The area surrounding Tamakwa Country Lodge is well known for its natural beauty and diversity. As well as the well known arts and crafts routes on the Midlands Meander, there is also a great selection of activities to appeal to the tastes of any visitor.

At Tamakwa you can enjoy...

• Fly fishing on the Mooi River
• Birdwatching, click on the link to view the Birding List
• Our scenic river walk along the banks of the Mooi River
• Our stunning gardens and swimming pool are an option for those who are looking for less strenuous activities

In addition, during your stay with us we can arrange various activities for you such as...

Kamberg Nature Reserve, only a 25 minute drive away and the amazing San Rock Art caves are open to the public with guides available to take you up the mountain to see them. It is a fairly strenuous walk taking about 1.5 hours to the top. Before you depart on your hike you will watch a video presentation which gives an insight into the history of the Bushmen.

A 45 minute drive and you are at Giants Castle  in the heart of the Drakensberg   Mountains . Here you can also walk to San Rock Art caves. There are many other wonderful walks in the mountains with maps available.

A visit to the Highmoor Nature Reserve is a must, being only 25 minutes drive up the Kamberg Road and one of the few places in the Drakensberg that you can travel by road to the top of the little berg. Easy walks can be taken past trout dams with spectacular views of Giants Castle. Eland, mountain reedbuck, duiker and baboons are often spotted as well as bearded vultures and black eagles overhead.

The Hlatikulu Crane & Wetland Sanctuary is situated on the nationally important Hlatikulu wetland, bordering on the uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park near Giant’s Castle and is about 1000 hectares in size.  In addition to the significant wetlands (of various types) the sanctuary also has indigenous afro-montane forest, stunning grasslands, and protea savannah. It is a rehabilitation and breeding centre for Southern African crane species and is listed as an internationally important birding area and a national site of conservation significance. The sanctuary also offers extensive walking trails with excellent birding and wildlife viewing.

A memorable experience in the Southern Drakensberg is a trip up one of the most spectacular passes on this part of the continent. Sani   Pass climbs to an altitude of 2874m and zig-zags upwards beneath towering cliffs, buttresses, waterfalls and unique flora and bird life. You can experience a visit to a Basotho mountain village. It will take you approximately 2 hours to get to Himeville either via the Loteni Road in Nottingham Road or via the R617 to Underberg via Exit 99 (Merrivale) off the N3. Tours depart daily from Himeville at 09h30 and return at 16h30. Passports are essential and lunch is available at the Sani Top Chalet.

The Fly Fishing and Birding Shop. Located in Nottingham Road, is one of the largest stockists of the finest flies and fishing equipment in the Midlands. They also provide many different services such as flyfishing clinics, equipment hire and guided fishing tours in various waters, including the majestic Bushmans   River . 

Why not try a Battlefield Tour ? Travel in comfort to famous battlefields and relive the dramatic past of this beautiful region with knowledgeable guide, Ron Gold. Anglo Boer War battlefields include famous names such as Spionkop, Ladysmith, Colenso, Vaalkrans and Willow Grange. Visits are also made to poignant Voortrekker-Zulu sites such as Blaaukrans, Rensberg’s Kop and Zaai Lager.

The Karkloof Canopy Tour is a unique eco-experience that takes people on a 3-hr adventure through the magnificent Karkloof indigenous forest. The canopy tour involves traversing from one platform to another along a steel cable suspended up to 30m above the forest floor. The tour comprises seven platforms and eight slides that zig-zag down a pristine forested valley. The scenery and birdlife is spectacular and professional guides provide interesting facts about the forest ecology during the tour.

Berg Trails offer a day trail on Appaloosa horses - usually lasting about 4 hours The trails will be guided by an experienced guide and horseman. There are breathtaking views and game such as, eland, reedbuck, bushbuck, duiker, jackal and wonderful bird life.

While staying with us why not pamper yourself by visiting Brookdale Health Hydro. The day hydro is open Monday – Saturday from 08h00 to 17h00, providing you the opportunity to spend the day, or just an hour or two. They offer a wide range of treatment packages and individual treatments.

Experience the green heart of Kwazulu Natal on a leisurely bicycle tour with Bicycle Tours SA. Traverse district roads, forest tracks and some tar routes. Tours are non-regimented, “cycle at your own pace”, that ensures that you enjoy our cycle experience in the Kwazulu Natal Midlands.

Fancy a taste of the Cape wine route on the Midlands Meander? Visit the Wine Cellar, believed to be amongst the largest wine selections in Kwazulu Natal.