Page 1 of 1

Camping in Southern Drakensberg (Eastern Province)

Posted: Tue Apr 13, 2021 3:48 pm
by mike.talbot
I am planning a camping trip to the Eastern Cape in May wanting to tour the mountain passes in the Rhodes area. What are good secure camping grounds in this area?
I would prefer smallish farm related camp grounds that are safe / secure. Also appreciate any info on the area as it is my first time visit.
Thanks

Re: Camping in Southern Drakensberg (Eastern Province)

Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2021 10:58 am
by niclemaitre
According to a friend who farms in the area, try Steepside http://steepside.co.za

Re: Camping in Southern Drakensberg (Eastern Province)

Posted: Sun Apr 18, 2021 7:46 am
by mike.talbot
Thanks for this info. I found another farm camp-site near Maclear called Tortoni which sounds very nice. Looking forward to this trip so if anyone else is in this area over May hope to say hello if I see the Hilux 4x4 badge on their vehicle.

Re: Camping in Southern Drakensberg (Eastern Province)

Posted: Sun Apr 18, 2021 5:02 pm
by pietpetoors
Mike I checked out the town where you stay, Geluksburg, it looks very big.

Never knew there was a town like that.

Re: Camping in Southern Drakensberg (Eastern Province)

Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2021 5:53 pm
by mike.talbot
Hi Pieter, Geluksburg is a strange town. Getaway magazine did a write-up some years ago and their opinion is that it is one of its kind in S.A. It was a farm called Geluks which the previous government bought and sub-divided into 3000sqm plots and handed to their people. There is a lot of history to this as the recipients of the plots were ancestors of Piet Retief who had a settlement on the top of the escarpment in the Free State who were basically subsistence farmers. The plots were given to these people who sold them on the open market under sectional title and that is how I bought two plots to retire on. We are self sufficient with own water (boreholes), no services from any municipality so we are on our own which suits us down to the ground. If any-one is in the area look us up and stop for a cup of coffee.

Re: Camping in Southern Drakensberg (Eastern Province)

Posted: Thu Apr 22, 2021 1:15 pm
by niclemaitre
We were there over Easter and did a lovely drive from Rhodes to Naude's Neck, then Tiffendell and back to Rhodes. It's all on public roads, you just have to open (and close) a bunch of gates. https://goo.gl/maps/33TnXSq7nYbs3Eik6

The Balloch, Wartrail and Dangershoek valleys are also stunningly beautiful as is the Maartinshoek valley, about 8km before Rhodes on the Barkley East side