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There’s a land in KZN, a slice of the northern Drakensberg, filled with majesty and wonder, breathtaking mountain vistas, and haunted by the ghosts of cannibals past.
Or so legend has it.
Cannibal Cavern, located within the Royal Natal Amphitheatre section of the uKhahlamba-Drakensberg World Heritage Site, provides the backdrop for, and inspired the naming of The Cavern Resort & Spa, an ideal holiday destination for the nature lover.
Nestled at the foothills of the northern Drakensberg, near the Free State/KZN border, this family-run, family-focused resort keeps guests returning year after year.
After a four-hour drive from King Shaka International Airport, negotiating road works, innumerable trucks and heavy traffic, we were met by the smiling Cavern staff and a porter to lug our bags to our room.
A short while later, we were settled into our abode, with its 180-degree mountain views from the balcony, and decided to check out our surroundings.
With breakfast, lunch and dinner – all cooked to perfection – as well as morning and afternoon tea and scones included in the accommodation package, meals were sorted for the duration of our stay, leaving us with the pleasure of planning our activities and exploring the grounds.
The daily guided hikes were also included in our package, and guests can choose from short, medium, or the eight-hour, 18km Big 5 hike which, after a steep climb in the fern forest, takes you to the five mountain peaks in the area – Hlolela, Battleship, Sugar Loaf, Cold Hill and Camel’s Hump.
On our first morning, we opted for the longer of the two hikes on offer which, for us coastal gals, would be the perfect barometer test for our fitness at altitude.
Our guide Lunga, who has worked at Cavern for only a few months, knew the trails like the back of his hand, educating us about the region’s flora and fauna along the way.
Lunga’s pace and cheerful countenance immediately put everyone at ease, while the perfectly-timed breaks meant even the less fit enjoyed every minute of it.
The hike took us to Jackal Hill and Silent Woman, an interesting stone sculpture that was carved in the 1950s by William Chalmers after he was nursed back to health from an illness he acquired while studying rock art in Cannibal Cavern.
Ideal for beginner hikers or those looking for a not-so-strenuous trek in the mountains.
Even Cavern’s canine residents, Lucy and Gusto, enjoy these hikes, including getting their paws wet in the refreshing mountain streams.
Next on the day’s itinerary was the full body Forest Retreat Signature Massage, a 75-minute treatment from the top of your head to the tips of your toes – perfect to relax the muscles post-hike and prepare the body for the next day’s adventures.
The following day’s hike was along Surprise Ridge to Cannibal Cavern in the Amphitheatre section of the Drakensberg.
More strenuous than Jackal Hill, this 7km hike includes some steep climbs up to Cannibal Cavern and Echo Cave, but the views make every step worthwhile.
It was in this area that, in the 1800s, refugees fleeing Shaka Zulu’s expansion wars sought refuge.
As the tribes around the Drakensberg were displaced, many desperate survivors had no choice but to turn to cannibalism.
One of these tribes was led by Chief Sidinane whose people occupied what is now known as Cannibal Cavern.
As recorded by missionaries who passed through and visited the caves during this time, these tribes would raid the lowlands and capture anyone they found alone or straggling. And when passers-by were in short supply, they would eat their own children and wives.
These troubles are believed to have reduced the area’s population from around 1 million to just 5 000, and an old man once told a historian that there was a ‘path of white’ from Witsieshoek to Bushman’s Nek, ‘and that mark was our bones’.
These days, the only paths that scar the Royal Natal landscape are those traversed by hiking enthusiasts exploring the great outdoors of the majestic Drakensberg.
Or so legend has it.
Cannibal Cavern, located within the Royal Natal Amphitheatre section of the uKhahlamba-Drakensberg World Heritage Site, provides the backdrop for, and inspired the naming of The Cavern Resort & Spa, an ideal holiday destination for the nature lover.
Nestled at the foothills of the northern Drakensberg, near the Free State/KZN border, this family-run, family-focused resort keeps guests returning year after year.
After a four-hour drive from King Shaka International Airport, negotiating road works, innumerable trucks and heavy traffic, we were met by the smiling Cavern staff and a porter to lug our bags to our room.
A short while later, we were settled into our abode, with its 180-degree mountain views from the balcony, and decided to check out our surroundings.
With breakfast, lunch and dinner – all cooked to perfection – as well as morning and afternoon tea and scones included in the accommodation package, meals were sorted for the duration of our stay, leaving us with the pleasure of planning our activities and exploring the grounds.
The daily guided hikes were also included in our package, and guests can choose from short, medium, or the eight-hour, 18km Big 5 hike which, after a steep climb in the fern forest, takes you to the five mountain peaks in the area – Hlolela, Battleship, Sugar Loaf, Cold Hill and Camel’s Hump.
On our first morning, we opted for the longer of the two hikes on offer which, for us coastal gals, would be the perfect barometer test for our fitness at altitude.
Our guide Lunga, who has worked at Cavern for only a few months, knew the trails like the back of his hand, educating us about the region’s flora and fauna along the way.
Lunga’s pace and cheerful countenance immediately put everyone at ease, while the perfectly-timed breaks meant even the less fit enjoyed every minute of it.
The hike took us to Jackal Hill and Silent Woman, an interesting stone sculpture that was carved in the 1950s by William Chalmers after he was nursed back to health from an illness he acquired while studying rock art in Cannibal Cavern.
Ideal for beginner hikers or those looking for a not-so-strenuous trek in the mountains.
Even Cavern’s canine residents, Lucy and Gusto, enjoy these hikes, including getting their paws wet in the refreshing mountain streams.
Next on the day’s itinerary was the full body Forest Retreat Signature Massage, a 75-minute treatment from the top of your head to the tips of your toes – perfect to relax the muscles post-hike and prepare the body for the next day’s adventures.
The following day’s hike was along Surprise Ridge to Cannibal Cavern in the Amphitheatre section of the Drakensberg.
More strenuous than Jackal Hill, this 7km hike includes some steep climbs up to Cannibal Cavern and Echo Cave, but the views make every step worthwhile.
It was in this area that, in the 1800s, refugees fleeing Shaka Zulu’s expansion wars sought refuge.
As the tribes around the Drakensberg were displaced, many desperate survivors had no choice but to turn to cannibalism.
One of these tribes was led by Chief Sidinane whose people occupied what is now known as Cannibal Cavern.
As recorded by missionaries who passed through and visited the caves during this time, these tribes would raid the lowlands and capture anyone they found alone or straggling. And when passers-by were in short supply, they would eat their own children and wives.
These troubles are believed to have reduced the area’s population from around 1 million to just 5 000, and an old man once told a historian that there was a ‘path of white’ from Witsieshoek to Bushman’s Nek, ‘and that mark was our bones’.
These days, the only paths that scar the Royal Natal landscape are those traversed by hiking enthusiasts exploring the great outdoors of the majestic Drakensberg.
• The Cavern offers hiking packages for the avid outdoor enthusiast
• The family-friendly facilities include children’s play areas, both outdoors and in, and there are short hikes for the kids to enjoy
• Horse rides are also available, and for those wanting to enjoy short walks by themselves, there are self-guided trails
• For those wet weather days, there are pool and table tennis tables, and wine tasting is offered in the dungeon bar
• The family-friendly facilities include children’s play areas, both outdoors and in, and there are short hikes for the kids to enjoy
• Horse rides are also available, and for those wanting to enjoy short walks by themselves, there are self-guided trails
• For those wet weather days, there are pool and table tennis tables, and wine tasting is offered in the dungeon bar