GRADE: STIME: 1 hour, return or round tripDISTANCE: 1.5 kmTERRAIN: Undulating well-marked path. The circular return leg has a bit of a climb up reinforced steps. The starting point is behind the children’s dining room. The path leads through the pine trees. Beyond the pines head for a big cypress tree growing next to an […]
As you approach the Cavern Resort & Spa, in the Northern Drakensberg, the gentle arms of nature immediately cradle you. It is all around you; hillsides of waving grass hiding families of resting Mountain Reedbuck, steep rocky ravines with tumbling waterfalls, Protea-covered slopes, secret places within the forested kloofs. The hotel itself nestles happily at
The most common butterfly at the Cavern is the Garden Acraea. It is small, mostly dull orange with a few black spots, and with conspicuously transparent fore-wings. It flutters weakly around its favourite plant, Kiggelaria africana (Wild Peach tree). This is where it lays its eggs, so the caterpillars have the right food. Nearly every
About 2000 eland roam the Drakensberg and its foothills. Roam is the correct word, which is why we don’t see them at The Cavern every day. Summer tends to be spent grazing in the higher berg while the grass is at its most edible. Individuals congregate in breeding herds, maybe 50-strong. In winter the herds
Birds sing to advertise. Males do most singing, to announce that they hold a territory. The song warns other males to keep away, while enticing females to come closer. The song itself also identifies the species of the singer: it does not do to fraternise too closely with the wrong species. Because the song is
Drakensberg birding during the winter months can be a wonderful affair. A host of endemics are quite common in certain areas. If one does some careful research there are some fantastic hotspots with Drakensberg accommodation close by. A wise choice for accommodation in the Drakensberg would be The Cavern Resort & Spa – they host
Snakes are not confined to the tropical lowlands and are actually quite common in the Berg. They are often seen at The Cavern, causing something between fascination and alarm among visitors. Nearly all are harmless. Most frequent, especially in the garden, is the Natal Green Snake. It is pure bright green. It sometimes zooms across
Daphne and Dave were at The Cavern Resort in the Drakensberg recently to do a quick trip around our Khanyisela Project crèches and pre-schools. They took the opportunity to issue jerseys, hats and mittens which were knitted and sent to The Cavern Resort & Spa by the Rotary Club of Retford. The weather this time
N3TC Royal Drakensberg MTB Challenge 2 & 3 June 2012 Note! this was the 2012 race report. Please visit our new website for the current race information: www.royaldrakmtb.co.za The 2012 Royal Drakensberg MTB Challenge weekend in the Drakensberg was once again a huge success. Accommodation in the Drakensberg was provided by the various options in
Whilst staying at accommodation in the Drakensberg you are normally blissfully unaware of the nocturnal animals roaming the veld and indigenous Drakensberg forests. The Cavern is an ideal place in the Drakensberg to get to meet some of our nocturnal friends. Recently we have placed some cameras in our Fern Forest. Despite having been living
