Activities in the Central Drakensberg and Winterton

Hiking

The Drakensberg is well known for it’s beautiful and varied hikes and walks.

The best and most well known walks and hikes are at Cathedral Peak. Monk’s Cowl / Nkosana and Injisuthi in the Central Drakensberg and the Amphitheatre (Royal Natal National Park) in the Northern Drakensberg.

For more information on walks and hikes look for the Drakensberg walking and hiking pages

Golf

Enjoy golf with a view on the courses at Champagne Sports Resort (18 hole) and Cathedral Peak Hotel

(9 hole). Champagne Sports Resort is very well known and beautifully maintained but is fairly expensive. Some tourists  (very keen golfers), felt that although Cathedral Peak is only a 9 hole course, the magnificent setting and maintenance of the course and the reasonably testing nature , would make this course their first preference on a return visit. It is also less crowded, less expensive and  a real gem.

In the Northern Drakensberg there is a 9-hole course at Hlalanathi. The fees are reasonable and the course is fair.

Horse Riding

Horse riding is always a popular activity for all grades of riders.  It seems to be one of those activities that is part of the Drakensberg / country experience. There are 4 stables in the Central Drakensberg offering horse rides. Spionkop Nature Reserve also offers horse rides and has the advantage of  game viewing while riding.

In the Northern Drakensberg horse rides are offered at Sungubala Mountain Lodge and at Royal Natal National Park.

Fishing

Fly-fishing is available at a number of resorts and  dams in both the Northern and Central Drakensberg.

Adventure Sports

Four Rivers Rafting and Adventure is a family based business in the Central Drakensberg area, only 20 minutes from Winterton. They offer a variety of adventure activities – river rafting, (which usually is possible from November to March), quad biking, off road carting, kayaking, canoeing, abseling and archery.

Helicopter Flights

A wonderful and breathtaking experience. Flights are offered from Cathedral Peak Hotel as well as Champagne Sports Resort. From Champagne Sports Resort one flight option is to land on the escarpment, where you will spend approximately half and hour, with a glass of Champagne and incredible beauty all around you.

Arts and Crafts

Enjoy an incredible variety of arts and crafts from pottery, painting, photography, a brass sculptor, carpet weaving, solid wood furniture, metal work and African beadwork, basket weaving and carvings.

There are 2 pottery studios, one in Winterton and one at Aardmore Ceramic Art Studio. Paintings, mostly by local artists can be seen at Gourton Hall, Thokozisa, The Valley Bakery and Coffee Garden and the Rainbow room. An excellent photographer, Rowan Wilkenson displays his work at Gourton Hall. He has taken magnificent pictures of the Drakensberg in its various moods. Visit Reg Stroh and see his magnificent brass sculptures depicting mostly mythical figures, the Bushmen and animals.

Game Viewing

Spionkop Nature Reserve has rhino, giraffe, wildebeest and a variety of buck.

Anglo-Boer War Battlefields

Spionkop battlefield is one of the most visited battlefields in the world. You can either visit the battlefield by yourself or a guided tour can be arranged.

Drakensberg Boy’s Choir

Weekly concerts are held on Wednesdays at 5.30pm and one of their main music festivals is held at the end of April every year.

Birding

There are a tremendous variety of birds in the Central and Northern Drakensberg. Check out Drakensberg birding and bird watching