The pearl of the Drakensberg

Bergville

Bergville is a small agricultural town with an enormous mountain landscape on its doorstep. Positioned below the Northern Drakensberg, it is one of the principal gateways to some of the range's most recognisable landmarks, including the Amphitheatre, Royal Natal National Park, Cathedral Peak region and the valleys surrounding the upper Thukela. The town itself provides shops, fuel, supplies and services for the surrounding farming and mountain communities, but its greatest significance for travellers is its location. From Bergville, roads branch toward mountain resorts, hiking areas, rural communities and historic battlefield sites. The surrounding district combines traditional communities, commercial farms, rivers and views of the escarpment. On clear days, the Drakensberg rises spectacularly above the landscape, creating a sense of arrival long before visitors reach the protected mountain areas. Bergville also sits close to important Anglo-Boer War sites, allowing travellers to combine hiking and mountain scenery with the history of Spioenkop and the Thukela battlefields.