Unplug at the Cavern
by Jon Minster
When I was 10 years old, in 1992, a day at the Cavern went as follows: Wake up filled with excitement; eat all the things for breakfast that you never get at home; meet on the front lawn for the morning walk to somewhere magical like Echo Cave, where the guides serve tea and crunchies out of a backpack; eat lunch (ice cream!); play cricket on the bowling green; have tea and biscuits and play table tennis in the games room; dress up for dinner; and finally, try to keep your eyes open for bingo.
In 2022, I returned to the Cavern with my own children aged 7 and 9, and guess what? Everything was exactly the same. It was a privilege to share some of my best childhood memories with my kids: to watch their faces light up with wonder in the Fern Forest, to share stories around the table at mealtimes, and to help them conquer a few incredible hikes.
Like the Wild Coast, the Drakensberg has some legendary family hotels. The Cavern is in the northern Drakensberg, near Royal Natal National Park and the Amphitheatre, and its history as a resort goes back to 1941 when Ruth and Bill Carte bought the farm. Situated at the head of a valley surrounded by a wall of mountains, the Cartes understood that the place was less suited to grazing cattle and much better suited to tourism. Bill had a vision: "Our work is to create beauty, to make the land more fertile, to make our living, to leave the world better than when we came into it," he wrote.
Eight decades later, the Cavern is still run by the Carte family and Bill's vision is no less relevant. It's a timeless place, an oasis of calm where nature still feels close, with comfy accommodation and superb food. You park your car when you arrive and you don't look at it again until you have to leave. You rediscover the joy of walking, playing silly games, jumping streams and patting farm dogs, and the staff are always there to make sure you want for nothing.
In an increasingly fragmented and fractious world, the Cavern offers a sanctuary to reconnect with the people you love.
Rates: From about R1 200 per person sharing, including all meals and most activities. Children get a discount and there are often family specials. Check the website.
More info: cavern.co.za; 036 438 6270
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