The Drakensberg tourism region has decided that sustainability needs to play a real role to develop communities, create social inclusion, extend green and eco practices and assist upliftment. Unfortunately, much of the region in which our extended family resides is informal settlements without basic services like water, electricity and waste management. What’s worse is this isn’t unique to rural Drakensberg.
Directory of sustainable tourism products in the Drakensberg
- WOWZULU – Creating a sustainable community-based tourism model for South Africa.
- Berg Adventures – Deon Small opperates guided hiking in the Drakensberg training local guides with a high eco ethos.
- Antbear Lodge – has an ethos of sustainability and alternative eco practices.
- Three Tree Hill Lodge – Fair Trade certified and with a great ethos towards sustainably, community and self sufficiency
- Drakensberghiker – Eco tourism involves responsible travel to natural areas focusing on conserving the environment, sustaining the well being of the local people, education and interpretation of the local flora, fauna and culture, while minimizing our impact on these fragile & pristine natural areas.
- Giants Castle Slackpacking trail. Something different with a high aspect on conservation and clearing of alien invader species
- Giants Castle Vulture Hide – Vulture conservation and education
- Star gazing hammock camp – Community upliftment initiative to get locals involved in their own tourism enterprises
- Game Pass shelter guided tours to bushman rock art that are educational by local vilages for Thendele Village.
Volunteering in the Drakensberg
- Antbear Lodge – accepts volunteers to do alternative building, working with horses and artistic woodworking
- Zingela Safaris – accepts volunteers to do alternative building and in the summer season to help with their white water rafting opperation.
- Ardmore Guest Farm – accepts volunteers to assist in the lodge as well as any special skills you might like to contribute
- Farming Lifestyle Experience Work with merino sheep, angora goats and Basotho ponies, learn the ways of the land in the Southern Drakensberg mountains and spend your time enjoying the champagne air and stunning scenery here in the mountains. Work with local farmers and herders and learn from their age-old knowledge.
- Teaching initiatives – Why not become a volunteer teacher? Share your skills for a semester or half semester at a government primary or secondary school and help children improve their English, maths and/or science capabilities. You also have the opportunity to work within a community setting as a member of our role model initiative, helping to empower young people and enthuse them to achieve their ambitio
- Medical elective placements – Open to medical elective students only, the Drakensberg health project provides an opportunity for students to learn from healthcare professionals operational in the area. Expect to work with previously disadvantaged populations, and provide care to vulnerable adults and children.
- Community development – Volunteer on our community project to work with children, OVCs, women’s initiatives, teaching, the mohair initiative, food security, nutrition, skill-sharing initiatives and micro-enterprise. This is a truly rewarding volunteering opportunity in South Africa that is run year-round. Make lifelong friends and see the direct impact of your contribution
- Arts Initiative – Once a year we run an arts initiative aimed at empowering local HIV positive women and their associated friends and family networks through creativity. Volunteers participate in daily workshops convened by a professional artist and share their own creative skills to help women develop arts-based skills for empowerment and employment.