Bergville Holidays - Drakensberg & Surroundings, KwaZulu Natal
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Known as the gateway to the Northern Drakensberg, the small village of Bergville is the ideal place to stay over or to stock up for supplies before your big adventure into the Drakensberg. Although Bergville is primarily a farming community, residents rely heavily on tourism, and eagerly provide visitors with a wide selection of amenities.
Rich in history, Bergville holds its own against the majestic Drakensberg, inviting tourists to explore the many battlefields, monuments and museums in the area, as well as the the famous Bergville Cannibal Caves. Legend has it that when Shaka's impis rampaged through this area of the Drakensberg in the 1820's, smaller clans fled to caves near Bergville, and were forced to resort to cannibalism to survive.
Another fascinating Bergville attraction is the statue of Susanna Smit at Voortrekker Pass. Known as Kaalvoet Vrou (barefoot woman), she stands immortalised on a dusty path as she walks back over the Drakensberg, rather than live in Natal under British rule.
Lying on the banks of the Tugela River, and situated close to the Royal Natal National Park, which is renowned for its breathtaking views of the Drakensberg Amphitheatre and surrounds, Bergville offers visitors a variety of outdoor activities, including rock climbing and hiking to the Tugela Falls, where you will stand in awe, as you watch the falls tumble 2000m in a series of magnificent falls and cascades.
Bergville is ideally situated for river rafting and kayaking, horse riding, picnicking and trout fishing at Royal Natal National Park, and Cathedral Peak. Drakensberg Bird-watching is also popular in the Bergville district, with as many as 134 species in the area. There are a number of large dams near Bergville namely Woodstock Dam and Spioenkop Dam where visitors can view game which includes giraffe, rhino, zebra and various other species.
Other things to do in and around Bergville, Northern Drakensberg:
- Along with wine tasting with delicious cheeses at Tevreden Cheese Farm.
- Be thrilled by the Drakensberg Boys Choir in nearby Winterton.
- See San bushman paintings in the Royal Natal National Park.
- Admire the craftsmanship of the rugs at KwaZulu Weavers.
- Golf at challenging 9 hole Amphitheatre Golf Club.
- Mountain biking around Bergville.
- Watch polo at the Bergville Polo Club.- A base to tour the Midlands Meander
Visit towns near Bergville, Northern Drakensberg:
- Winterton - 20 minutes (22.6 km) via R74 from Bergville.
- Geluksburg - 29 minutes (28.5 km) via R616 from Bergville.
- Mont-aux-Sources - 35 minutes (43.3 km) via R74 from Bergville.
Towns close to Bergville in Central Drakensberg:
- Champagne Valley - 43 minutes (53.7 km) via R74 and R600 from Bergville.
- Cathedral Peak - 47 minutes (47.8 km) via R74 from Bergville.