Champagne Castle was named, so the story goes, when a climber dropped his celebration bottle of bubbly from the peak before he could toast his success.
The valley between Cathkin Peak and Champagne Castle is one of the loveliest in the Drakensberg. Departing from Midstream, you turn at Harrismith towards Clarens then descend into Natal past the Sterkfontein Dam. The route continues through Bergville and Winterton to the valley.
You have a wide choice of accommodation from hotels and guest houses, to bed and breakfasts and self-catering establishments. We like the Drakensberg Sun and the self-catering chalets at the Champagne Sports Resort. Other hotels are named after mountains - Champagne Castle, Monk's Cowl and Cathkin Peak. There are many guest houses that cater for family groups. One of our favorite places is the Valley Bakery, Coffee Shop and Art Gallery on the R600 as you enter the valley.
The valley is home to the only bearded vulture population in the country. At one stage the species almost died out in South Africa, but conservation efforts have helped these inhabitants survive and thrive. They nest in the crevices of the mountains and can be seen gliding in the thermals overhead. With wingspans that can reach up to 2.8 meters in length, these birds are a sight to behold.

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