Things to do near
Van Reenens Pass
*Distances are shown as the crow flies and not necessarily the actual travelling
distance.
Sports Stadiums Clubs
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Harrismith (30.7 km from Van Reenens Pass) The Platberg Stadium lies at the foot of a great Eastern Free State landmark - the 9 kilometre long, 2 377 metre high Platberg Mountain. This majestic mountain range forms a stunning backdrop to the stadium.
Golf Courses
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Harrismith (31.6 km from Van Reenens Pass) Type: Parkland golf course
Holes: 18
Par: 72
Length: 6529m
Battlefields
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Ladysmith (32.1 km from Van Reenens Pass) As you travel on the N3 linking Durban and Johannesburg, only 8 km off the motorway near Ladysmith, you'll arrives at the famous Battlefield of Spion Kop.
Over a century ago on the 24th January 1900, Spion Kop was the scene of a bloody and futile battle fought between South Africans and British forces during the South African War, 1899 to 1902.
Raymond Heron, a renowned historian, has a fascinating presentation on the war and the far-reaching effects it had on Britain and South Africa. During Raymond’s vivid presentation, one is able to relive memories of the war and walk in the footsteps of three great leaders – General Louis Botha, later to become the Union of South Africa’s first prime minister, and Mohandas (later the “Mahatma”) Gandhi, as well as Winston Churchill.
Nature Reserves
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Spioenkop Dam Nature Reserve (33.5 km from Van Reenens Pass) An easy 35-kilometre drive from Ladismith or 14 kilometres from Winterton will get you to Spioenkop Dam Nature Reserve, a popular weekend getaway for watersport junkies. The savannah landscape around the dam is home to interesting wildlife including white rhino, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, numerous antelope and prolific bird life.
The views from the summit of Spioenkop Mountain are breathtaking. You can spend hours gazing out over lush green plains to the mesmerising Drakensberg peaks extending from Giant’s Castle to the Sentinel in Royal Natal Park.
The Discovery Trail presents two wonderful hiking options, a 3 or 6 kilometre loop around the southern shore in an area free of dangerous game. Various picnic sites are dotted around the dam’s edge.
Golf Courses
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Bergville (38.4 km from Van Reenens Pass) Beautifully maintained and picturescue 9-hole course situated at Hlalanathi Resort
Popular Attractions
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Bergville (38.4 km from Van Reenens Pass) All Out Adventures offer over 100 km of well-marked mountain bike trails for all fitness and skill levels in the Northern Drakensberg. Extreme mountain bikers use this terrain to train for the Cape Epic, Sani and Joberg 2 C riders. Riders can choose between tough training rides and easy rides for families on a mountain biking holiday in the Berg. Maps are available.
Popular Attractions
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Bergville (38.4 km from Van Reenens Pass) Westline Aviation offer scenic helicopter flights in the Northern Drakensberg region. Flight solutions can be tailored to suit particular needs, corporate services, tourism and special events. They operate from Dragon Peaks Mountain Resort, Cathedral Peak Hotel and the Tower of Pizza .
Popular Attractions
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Bergville (38.4 km from Van Reenens Pass) All Out Adventures offers a thrilling cable ride through scenic forest. Speeds of up to 60 km per hour are reached between the 7 platforms, making it one of the fastest cable tours in South Africa. It also has one of the longest spans in the country – up to 240 m between the platforms. Great fun for the whole family.
Popular Attractions
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Bergville (38.4 km from Van Reenens Pass) Fly like Tarzan on an authentic circus trapeze. Instructors take you step by step through taking off to landing in the net. Die hard thrill seekers have the option of doing a knee hang and a back flip dismount.
Popular Attractions
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Bergville (38.5 km from Van Reenens Pass) The Northern Horse offers the experience of a lifetime in the Northern Drakensberg. Trusty mountain horses and ponies will take you up mountains, across rivers and cantering over plains in the breath taking foothills of this World Heritage Site. Trails vary from easy outrides on the Montusi Estate to steeper trails, all tailored to suit various levels of experience.
Four By Four Trails
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Newcastle (40.7 km from Van Reenens Pass) Bonani Wild and Wonderful offers many trails can accumulate to 50 km. To complete all the trails it will take around 8 hours. The trails start at a grading 3 three where any vehicle with low range gears may explore. Other routes have a grading of up to 5 and require a bit more technical know-how. The routes offer mountainous trails, river trails and dongas. Please enquire for further details.
Dams Vleis
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Harrismith (41.2 km from Van Reenens Pass) The vast expanse of water which is the Sterkfontein Dam lies a few kilometres from the edge of the Drakensberg Escarpment in the topmost reaches of the Vaal Dam catchment on the Nuwejaarspruit. The cool, fresh, deep waters are ideal for trout and other fish and it is a popular angling spot. It is the third largest dam in South Africa providing a perfect playground for sailing and other watersports. The surrounding landscape is scenically stunning - characterised by rugged mountains, lush ravines and rolling grasslands.In this beautiful setting is the Sterkfontein Dam Reserve covering 18 000 hectares. Perfect for long walks, hiking (there is a two-day hiking trail) and biking, it also offers excellent game viewing and bird watching. You can tick off oribi, reedbuck, mountain reedbuck, grey rhebuck, the bald ibis, the blue and whitebellied korhaan, the buffstreaked chat, the ground woodpecker and the sentinel. Gaze up to the sky and you could spot bearded and Cape vultures as well as Verreaux's (black) and martial eagles soaring. Secretary birds can also be spotted in treetops or stalking in the grasslands.The precipitous ravines are populated with yellowwood, wild peach, koko, silky bark, and black bark trees as well as bush guarri. Wild grape has twined into the tree tops where they form a dense leafy canopy. Fungi and lichen nestle against living and rotten tree trunks. Mountain slopes are adorned with wild myrtle, redwood, ouhout, hush guarri, highveld protea, silver sugarbush and the scarce tree fern.
Dams Vleis
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Clarens (42.5 km from Van Reenens Pass) The Sterkfontein Dam Nature Reserve is situated 23 km from Harrismith. It has several excellent trails for visitors to meander upon. The reserve is a favorite with bird lovers, holding over 200 bird species, such as mountain reedbuck, oribi, woodpecker, yellowwood and redwood.
The terrain varies from veld to forest to kloof. Wildlife is not prominent but there are several antelopes to be spotted. Every year in February the reserve hosts the annual Catamaran Championships on the 7,000 ha dam. Visitors can also enjoy water sports activities such as fishing and canoeing.
Golf Courses
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Ladysmith (45.6 km from Van Reenens Pass) Holes 18
Length: 5690m
Available for hire:
Carts
Trolleys
Caddies
Clubs
Other facilities
Pro Shop, Bar, Restaurant, Board Room, Function Facilities
Popular Attractions
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Ladysmith (47.3 km from Van Reenens Pass) The legendary Mahatma Gandhi, among many other things, served with General Buller's relief forces after the Siege of Ladysmith. He also trained 1100 Indians who participated in the battle.
In 1993 the Hindu community paid tribute to the work of Gandhi by building a statue of him at the Lord Vishnu Temple. Visitors will have to arrange with the caretaker beforehand to view the statue.