The Drakensberg Region, KwaZulu Natal

The accommodation in the Drakensberg region is extraordinary, thanks to the dramatically beautiful setting. This region is home to the awe-inspiring mountain range of the same name and can predominantly be found in the KwaZulu Natal Province. The range is more than 200 kilometres long and combines rugged peaks with verdant valleys and spectacular backdrops. It creates a natural border between the kingdom of Lesotho and the province of KwaZulu-Natal.

Its name, Drakensberg, roughly translate to “dragon mountains” or “the mountains of dragons”. And, it’s no wonder that it has earned this name because some of the peaks are mammoth in size and stature. The average height of the range is 2 900 metres. However, it is home to some of the country’s highest peaks, which surge up to 3 482 metres above sea level. Between and amongst these peaks are plateaus, valleys, slopes, and incredible mountain passes that make for some of the best hiking, walking and cycling adventures in South Africa.

Did you know? The Drakensberg Mountain Range is one of South Africa’s most spectacular natural wonders, showcasing a selection of the most breath-taking vistas imaginable. It is the highest mountain range in the country, reaching an impressive 3 482 metres above sea level.

The Drakensberg has a few famous peaks that are favourites to photograph and summit. These include Giant’s Castle, Cathedral Peak, and Mont-Aux-Sources. But, more than these, it is also home to a number of smaller foothills, stunning waterfalls, inviting rock pools, fresh mountain streams, and mysterious caves. The crisp mountain air and the clear sunshine of KwaZulu-Natal also play their part in creating a very special space for visitors to South Africa and locals alike.

Within the Drakensberg of KwaZulu-Natal lies the 243 000 hectare mountain region that is also a world heritage site, known as Ukhahlamba-Drakensberg Park Park. Not only does it boast some of the most incredible scenic beauty, but it also has over 600 examples of San rock paintings in caves around the park.

Staying in the shadow of these mountains brings immediate breathing space and a chance to unwind. Aside from hiking - and there are innumerable hikes that range in skill and fitness requirements throughout the entire Drakensberg - there are also horse trails, canopy tours, white water rafting, abseiling, local arts and crafts or simply ‘taking the air’ for those with little other than repose in mind.

You can visit and explore the Drakensberg as a day visitor; but, to fully appreciate all that the region has to offer, we recommend a stay of a few nights. SA-Venues.com proudly features a range of accommodation options in the 'berg to suit all travel needs and budgets.

Our Drakensberg Accommodation search facility is easy to use and you make your bookings directly with the venues. Options include hotels, self-catering, Bed & Breakfast and fully catered, luxury lodges. Special offers are highlighted, and reviews will help you make your choices.

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South Africa Accommodation / KwaZulu Natal Accommodation / Drakensberg Accommodation

Destinations in the Drakensberg Region

Bergville

Overnight? Bergville accommodation
Equidistant from Johannesburg and Durban, the pretty little town of Bergville, also known as the gateway to the Northern Drakensberg, lies on Route 74 - the more scenic alternative to the Toll Road. This route takes you via the Oliviershoek Pass, trad...

Bushmans Nek Valley

Overnight? Bushmans Nek Valley accommodation
Bushmans Nek can be found in the southern region of Kwazulu Natal's Drakensberg. Reedbuk, Eland, Klipspringer, Grey Rhebok and Oribi are often spotted here as are Dassie, Porcupines and Rock Hyrax. The birdlife is also abundant and if you are lucky may...

Cathedral Peak

Overnight? Cathedral Peak accommodation
The spire-like Cathedral Peak is described by many as simply awesome and is one of the most instantly-recognisable summits in a line of free-standing peaks that have been separated from the main escarpment by erosion. Climbing the peak itself, althoug...

Cedarville

Overnight? Cedarville accommodation
The little hamlet of Cedarville, virtually on the border of the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu Natal, lies just south east of the little village of Matatiele on the R56, north west of Mount Currie Nature Reserve, and on the very southern edge of the Drakensberg...

Central Drakensberg

Overnight? Central Drakensberg accommodation
The beautiful Drakensberg range or Dragon Mountains, also known in Zulu as uKhahlamba or barrier of spears, is a voluminous stretch of mountains that covers over 1 000 kilometres from south-west to north-east, lying mostly in KwaZulu-Natal. Collectively t...

Champagne Valley

Overnight? Champagne Valley accommodation
Lying in the central Drakensberg, the Champagne peak is one of the highest peaks in this mountain range, although the prominent peak from here is Cathkin. But it is the enchantedness of the Champagne Valley that draws visitors away from city stressors...

Drakensberg Gardens

Overnight? Drakensberg Gardens accommodation
In the southern foothills of the Drakensberg the Gardens Area might be, but the views from here of the towering peaks of the Dragon Mountains is pretty spectacular. This is the part of the Drakensberg that benefits from all the flowing rivers that gush do...

Estcourt

Overnight? Estcourt accommodation
Lower down in the valley from Van Reenen’s Pass, and in the heart of the Anglo-Boer War territory, Estcourt is a fairly large town that serves as the gateway to the central Drakensberg, together with Winterton just 40 kilometres to the north. Initiall...

Geluksburg

Overnight? Geluksburg accommodation
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...

Giants Castle

Overnight? Giants Castle accommodation
Lying at the southern end of the central Drakensberg, Giant’s Castle, which gets its name from the outline of the peaks and escarpment that combine to resemble the profile of a sleeping giant, is essentially a grassy plateau that nestles among the deep va...

Glengarry

With the Drakensberg Mountain Range as its backdrop, and about 180 kilometres from the capital city of KwaZulu-Natal Province, Durban, lies the holiday hotspot of Glengarry. This places it in some of the prettiest countryside of South Africa. Due to i...

Himeville

Overnight? Himeville accommodation
The hamlet of Himeville lies nestled at the foot of the Southern Drakensberg, its high altitude, heavy snowfalls and climatic extremes possibly the initial reason for its relative neglect. But the breathtaking scenery, abundance of water and the Himev...

Hlatikulu Valley

The Hlatikulu Valley is a particularly beautiful and bountiful valley that lies between Giants Castle and Kamberg Nature Reserves in the central Drakensberg, roughly 30 kilometres or so from the town of Mooi River. Towering over the valley like the coloss...

Kamberg

Overnight? Kamberg accommodation
The Kamberg valley is described by its people as ‘the valley, which God created once he had practised on the rest of the world”. It lies in the foothills of the Drakensberg Mountains just beyond the Nottingham Road turnoff from Durban, and there is a ...

Kokstad

Overnight? Kokstad accommodation
The little town of Kokstad sits on the boundary between KwaZulu Natal and the Eastern Cape, nestled in the heart of East Griqualand. Kokstad lies in the shadow of Mount Currie on the outer slopes of the Drakensberg and was, until recently, best known ...

Matatiele

Overnight? Matatiele accommodation
Situated in the lesser explored southern Drakensberg, the quaint little town of Matatiele lies 70 kilometres from Kokstad, at the junction of the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu Natal and southern Lesotho. The village is situated in the shadow of the Matatiele ...

Monks Cowl

Overnight? Monks Cowl accommodation
Monk’s Cowl is named after the distinctive mountain in the shape of a monk’s hood that lies between Champagne Castle and Cathedral Peak in the central Drakensberg. The peak marks the access point to the Mlambonja and Mdedeleo Mountain wilderness areas - s...

Mont-aux-Sources

Overnight? Mont-aux-Sources accommodation
Mont-aux-Sources is regarded as the one of the very highest portions of the Drakensberg Mountain range, and it lies on the north eastern edge of the Drakensberg, practically on the border with Lesotho. Mont-aux-Sources is regularly described as a moun...

Mweni Valley

Beyond the Amphitheatre, lying between Cathedral Peak and the Royal Natal National Park, is a rugged mountainous area not part of the uKhahlamba-Drakensberg World Heritage Site. It belongs instead to the Amangwane people. It is a wilderness chartered ...

Northern Drakensberg

Overnight? Northern Drakensberg accommodation
People are divided when it comes to delineating the Northern Drakensberg. There are those who speak of its borders as the Natal Drakensberg National Park in the north, down to Cathedral Peak in the south, whilst others extend its upper western reaches to ...

Putterill Valley

You won’t find much information about the Putterill Valley. This derth of description has little to do with the attractiveness of the area - if anything it is one of the most beautiful parts of the ‘berg - but rather it is the valley’s remoteness and loca...

Sani Pass

Overnight? Sani Pass accommodation
The tight zig-zagging curves of Sani Pass, one of the most magnificent mountain passes in South Africa, ascend through the sheer cliffs of the Drakensberg, linking KwaZulu Natal to the independent country of Lesotho. The route is also known as the ‘ro...

Southern Drakensberg

Overnight? Southern Drakensberg accommodation
Broadly speaking, the southern parts of the Drakensberg lie between Bushman's Nek to the south-east and Kamberg to the north-west, including the Bulwer Mountain and what are often described as the 'country' towns of Underberg and Himeville. This part o...

Sterkfontein

Overnight? Sterkfontein accommodation
Rugged, steep krantzes silhouetted against the skyline, mountain slopes snugly covered with a grass blanket, deep lushly vegetated kloofs and a crystal-clear lake are facets of the beauty of the Sterkfontein Dam Reserve which covers 18000 Ha. Oribi, Mo...

Swartberg

Overnight? Swartberg accommodation
Although it appears to be little more than a railway siding in the southern reaches of the Drakensberg when seen on a map, the little village of Swartberg, north of Mount Currie Nature Reserve on Route 617, is actually the centre of agricultural activity ...

Underberg

Overnight? Underberg accommodation
Right at the foot of the majestic mountains of the southern Drakensberg, Underberg is a little town that exudes a lot of charm. In fact, it has the kind of ethereal beauty that can only come from looming mountains, lush greenery, and the endless blue of A...

Van Reenen

Overnight? Van Reenen accommodation
Van Reenen’s Pass, a sweeping pass renowned for its slippery and precarious roads (particularly as a result of the frequent misty conditions), and some of the most gorgeous views, is the main route through the Drakensberg Mountains connecting Jo-burg and ...

White Mountain

The area known simply as White Mountain lies in the midst of the central Drakensberg foothills not far southwest of Estcourt. The more than pretty valley is obviously named after the White Mountain at whose feet it lies, a virtually solitary mountain ...

Winterton

Overnight? Winterton accommodation
Ranging from budget-friendly chalets to luxury Drakensberg hotels, the variety available to Winterton visitors is typical of the abundance of tourist facilities in South Africa. The pretty town of Winterton serves, quite literally, as the gateway to the c...

Witsieshoek

Overnight? Witsieshoek accommodation
The Drakensberg Mountain Range is one of South Africa’s most exquisite gems, spanning some 1 600 kilometres and extending through Mpumalanga, Limpopo, the Free State and KwaZulu-Natal right down into the Eastern Cape. Witsieshoek is in the northern parts ...

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