The surprise for many in the formal hotel business over the past two decades or so, has been the growth of the less formal backpacking market; and we're not talking just students here, but people like you and me for whom a luxury hotel is not always the most appropriate option.

The Trekking Concept Comes Home

The main attraction in the Drakensberg is hiking, and when considering where to stay in the Drakensberg, the best option for backpackers and hikers is Inkosana Lodge.

The lodge is set in the spectacular Champagne Valley. It was started by mountaineer Ed Salomons back in the mid 1980s when informal lodges were something of a novelty in these parts. The idea came to him after a trekking trip to Nepal; something of an irony because “trekking” is an Akrikaans word, and Ed's first language is Afrikaans.

Ed perservered and slowly Inkosana (which means “little chief” and refers both to Ed and to the peak otherwise known as the Monk's Cowl that is visible from the lodge) grew – at about the same rate as the thousands of trees he planted on the property. Inkosana is what ED'S Zulu staff called him when he started the place.

But Don't Take My Word For It

Ed's a long-time friend of mine from our younger rock climbing days so, rather than taking my biased opinion of the place, here's what some other authoritative voices have to say:
"Unpretentious, ethnic style rooms, with beautiful indigenous gardens and a retreat center feel" - The Rough Guide
"The best place in the whole of the Central 'Berg to stay" - Let's Go.

"The owner is a 'Berg fundi (South African slang for expert from the Zulu [sic*]) and can advise on the best trails to do. It is also a good place to chill out for a few days" - Bradt Budget Travel Guide
"Inkosana has been around for 21 years, and like a good wine, it only improves with age. We think the lodge is consistently one of South Africa's best" - Coast to Coast

What It Costs

Suites R250 a person a night, double rooms R200, dormitory beds R150, rondavels (circular huts) R200 to R400. There are also camping facilities at R100. You can self-cater, braai or stay on a DBB basis.

For a map of how to get there, click here

Tel 036 468 1202

* actually, it's Swahili, but it does mean expert

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