Okhahlamba set on wooing tourists

BERGVILLE is looking to scoop its share of the lucrative seasonal tourist market. Visitors from Gauteng for festive season holidays in Durban have been urged to stop at the town in the foothills of the Drakensberg for at least two days to enjoy the uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park ecotourism area.

The Okhahlamba Local Municipality hosted journalists at the weekend to give them a firsthand experience of the entertainment and natural attractions on offer.

Earlier, the municipality hosted radio personalities to promote the area as a holiday destination.

The director of social and economic services, Thulani Mazibuko, said: “People in Johannesburg have money to spend because they work hard.”

He said they were always looking for activities and entertainment.

Mazibuko said the municipality wanted a stake in what Gauteng visitors were willing to spend in the province..

“On the long weekend of December 24, they drive in numbers to Durban, and we would love to have them spending at least two days here,” he said.

Mazibuko said while the coast offered warm beaches, Okhahlamba had stunning natural attractions and views of the Drakensberg Mountains.

“Durban has summer (all year round) while we have four seasons, and we offer snow in winter,” he said.

Local and overseas tourists were visible in areas, including the villages, eager to learn about local culture.

“Black people are also visiting the area. They are now tourists, but we still need more numbers,” he said.

Officials said tourism contributed 20% to the local economy.

Resorts

Bergville is the Okhahlamba Local Municipality’s main town, but there is also Winterton.

The municipality also has about 20 holiday resorts, more than 60 bed ’n’ breakfasts with self-catering, and many restaurants, which employ local people.

The journalists were accommodated at Alpine Heath Resort for two nights.

A local guide, Elijah Mbonane, who owns Siyaphambili Tours and Travel Agency, led a tour of the Royal Natal National Park’s Sigubudu Rock Art Site with its nearly 800-year-old paintings by the Khoisan people.

“There are 25 San painting sites at Royal Natal that are well known, but kept away from tourists to protect them from being vandalised,” he said.

Mbonane was knowledgeable about the history of the San people, the rock art and caves.

He also spoke at length about the diverse plant life in the reserve.

Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife appointed him as a tour guide to control access to sensitive areas after rock paintings at Sigubudu were damaged by tourists.

Some rock art sites were vandalised with graffiti such as “David was here”.

He said tourists would also vandalise paintings by throwing water on them in order for them to be visible in pictures.

Scary rides on the zipline at the Drakensberg Canopy Tours, walks, hiking, horse riding, quad riding, paintball, hot air ballooning, a helicopter flip and a visit to a reptile centre are some of the attractions on offer.

Mbonane said Royal Natal had a variety of wild animals such as leopard, baboons and a variety of antelope, and snakes.

We were asked to exercise caution and be on the lookout for pythons, which made some a little nervous. But Mbonane said if you were in his company you “would be safe”.

The most remarkable site was Mount-Aux Sources, the source of the mighty Tugela and Orange rivers.