ATTRACTIONS | Mountain Splendour

RESORT FACILITIES & ACTIVITIES

Fresh mountain air all around!

Tennis and Volley ball courts (rackets and balls are available for hire from reception).
Swimming Pool with slide.
Kiddies splash pond.
Children’s Playground.
An animal farm.
Tree Climb and small kids pony rides.
Plenty of open space for cricket, rounders or football (balls and bats can be hired).
Indoor activities such as, table tennis, darts and TV with Supersport and SABC channels. Table tennis bats and balls can be hired from reception. Darts for hire to over 12’s only.
There are short walking trails around the farm.Provided there is sufficient interest, hikes into the high berg (either from Injusuthi or Monks Cowl) are guided personally by our staff.
On warm sunny days there are shady picnic sites along the river . In peak season we organise picnics at Injusuthi (provided there is sufficient interest).
10km of purpose built MTB track around the property and our trails link directly onto the Cathkin Trails.
Mountain Biking Skills Park.
Mountain Biking and Running Trails. If you are a keen mountain biker or runner, we are only a short distance from the neighbouring rural areas providing traffic-free cattle paths, challenging hills and superb single track riding!
Kiddies MTB track located adjacent to the tennis courts.
Mountain bikes for hire – enquire at the office. All bikes are hired with helmets.
Well stocked MTB shop stocking a wide range of accessories and apparel, new bikes and bike servicing.
Book exchange and various board games and cards to hire (enquire at reception).

We arrange activities each day during holidays so please check noticeboards for most up to date information of the weekly activities.

LOCAL AREA ATTRACTIONS

Adventure sports - Four Rivers Rafting and Adventures offer white water rafting trips, quad bikes, abseiling and a number of other adventure activities. Call 083 785 1693.
Champagne Castle Adventure Centre based at Dragon Peaks Resort has a range of rafting, zip lining, paintball, mountain bike trails and Scooter Tours. Contact 074 103 3613.
Cayley Leap is based at Cayley Lodge and offers a range of outdoor adventure pursuits including quad biking, go carting and adventure rope park. Call 084 703 9527.
Arts and Crafts – KwaZulu Weavers and Candle Factory outlet is open 7 days a week, has daily weaving demonstrations (036 488 1657).
Locally crafter baskets are available for sale from Monks Cowl Nature Reserve, outside Champagne Castle Hotel, at the T-Junction to the Drakensberg Sun and Valley Bakery car park.
Locally crafted bead work is available from James outside of the Purple Giraffe at the Cedarwood Centre.
The Waffle Hut stocks a range of bags and home décor items created in the Loskop community made from Shwe-shwe fabrics and beading.
Numerous other arts and crafts are located at Thokozisa, Cedarwood and the Berg Lifestyle Centre.
Bee Tours – At Scrumpy Jacks. In season tour times, bookings and prices call 036 4681308 / 0828796042. Enjoy a slice of scrumptious honey cheesecake after the tours!
– The Nest Hotel is popular for social bowls on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons.

Canopy Tours - Old Cathkin hotel, opposite the Drakensberg Sun Hotel. Bookings 036 468 1981 or 083 661 5691. Look out for discount vouchers at our reception.
Coffee Shops – scrumptious treats are on offer at the Valley Bakery (036 468 1257) CLOSED ON SUNDAYS , Scrumpy Jacks, The Waffle Hut and the Chocolate Bar at the Berg Lifestyle centre (072 310 3376) Closer to Winterton is Ady’s Queen of Tarts and in Winterton the Pig and Plough as well as Canaan Cellars.
Craft Beer – locally produced craft beer available at the Brewery. Open most days from 11:00 to Sunset. Light snacks and wine also available.

Eskom- Drakensberg Pumped Storage Hydro Scheme

Fishing – The Drakensberg Sun dam is stocked with Rainbow Trout. Bell Park Dam: gates open 8am and close at 5:30pm daily.
Golf – there are 2 courses to choose from. Monks Cowl Country Club is a 9-hole course (036 468 1300) while Champagne Sports Resort (036 468 1088) boasts a championship 18-hole course.
-golf/ Putt-Putt - at KwaZulu-Weavers and Waffle Hut. Tel 036 488 1657 Adventure Golf at Monks Cowl Country Club.
– Saverite (at the Cedarwood complex) and The Oaks (at Dragon Peaks) stock all the basic grocery items. The Oaks also has petrol and diesel for sale. Champagne Fresh Produce is open Monday to Friday from 3pm to 4pm for fruit and vegies, farm milk (bring your own containers) and eggs. Cash only.
– Mountain Splendour is only 10km away from the KZN Wildlife Monks Cowl reserve. The reserve has hiking trails ranging from 1 hour to more challenging all day hikes up into the high berg. The area has a number of caves for overnight hiking expeditions. Note there is a charge to enter KZN Wildlife reserves.
The Blue Grotto hike starts and finishes at the Drakensberg Sun Hotel. It’s a 2 hour walk through indigenous forests with a lovely (yet chilly) pool to swim in at your destination.
-The Champagne Valley Hiking club hikes most Tuesdays. Visitors are always welcome! For details of the next hike
Horse riding – Ushaka Horse Trails (Karl 036 468 1136 or 072 664 2993), Cathkin Equestrian Centre at the Drakensberg Sun (082 957 0083), Champagne Castle Hotel (036 468 1063) and Dragon Peaks Resort (036 4681031) .
Hot Air Ballooning needs to be pre-booked. Phone 011 – 8024318 or email info@hotairballooningsa.co.za or visit www.hotairballooningsa.co.za.
- There is both a self-service and a serviced laundry service at Mountain Splendour or you can visit the Valley Laundry at Cedarwood Village (0828807150).

– there are beauty/wellness centres at Champagne Sports Resort (036 468 1088), Drakensberg Sun (036 468 1000), Champagne Castle Hotel (036 468 1222), The Nest (079 9925717)

Pizza – Pizza Hut or the Drakensberg Sun Resort
Restaurants – Champagne Castle Hotel (036 468 1603), Champagne Sports Resort (036 468 8000), Drakensberg Sun (036 468 1000) all have buffet style dinners and need to be pre-booked. Monks Cowl Country Club (036 468 1300) and Thokozisa (036 4881827) The Nest (036 468 1068) and Ardmore Guest farm (036 4681314) offer set menu’s.
Thokosiza Restaurant is open from 9am-9pm (036 488 1827) . Lihong’s Chinese take-aways, opposite Thokozisa, is open from 9am to 5pm (083 556 2531). The Champagne Bistro is located at the Air Strip . Contact 060 3310284 Closer to Winterton is the Black Scarab
Rock Art and Bushmen Paintings –Didima San Rock Art Centre at Didima, Cathedral Peak. The Main Cave at Giant’s Castle, tours on the hours between 9am-3pm).
The Drakensberg Boys’ Choir School has concerts most Wednesdays afternoons in term time. Tickets can be booked by calling 036 468 1012. The school also has two annual concert weekends with visiting choirs and other performers. Music in the Mountains festival is hosted over the April/May long weekend and a Christmas concert is held early in December each year.
– Falcon Ridge Bird of Prey Centre have daily raptor flight displays (10:30am) weather permitting, except Fridays. Contact Greg or Alison 036 468 1752 or 082 7746398.

-The Reptile Centre is open from Tuesday to Sunday. An opportunity to feel and learn about a range of reptiles. 082 955 1404.
-View Bees in a Glass Hive and dress up in a Bee Suit and experience handling bees for yourself. Bookings essential. Contact Deon on 036 4681308 or 083 432 0788 or 084 745 5999.
-Spionkop Nature Reserve is a 600ha reserve situated around the Spionkop Dam offering horseback game viewing, boating and fishing. The reserve boasts some of the big game including Rhino, Giraffe and Eland. For more information contact 036 488 1578.

Vulture Hide must be booked, and a maximum of 6 people is allowed. Roy Strydom 079 562 5454
A little bit of history – The Central Berg is about 45 minutes from battlefield sites such as Spionkop, Weenen and Frere. About an 1 hour’s drive away is Ladysmith and the Battlefield Route with a number of Museums.