KWAZULU-NATAL
Sani Lodge and Cottages Owners Russell and Simone have a gift for hospitality that feels entirely authentic – they simply take care of people as well as their Jersey Cows, and make it all look effortless. Closer to the famous mountain pass, Sani Lodge operates as a lively hub for travellers heading into the border region. Russell is the kind of host who has clearly been tested; the lodge reinvented itself entirely during Covid and he emerged with the cheerful pragmatism of someone who has learned not to take the good days for granted. The result is a place that now offers far more than just a bed: guests can visit the on-site Paint On Clay Pottery Studio, enjoy a hearty meal at the restaurant, spend time milking the cows, or join one of their numerous guided excursions into the surrounding mountains and into Lesotho. It has the easy energy of somewhere travellers gather, swap stories and mentally prepare for whatever the Drakensberg has planned for them next. Sani Lodge also has a pool for unwinding after a long day on the trails, and in winter, wood-fired hot tubs make for a rather spectacular way to end an evening under a sky full of stars. Sani Lodge & Cottages and their on-site tour company, Drakensberg Adventures, are proud to promote responsible tourism through their Fair Trade Tourism accreditation. As part of the Fair Trade Tourism movement, the company prioritises responsible travel by supporting local communities, promoting fair working conditions and helping protect the natural environment that makes the Drakensberg so special.
Shiloh Country Cottage Shiloh Country Cottage is owned by Ruan, a farrier( a craftsman who shoes horses for a living), which should tell you everything you need to know about the kind of place Shiloh Country Cottage is. He, his Dutch wife Els, and their three young children provide occasional background evidence that the place is genuinely lived in and loved. The cottage was repurposed from old farm stables, a history worn confidently rather than concealed: thick walls, honest materials and the bones of a working building transformed with real care into something beautiful. The facilities are excellent, the views are the kind that stop you mid-sentence, and the Drakensberg sky from the stoep at sunset is worth the drive all on its own. If accommodation could score an 11, Shiloh would make a strong case. A perfect 10 will have to do.
20 | WINTER 2026 • rovesa. co. za