Underberg, KwaZulu-Natal

Underberg is an administrative town in a dairy and cattle farming community in the Mzimkulu River valley of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It is situated at the foot of the 1,904 m Hlogoma Peak (place of echoes) in the foothills of the southern Drakensberg, KwaZulu-Natal. Underberg was established in 1917 when the railway from Pietermaritzburg reached the area. It is an important commercial centre for the region's farming industry providing many of the support services. It is also a trading center for people who come down the nearby Sani Pass from Lesotho.

Underberg
Underberg
Underberg
Coordinates: 29°47′35″S 29°29′41″E
CountrySouth Africa
ProvinceKwaZulu-Natal
DistrictHarry Gwala
MunicipalityDr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma
Area
 • Total19.71 km2 (7.61 sq mi)
Population
 (2011)[1]
 • Total2,694
 • Density140/km2 (350/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)
 • Black African79.7%
 • Coloured1.3%
 • Indian/Asian0.6%
 • White17.6%
 • Other0.7%
First languages (2011)
 • Zulu72.7%
 • English19.6%
 • Sotho2.3%
 • Xhosa1.9%
 • Other3.6%
Time zoneUTC+2 (SAST)
Postal code (street)
3257
PO box
3257
Area code033

The town also houses provincial offices of the ministries of Social Welfare and Transport, a clinic; as well as the municipal library. The Underberg School offers pre-primary and primary education. Churches in town include the Catholic Church, Congregational Church, The Underberg Baptist Church and Highlands Church International.

Tourism is the second biggest industry in the area, next to farming. The area surrounding Underberg provides a large variety of tourism offerings, as a gateway to the Southern Drakensberg. The Southern Drakensberg Community Tourism Organisation was established by the community in 2007 and serves to promote tourism under the Southern Berg Escape brand. Underberg offers a variety of accommodation and eatery options, mostly of casual nature to suit most tastes.

The Underberg district is, along with Dullstroom, Mpumalanga one of South Africa's premier trout fly fishing destinations. Splashy Fen, an annual outdoor music festival, is held on a farm near Underberg. The internationally acclaimed Sani2C Mountain Bike race held annually starts in Underberg, while the grueling Joberg2C MTB Race passes through along the same route on Day 6 thereof. Paddlers from far and wide gather annually for the Drak Challenge canoe race held on the Mzimkulu river.

  • Shopping center in Underberg
  • The Splashy Fen music festival, held yearly on a farm outside Underberg

References
  1. "Main Place Underberg". Census 2011.
  • Brandon-Kirby, Robert - Fly-Fishing in Southern Africa
  • Nagy, D. De F. (ed) - The First 100 Years of the Underberg-Himeville District 1887-1987

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