BUSHMAN’S NEK BERG AND TROUT RESORT

Big, busy holiday resorts aren’t to everybody’s taste. I prefer a hidden-away place where I’ll run into fewer people, or none at all.

I was a little nervous about my first “resort” stay as I made my way to Bushman’s Nek. The 35 km dirt road from Underberg boosted my spirits a little. A resort at the end of that kind of dirt road in the southern Drakensberg can’t be too crowded.

When you arrive, you immediately notice Bushman’s Nek’s biggest attraction – the location. You look down into a scenic valley with blue mountains, rugged cliffs and fluffy clouds in the distance. You’re surrounded by mountains and it seems like they continue to the ends of the earth. You can sit somewhere quiet and stare at the mountains all day long if you’d like, or get involved with one of the fun resort activities: tennis, squash, Putt-Putt, paintball and volleyball. You can also ride your mountain bike, hike, go horse riding or fly-fishing, or relax at the spa. There are hot and cold swimming pools (some of the most beautiful I’ve seen) and a bar if you want to wet your throat. The restaurant serves delicious meals and sometimes big fires are lit for a bring-and-braai. Meat and side dishes are supplied if you don’t have your own.

You can stay in a hotel room, a self-catering log cabin or a self-catering chalet. The accommodation is not particularly luxurious and won’t be the reason you come back, but you won’t spend a lot of time indoors anyway. You’ll be off doing something fun, floating in the pool or relaxing on the stoep, against the backdrop of those majestic mountains.

Rates: Double room from R690 per night. Log cabin from R1 180 (sleeps two people). Chalet from R1 945 (sleeps four people). Rates go up at the end of March and during peak season.

Where? The resort is about 40 km south-west of Underberg.

Contact: 031 717 7591; bushmansnek.co.za

– Willem van der Berg