Geluksburg, Drakensberg

It is probably closer to the truth to describe the little town of Geluksburg as tiny. It is indeed nothing larger than a hamlet. The town has roughly fifteen houses, a couple of shops, and a mountain with one tree (or at least from town it appears to have but one). It also has a crossroads and a sign indicating how far it is to Bergville and Ladysmith. And a very interesting history.

Geluksburg lies in the midst of the northern Drakensberg, its position more than making up for its diminutive status. Just inside KwaZulu Natal, the little town is closest to the Free State border, sandwiched between the Oliviershoek and Van Reenen mountain passes, virtually in the middle of nowhere.

The nearest town is quite far from here and you can understand that once upon a time the valley that is closest to the town of Geluksburg was known as the 'lost valley' for a group of people that lived in complete isolation from the rest of cilvilsation at the turn of the century.

Geluksburg lies at the base of the Ntintwa Mountain and it is here that you come to get lost in the true sense of the word. When people say they want to 'get away from it all' they usually mean as long as it is close enough to shop somewhere, but when you stay in Geluksburg, you really do get away from everything commercial, even if you are but 30 kilometres from the N3.

But it is the beauty and tranquility of the surrounding mountain peaks that are the Drakensberg that really makes your stay here sublime.