Underberg

Underberg is a small town in the south of the Drakensberg region of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Together with its neighbouring town, Himeville, it is the gateway to the southern uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park, a 200km long World Heritage Site – a paradise for eco-tourists. The area is also rich farming country.

There are numerous nature reserves within the Park which offer visitors a plethora of trout fishing, hiking, mountain climbing, bird watching and camping opportunities – the Cobham State Forest is 15km from the town and the Mzimkhulu Nature Reserve, the Garden Castle Nature Reserve and the Swamp Nature Reserve are a little further to the west.

Like Himeville, the high altitude and proximity to the Drakensberg make for extreme weather conditions with heavy snow falls in winter, but the breathtaking scenery and the nature reserves more than compensate. Another claim to fame is the Splashy Fen Music Festival which takes place on the farm of the same name every year over the Easter weekend. Thousands of music fans descend on the area to enjoy the music, arts and crafts and the revelry.

There are three golf courses in the area and the abundance of water makes it a great place for canoeing and rafting. It is also a mecca for fly-fishermen – the Underberg-Himeville Trout Fishing Club can access 60 dams and over 160km of river.