Drakensview self-catering cottages near Winterton

By Roxanne Reid
When you’re on a road trip and you’ve had a day chockfull of  adventures, you look forward to a comfy place to spend the night. Somewhere you can drink in the view as you sip an iced drink, watch the shadows lengthen and feel the heat seep out of the day. Drakensview self-catering cottages near Winterton in KwaZulu-Natal give you just that.

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There are three units perched on a hillside overlooking the valley and the town of Winterton. We’d just slept two nights in a normal (i.e. narrow) double bed, elbows and knees poking each other awake, so it was bliss to wallow in Drakensview’s king-size bed and crisp white linen.

The unit was tastefully decorated with modern finishes, en suite bathroom (shower) and well-equipped kitchenette complete with microwave, stove and fridge. The fridge was stocked with drinks choices, and there was a selection of snacks and chocolates – all to be paid for on an honesty system. Yummy rusks were provided for our breakfast the next morning – but they were long gone by then. 

Each unit looks out over a pretty garden and the valley beyond

We also had access to a braai if we’d felt like making one, and a small private stoep with comfy chairs to relax in to read. I sat there for some time just chilling and watching the cows and horses in the field beyond the garden fence. A thatched lapa was another great place to sit and soak up the view of the Drakensberg peaks in the distance.

If you’re like us and you enjoy the flexibility that self-catering gives you, Drakensview is a great choice. We stayed two nights and our unit was serviced each day.

Enjoy the garden and the view over the valley, or watch horses and cows come and go

Drakensview is on a farm just 3.5km out of Winterton on the R600 to Ladysmith, so it makes a good stopping off point for excursions to the Spion Kop Anglo-Boer War battlefield or to the nature reserve at Spioenkop dam just a five-minute drive away.

Keen birders might want to visit the Falcon Ridge birds of prey rehabilitation centre and lovers of history will enjoy the small museum in Winterton.

I enjoyed the option of sitting inside with air conditioning or outside when the day cooled down

The kitchen has everything you'd need to self-cater

And of course, since the Drakensview cottages are close to the central Drakensberg, there’s no shortage of hiking, mountain biking, horse riding, hot-air ballooning and river rafting adventures to be had. Or you can take a 35km drive down the R600 south of Winterton to go ziplining through indigenous forest and past waterfalls on the Drakensberg Canopy Tour. Drakensview owner Valita Klopper is happy to help with advice and contacts for activities in the area.

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