Sisonke: Drakensberg, Cultural Heritage and Nature

Sisonke’s main tourist attraction is the Drakensberg stretch between Bushmans Neck and Sani Pass. Other highlights include a mission site with an art gallery and museum, nature and recreation areas, and adventure and event offerings.

Drakensberg, Sani Pass and nature access

The Drakensberg stretch from Bushmans Neck to Sani Pass is considered Sisonke’s main tourist attraction. Sani Pass is a winding gravel road from KwaZulu-Natal to Lesotho. Anyone not travelling along it by mountain bike or on foot needs a four-wheel-drive vehicle. As road conditions can change seasonally, check them before setting out.

Sani Pass is also considered a tourism and recreation hub in Sisonke. Wilderness and nature areas can be reached from there via controlled public access points; such hubs are located on private land adjoining uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park. Bushman’s Nek is also one of the district’s tourism and recreation hubs, with public access points leading from there to the park. Check current access conditions for both areas before planning a nature excursion. Garden Castle is also considered a tourism and recreation area in Sisonke and can be included as a destination in your travel plans.

Adventure activities and event dates

Adventure tourism activities in Sisonke include canoeing on the Umkomaas and the Sani to Sea Mountain Bike Challenge. The Sani Stagger Marathon takes place every year in November and runs over Sani Pass. Before planning a trip around an event, check the current dates. The planning considerations differ: the November date matters for the marathon, while a trip over the pass requires attention to the vehicle requirements and road conditions.

In the Underberg area, tastings of craft beer at The Underberg Brewery are listed as a visitor offering. If you plan to include a tasting, confirm in advance whether it is currently available.

Art, museum and history

The 2013 district plan lists Centecow Mission in Creighton as the location of the Gerald Art Gallery and Museum. This identifies a specific cultural site in Sisonke where art and a museum are associated with a mission site. If you plan to visit, check the current visitor arrangements.

In Umzimkhulu, a former border post building was converted into the Umzimkhulu Gateway. A 2013 description records the Gateway as a tourist information centre with a crafts centre, museum and café. This date is important when planning a visit; enquire in advance about the current situation.

KwaZulu-Natal in a wider context

In the wider travel destination of KwaZulu-Natal, uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park is designated an Important Bird Area. Maloti-Drakensberg Park contains an estimated 690 rock art sites; its rock art is considered the largest and most concentrated group of rock paintings in southern Africa south of the Sahara. Maloti-Drakensberg Park also provides an important refuge for more than 250 endemic plant species. These landscape and cultural heritage features form part of KwaZulu-Natal’s regional context.

Discover more destinations: Ixopo, Mkhomazi Wilderness Area, Ethekwini, Umgungundlovu, Zululand, Indlovu DC, Durban Metro, Ilembe

For the wider travel overview: Kwazulu-Natal.