Cobham Nature Reserve - accommodation in Himeville, Durban, South Africa

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Imagine a mountainous backdrop and vast grassland of Themeda and Festuca that transforms from emerald green in the spring and summer to hues of gold, brown and purple in autumn and winter, this is the vision one gets when visiting Cobham Nature Reserve. 52000 hectares of breathtaking beauty with a collage of lakes and rivers framed by abundant tree ferns with the odd stands of Protea Dracomontana on the slopes and knolls of the Berg, makes Cobham a hiker’s paradise.

Overshadowed by Hodgson's Peaks, which wrap the Giants Cup, Cobham Nature Reserve is situated in the south central berg bordering Himeville Village and forms part of the uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park.

With it’s great amount of highland lakes, there is a neighborhood in Cobham called the Lake District. The sheltered valleys are home to the Cape Clawless otter and herds of eland as well as an array of bird life and other little creatures and hikers often bump into the furry residents that feed off this beautiful land. Cobham is also known for its interesting rock art sites a guide can be hired to visit a range of them.

Cobham Nature Reserve is renowned for its variety of picturesque hiking loops and trails, boasting the famous 5 day Giant’s Cup Hiking Trail which winds all along the foothills of the Drakensberg, from Sani Pass through the little Berg into Garden Castle finishing in Bushman's Nek.

Great trout fishing and overnight camping is also provided at Vergelegen, providing the perfect base for those hikers that want to explore the trail to the highest mountain peak in the Drakensberg, Thaba Ntlenyana (the beautiful little mountain).

10 charming camping sites can be found at Garden Castle with hot and cold showers, toilets and barbecue facilities as well as a little curio shop that provides the vital essentials.