I guess our opinion of the wild coast was also influenced by the all-encompassing haze around the region. As soon as we crossed over the N2 heading towards the Drakensberg Mountains the clouds and our mood lifted. We had also lost the traffic, especially the suicidal minivan drivers which blighted driving around the wild coast. The region is also far less populated which helped and there were scenic views, lakes and peaks appearing before us at every turn.
We landed in the town of Underburg and it seemed like another nice little town and had enough facilities but we liked the sound of Himeville, a couple of kms down the road towards the Sani Pass and Lesotho. This turned out to be a smart move as we found Dunford’s Loft, a belter of a place. We got a lovely self-catering unit with DSTV, kitchen, balcony with great mountain views and best of all, a log fire. All for a steal at R500, especially compared to the rip off wild coast, and the price included a bag of wood for the fire!
Up the Sani Pass into Lesotho
One of the main things to do from Underburg is a day trip up the infamous Sani Pass into Lesotho. We’d seen documentaries about driving up here in the winter billing it as one of the most dangerous roads in the world to drive on. Well our hire car wouldn’t be up for that so we better join a tour. Initially we tried Thula Tours but there trip was full up for the next day so we popped over the road to Major Adventures and they were also full. However, the helpful lady phoned another company and we were booked for R650 a head. This was a bit more than Thula but sometimes it pays to pay a bit extra. Later we found out that Thula Tours are not allowed in the pub at the top of the pass due to some clients not paying for their food and their battered old cars broke down several times that we saw!
The weather was the clearest we’d seen in about a week and the sun was shining bright. We had plenty of room in our 4 x 4 vehicle and the group was only 7 in total. The driver was local lad and he gave us plenty of information about the area and the local people and their culture.
It wasn’t long before we left tarmac behind and we felt like the tour had really started. The landscape was superb and gradually becoming more spectacular as we climbed towards the Sani Pass. The first stop was to see if there were any eland around we didn’t catch sight of any. Then we needed to go through passport control, a very quick and straightforward process in one of the most picturesque border posts we have ever crossed. From there we drove for 8km through no man’s land to reach Lesotho.
As we reached the final section of the climb; a series of hairpin bends it became apparent how much colder conditions were. All the streams were frozen solid and the wind was whipping up clouds of dust. By the time we reached the top of the pass we were at 2863m and above the treeline. The Lesotho border post was rather more ram-shackled than its South African counterpart. However, it was all very relaxed and the views incredible. We didn’t even have to present ourselves at passport control, our driver took our documents and we were simultaneously stamped in and out of Lesotho. The shortest visit ever to a country! Not quite it just saved us going through the formalities again on our return.
The Besotho people of Lesotho who live on this high plateau endure a harsh and simple life. No crops can be grown so they’re sheep and goat herders and the boys start their careers at the age of 10! They are given a simple stone hut to live in and are left to fend for themselves. A cold lonely existence for a young child. We were invited into one of the traditional huts to learn more about the tribe and their traditions. It was very interesting and we got to taste some local bread and sourgham beer. The local brew always has to feature on these cultural tours doesn’t it? The beer was rancid but the bread was delicious so we bought some as a way of giving a donation to the lady’s family. As we were leaving 2 groups of musicians turned up, what are the chances of that? One group was slightly ahead and won the battle to serenade us with some local Lesotho tunes.
The village was as far as we were going to venture into Lesotho, we will have to come back and explore this mountainous kingdom properly one day. Our golden rule about visiting a country is that you haven’t been there unless you have had a pint (with the exception of Brunei). As luck would have it there is a pub at the top of the Sani Pass and the group were headed there for lunch. The pub claims to be the highest in Africa and the price of a bottle of the local lager is also possibly the highest in Africa too! Never mind, the views back down the Sani pass were priceless and we had a very pleasant lunch.
Well, it was a great if brief trip to Lesotho and the drive up and down the Sani Pass was fantastic. Not sure about the most dangerous road in the world (our Leh to Manali experience bags that accolade for us!) but even though it was winter, there was no snow or ice on the pass so guess it could get a tad trickier at times. We were glad to have had the experience now as the Chinese are tarmacking the route, so next time maybe we could pop up in our little hire car.
Royal Natal National Park
Next stop on our trip back to Jo’burg was to move from the southern Drakensberg to the northern section of the mountain range. According to our guide book, the chalets in the Royal Natal National Park are some of the most sort after accommodation in the whole of South Africa. So we felt fortunate to bag a booking and were looking forward to staying in our most expensive place on the trip. When we arrived we were extremely glad we have forked out the R900 to be able to stay in one of the chalets.
The view from all the chalets looks onto what is known as the Drakensberg Amphitheatre. Basically we were looking onto 270 degree sweeping curve of sheer mountainous rock faces. We’ve been lucky enough to sit on many balconies around the world looking at a vast variety of stunning views but this one really takes some beating. It may not be the Nepali Himalayas or Bolivian Andes; but we have never sat looking at such beautiful mountain vistas in such luxury. The chalets here have a fully equipped kitchen, fridge, dining table, log fire and DSTV.
It was getting quite late in the afternoon when we arrived so we just popped up to the shop for a bag of wood and sat on the balcony staring at the amazing views and watching the baboons and birds. We enjoyed our last self-catering meal of the trip and a glass of wine by a roaring fire.
Tempting as it was to spend hours sitting on the balcony the next morning gawping at the amphitheatre and bird watching, we decided to do a short walk. We decided to do the ‘Gorge Walk’ which is the most popular in the park. We followed the path winding around the hills looking down into the river valley. Winter is dry season here so not much water around. The views were incredible all along the track and at times you pass through wooded glades which have sprung up where water sources flow into the valley. Finally we entered the gorge and we took a break there. We could go down into the gorge as it was the dry season and I think you could bolder hop your way further towards the rock face but we were pushed for time so we turned back.
Royal Natal isn’t famous for animals but it is well worth visiting for the stunning mountain scenery and the 100’s of kilometres of walking trails. Oh yeah, splash out on a chalet if you intend to stay there. My only gripe was because we were staying overnight it was free to enter the park, I wanted them to charge me so I could use my wildcard!
