Stops en Route
The Midlands Meander is a drive between Hilton and Mooi River with about 70 ports of call en route, ranging from art studios, potters and painters, to herb gardens and cheese makers.
Pietermaritzburg has various museums worth a visit. These include the Voortrekker Museum, the Natal Museum and the Natal Steam Railway Museum. The Albert Falls Public Resort Nature Reserve and the Albert Falls Dam provide opportunities for sailing, canoeing and fishing. Bird watching, horse-riding and hiking are also popular pastimes. The Howick Falls is situated in the Valley Nature Reserve, where the river tumbles about 100 m in a single fall. Midmar Dam is zoned for yachting and powerboating. The 1 000 ha Midmar Nature Reserve is inhabited by rhino, zebra, a wide variety of antelope species and waterfowl.
Cycling in Midlands Meander
Kamberg Valley, Nottingham Road, Hawklee House, Karkloof Falls, Dargle, Howick, Sani Pass...the names sound like some enchanted story. But have you considered cycling around the famed KwaZulu-Natal Midlands Meander, stopping for dips in refreshing streams and for lunch at country inns and pubs?
This is gentle bike touring as you might expect to do somewhere in Britain, only the African weather is much kinder. For the brave, there is the option of a drive up Sani Pass, lunch in Africa's highest pub, and then taking a flying ride down the pass. For the foolish, you could ride up the pass too. Just don't forget your passport: you'll need it to get into Lesotho.