Underberg, KwaZulu-Natal

Underberg
Underberg Underberg
Coordinates: 29°47′35″S 29°29′41″E
Country	South Africa
Province	KwaZulu-Natal
District	Harry Gwala
Municipality	Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma
Area
• Total	19.71 km2 (7.61 sq mi)
Population  (2011)
• Total	2,694
• Density	140/km2 (350/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)
• Black African	79.7%
• Coloured	1.3%
• Indian/Asian	0.6%
• White	17.6%
• Other	0.7%
First languages (2011)
• Zulu	72.7%
• English	19.6%
• Sotho	2.3%
• Xhosa	1.9%
• Other	3.6%
Time zone	UTC+2 (SAST)
Postal code (street)	3257
PO box	3257
Area code	033

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.

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. Home of the world class wedding venue, Glencairn Farm. 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

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

External links

Media related to Underberg, South Africa at Wikimedia Commons

• Southern Berg Escape
• Splashy Fen
• Sani2C MTB Race
• Joberg2C MTB Race
• Drak Challenge Canoe Race
• Underberg School