Ukhahlamba Mountain Region

Includes Barkly East, Maclear, Mount Fletcher, Burgersdorp, Rhodes, Lady Grey, Mount Ayliff, Maclear, Mount Frere, Elliot, Ugie, Matatiele

This is the northern-most part of the Eastern Cape, close to the Lesotho border. Ukhahlamba means 'barrier of spears' - resembling these southern foothills mighty Drakensberg mountains.

It's peaceful and pastoral, with green, lush forests, towering mountains and kilometres of crystal clear rivers - perfect trout-fishing country.

An eco-tourism haven, this area is rich in fossils and san rock art and offers idyllic mountain biking, hiking, horse trails, river rafting, 4x4 trails and fly fishing.

With most of the area 1000 metres or more above sea-level, it's an area of high rainfall, bitterly cold winters with snow on the mountains (sometimes for several months).

Closest airport: Bloemfontein.  Take Friendly N6 Route to the region's gateway,Aliwal North. From KwaZulu-Natal (east), take R56 from Kokstad.

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Top 10 Attractions:

• South Africa's only skiing resort at Tiffendel, near Barkly East
• Quaint Victorian village of Rhodes (declared national monument in 1997)
• Naude's Nek - highest mountain pass in South Africa, connecting Rhodes and Maclear (2740m)
• Ben MacDhui (3,001m) - highest mountain of the Cape region
• Rhodes
• 52-km Rhodes Trail Run - early July (300 runners only)
• 82-km Rhodes Extreme Mountain Bike Challege - end. Sept
• Mountain Lake Nature Reserve & wetlands, near Matatiele           Hikers in the snow near Rhodes
  
• 4-day Mehloding Adventure Trail - near Matatiele
• Isinamva Xhosa Cultural Village - near Mount Frere
• Botanical & fossil tours at Lady Grey

Visit Rhodes Village for more info about this quaint country town & surrounds

For more info on the Ukhahlamba area, visit South African Tourism