rain. Also known as the red-chested cuckoo, it is a bird that is usually heard rather than seen.
For a breathtaking experience in a valley totally surrounded by mountains one needs to visit the Drakensberg Gardens Golf & Spa Resort located on an 860-acre estate near Underberg.
Opening the sliding door to my patio, I was totally surrounded by a view of the berg, with the fresh smell of clean air.
You have a choice of a contemporary room or a thatched bungalow.
All rooms have a private bathroom, television, telephone, tea/coffee-making facilities and heaters. The deluxe rooms also include under-floor heating.
It doesn’t snow often at the resort, but they have had snow before. The pictures they have on their notice board of that special day look amazing.
It would definitely be the place to be when it has snowed.
The resort holds a three-star rating by the Tourism Grading Council.
There is a choice of four restaurants – The Eagles Roost with a rather tasteful and filling buffet, The Bistro and The Bergview (both à la carte) and the Glengarry Country Club for light meals after a round of golf.
The resort also has a lounge and two bars. One of the bars leads onto a games room with table tennis and darts.
The resort caters for the entire family and offers a number of activities from golf, tennis, bowls, volleyball and badminton to fishing, horse riding, squash and mountain biking.
It has a fully equipped hot pool and spa.
The 18-hole The Glengarry Country Club course overlooks Lake KwaNyoni and the famous Rhino Horn Peak. Due to the popularity of mountain biking in the area the resort has built a 12km single track that runs along the dam, golf course and pine forest and is suitable for all levels of riding. They have bikes for hire.
What can be better than mountain biking in the Drakensberg, except if you think there is only a flat route. However, for every uphill there is a well-deserved down.
Hiking trails are abundant in the area. There are various day or halfday hikes to the many peaks and caves, where you can view many Bushman paintings.
I did one of three shorter scenic walks, the 4km View Point Hike, in about 2 hours. You slog up a steep slope through pine trees for about 20 minutes, but once at the top you are welcomed by a spectacular view of the valley.
Other shorter walks include the Beacon Hike (about 1 hour / 2 km), to the Hippo Pools, regarded as a sacred area. But don’t worry, there are no hippos, but rather rocks that supposedly look like hippos.
There is also the Kwo-Nyoni Hike (about 2 hours / 5km) which goes past the Hippo Pools and on to a dam where you could do some bird watching.
The wellness centre has a sauna and plunge pool, two jacuzzis, two steam rooms, a hydrotherapy bath as well as a fully equipped gym with cardiovascular circuit, weight training and juice bar.
The also have a variety of treatments for every occasion, like the Sunet Package, Couples Package, Girlfriends Package, and the Mother-and-Daughter Bonding Package.
To get to the resort from Joburg take the N3 to Pietermaritzburg. Just after Howick, take the off-ramp to the left marked Underberg/Bulwer R617.
Follow the signs to Bulwer all the way to Underberg. Drive through Underberg. You will pass the country club on the right.
A total 4 km past Underberg a large signboard indicates the turnoff to the resort. Follow the 29km tarred road to the hotel.
The journey takes six and a half hour from Joburg and about three hours from Durban.
This was a great experience in a pristine environment , whether you like sport or just being outdoors. - Saturday Star