Valley Lakes

We’ve got options. Valley Lakes offers a private collection of self-catering holiday accommodation located on our working farms in the foothills of the Southern Drakensberg. Although all our options have access to private footpaths, trails, rivers, streams and dams, they range between 30-45km south of Underberg, KZN, South Africa; and therefore may not necessarily be on the same farm as each other. From lakeside chalets, to riverside lodges, to a ranch house, to a cosy cottage - the choice is yours. VALLEY LAKES CHALETS 1 & 3 and THE LODGE (sleep 8 each) are located 30km south of Underberg and a stones throw away from the water’s edge. Each unit has a fireplace, its own firepit and built-in braai. Boats are for hire and firewood can be purchased on site. With a total of 24 beds and a FUNCTION VENUE with plenty of parking on site, this is also a choice spot to celebrate special occasions (birthdays, family gatherings, reunions, etc). Or use as an inspirational workshop venue with gorgeous views over the 60ha Curragh Lake. NDAWANA RIVER LODGE (Sleeps 8) is also 30km from Underberg, but on the opposite side of the tar road to Valley Lakes. Located on the picturesque farm called Belfast, it opens onto a covered wooden deck with a built-in braai overlooking the river, and is our only pet-friendly option. PEAR TREE COTTAGE our little cottage with a big heart (sleeps 4) is 40km from Underberg and our REDVERSDALE mountain house for a ranch experience (sleeps 10) is 45km from Underberg; both are located in the Bushmansnek area. Directions: 25km from Underberg, take the 2nd Bushmansnek turnoff on your right. Traveling from Swartberg, just after Valley Lakes, take the first Bushmansnek turnoff on your left. Follow the gravel road for 13km and enter Elton on your left and follow the signs. We look forward to welcoming you!

Area Info

The last town in the southern Drakensberg, Underberg, lies immediately beneath the majestic mountains of this area, their looming greatness offering a multitude of hikes and moments of breathtaking beauty.
Underberg forms part of the Sani Saunter, not as well known as the Midlands Meander perhaps, but offering as many outdoor opportunities and scenery to equal if not challenge the former.
The Sani Saunter extends from Loteni in the north to Bushman’s Nek in the south, and east to Bulwer, including the little town of Underberg and her quaint neighbor, Himeville, just 5 kilometers away, and as its name indicates, there is access to numerous hikes and walks in this part of the world.
The greatest attraction to the twin towns of the southern Drakensberg - Himeville and Underberg - is fly-fishing. There is more opportunity here than anywhere else in the country and the Underberg-Himeville Trout Fishing Club hold rights to over 160 kilometres of river as well as 60 dams - that’s a lot of fishing!

Underberg is a little town, and busy, despite the fact that this part of the district is predominantly farming country. The town of Underberg is pretty functional, although it has grown in the last couple of decades and now includes a number of commercial ventures.
The Splashy Fen Music Festival sees hundreds of people make their way through Underberg and this part of the southern Drakensberg to attend the Easter weekend filled with local music, arts and crafts, food and drink.