Drakensberg Rock Art

An easily accessible Rock Art site is Martens shelter on The Champagne Castle Hotel property. It comprises a large boulder the side, and underside containing  five clear paintings  one of an Eland and a grouping of four probably  Mountain Reedbuck. The Reedbuck paintings are particularly delicate bio chromes and  illustrate  the painting skills of the Bushmen. It is amazing that this primitive art has survived over the centuries. It is believed that they used   combinations of animal fats, oxides, plant saps and charcoal to manufacture the paint. The site may be accessed with permission of the hotel accompanied by an IMAFA registered guide.     

Alien spacecraft in the Drakensberg

A good story.


On Tuesday 28 February the Champagne Valley walking club visited the site of the alien spacecraft landing below Champagne Castle. The story goes that in 1956 Elizabeth Klaren was abducted by aliens and taken to their home planet where she had sex with an alien called Akin. This encounter resulted in a child which she brought back to earth. She wrote a book about the incident I think it was called the “ Big Bang theory”. To this day people regularly visit the site which still shows a ring where grass won’t grow and the spot has a strange magnetic field giving strange compass readings.

Drakensberg Boys Choir concerts

The World renowned Drakensberg Boys choir are neighbors to Wits End Mountain Resort their auditorium being a short walk from the resort. Visitors to the Central Drakensberg should not miss an opportunity of hearing them sing. They hold 2 music festivals each year, at the en d of April and their Coral festival in early December, and when not on tout weekly concerts on Wednesday afternoons . The program for 2012 is as follows:-


Music in the mountains festival.

27 to 29 April.

Christmas in the Berg.

7 to 9 December.

Weekly concerts.

February. 29,March. 7,14,21,April. 11,18 &25,May. 2,9,16.23 & 30,June. 6 & 13,July. 18 & 25,August. 1,8,15,22 & 29,September. 5 , 12 & 26,October. 10,17.17,24 &31,November. 7, 14 & 21,December. 5 .

Drakensberg rock art

This delightful Bushman painting  of a sitting Reedbuck is from a small shelter in a rock outcrop high up on the Northern slopes of Wonder Valley. The shelter has a small panel of mostly badly weathered paintings this one being the best preserved. It is only about 40mm long and is exquisitely detailed. There are a few other faded paintings of antelope and some human figures.

Central Deakensberg activities.

The Central Drakensberg offers a gereat number of leasure activities to catering for all tastes. Weekly activities include the following:-
Monday 27 February
Locals is lekker special meal at Monks Cowl country Club.Nutty stuffed mushrooms , beef and peach sosaties, summer puddings.  036 4681300
Tuesday 28 February.
Champagne Valley walking club. Starting point - Champagne Castle hotel at 7.00 am. Walk to Crystal falls and back. Moderate walk of 3 hours.
Wednesday 29 February
Drakensberg Boys Choir concert at 3.30 pm
Special meal at Dragons Rest 036 4681218
Thursday  1 March
Happy hour at Dragon's rest pub 6.00 to 7.00 pm

Every Day.
Helicopter flights. Phone Westline Aviation 083 6527493
Bird of prey show - daily at 10.30am except Fridays. Phone Falcoln Ridge 082 7746398
Canopy tour. Every day  036 4681981 &  0823 6615891
Glass hive bees. Every day at Scrumpy Jack's  036 4681308
Champagne adventure center . Team building and adventures- Zip line, King swing, Tree climb, Kloofing, Paintball, abseilling, 074 1033613
4 Rivers Rafting- Rafting, Zip line, Quad bikes. 083 7851693
Horse Riding- Dragon Peaks 036 4681031
                    - uShaka horse trails  072 6642992, 072 3122659, 036 4681136.
Spa's- Tranquility day spar- 072 2646398
         - San Aquam spar retreat 036 4681204, 082 7798779
         -The Spar at Champagne Sports 072 6111767

San Rock Art

The past week the Champagne Valley walking club visited the Rock art shelter in the Eastern slopes of Arthur’s seat. The cave is difficult to find and the approaches are covered in dense bush but worth the effort as the paintings are in good condition. The paintings are all monochrome and comprise several mystical figures, Pherianthropes, and 2 hunting scenes. One can only but wonder as to  the meaning of the paintings.   

Rock art grafitti

Rock art sites. There are numerous Rock Art sites in the Champagne valley but only a few are open to the public and even in these cases visitors must be accompanied by an AMAFA registered guide. Unfortunately some air heads feel at liberty to deface the sites with graffiti as this recent “posting” on the rock face at Cow cave shows.  This could lead to the closure of the site by the landowner  thus depriving the public of access to this culturally rich painted shelter.