Explore the Drakensberg foothills without the burden of a backpack walking from comfortable lodge to lodge, having your luggage transported for you and looking forward to excellent 3 course meals.
The Drakensberg slack packing hiking trail includes some of the most scenic and bio diverse parts of KwaZulu Natal. This hiking trail provides access to private land, a game reserve and locally forged conservancies. Special places where people normally would not have access. All you need to do is organise a group of friends or join one of our prearranged trips, and look forward to a gentle stroll carrying nothing more than a packed picnic, some binoculars and a good birding book.
This is a three day round hike encompassing curated paths through the Zulu Waters Private Game Reserve and through the Lowlands Conservancy. Well known for its rich biodiversity, the daily hikes are gentle in distance and gradient making this hike a perfect beginner’s hike for families and for those less experienced and fit. The lodges offer locally grown, home cooked meals as an added bonus.
In the summer, there are rivers and dams to swim in and plenty of picturesque picnic spots on route.
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Day 1. Stay at Leopards Lair Lodge
Leopards Lair is one of those lovely places full of family atmosphere offering an authentic agri tourism experience. Meet Lalie their hand reared eland, their rescue emus and ostriches and the rest of their farmyard menagerie.
Your walk from here starts off easy and then drops back down into the Mbogta Valley. And then through the valley to your highlight of the trail Antbear Eco Lodge
Day 2. Antbear Eco Lodge. 4 Star.
What makes Antbear Lodge special is a sustainable lodges in South Africa. Here you will find home made cheese from their own milk, own eggs from their own home grown chickens and a wonderful organic garden. They also offer a luxury cave for accommodation.
Day 3. San Boutique Resort / or 5 Star Zulu Waters Game Lodge. Your choice.
San Boutique Resort which is a community owned and run lodge in the Ntabamhlope Valley.
Following the road out of Antbear Eco Lodge and after crossing the historic Dalton Bridge your trail climbs out of the Bushmans River Valley and into the Ntabamhlope community tribal area. The path winds down through the community to the unexpected delight of San Boutique Resort. Expect a traditional food experience from this home-stay nestled in the magnificent green foot hills of the Drakensberg Mountains.
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Minimum 4 to maximum 10 hikers.
There are options to extend your stay at any of these lodges with opportunities like our star gazing hammock camp where a local villager tells his traditional folk law stories of the night sky, guided rock art tours, butterfly tours, abseiling, horse trails inside the game reserve, hot air balloon flights launching directly from the lodge and a visit to the Giants Castle Vulture Hide are also huge reasons to extend your stay.
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Some Nearby Listings
Leopard’s Lair Lodge..
“Spitzkop” Farm, Lowlands, Est...
Giant’s Castle..
Fenhurst Farm, Giant's Castle ...
Antbear Eco Lodge***..
Fernhurst Farm, 3310, Emhubeni...
