Cathedral Peak Camping (Didima)

My usual place of camping in the #Drakensberg was fully booked so my wife wanted a site with plug points and she found Cathedral Peak Didima Campsite. What inspired this post was a lack of images of the site even on Google searches or Twitter. I have since added photos to the Google Maps link and GooglePlus link in turn. Let’s talk about the campsite.

At Didima they have Chalets which are the ones you will find mostly in searches but they do have a #Campsite as well. The Campsite is called Cathedral Peak Community Campsite. The best images and information I could find before making a decision was on the Rhino Club Blog http://rhinoclub.wordpress.com/2011/03/08/didima-campsites-in-cathedral-peaks-nature-reserve/

Where on earth is this place

Didima Campsite is in Giants Castle Game Reserve, Drakensberg. At the time of writing this post the route R74 was under construction, so it is highly recommended NOT to use it but stay on the N3 highway until you off-ramp straight to #Winterton. UPDATE: 8 DECEMBER 2015 THE R74 WAS OPEN WITH A NEW SURFACE

Didima Map

What the Campsite Offers

  • The Cathedral Peak Community Campsite offers 30 camping and caravan sites with electricity that can accommodate a maximum of 6 people.
  • Campers are to pay the fees at the reception.
  • The communal ablution facilities have toilets, hot showers, baths and a communal kitchen.
  • Braai stands are available; with firewood and charcoal for sale at the Curio Shop

WeszMadz Says:

  • One lady was cleaning both ablution blocks. She was so slow she would not clean the second one until we reported to management and action was taken. Lesson – inform management of any issues. They come around at least twice a day
  • On the side we stayed they were at least 7 street lights out. When we reported at main reception the answer was basically there is nothing we can do about it. Lesson – bring own external lighting just in-case
  • Two security guards are on duty at night which is great. One visited me when I was alone by the fire at midnight just to see if all was okay
  • The camp is setup alongside a river. Divine sounds when you sleeping
  • The lawn needs proper maintenance and some parts totally don’t have lawn.
  • All sites have electricity but your traditional plug won’t fit. You will need to rent one from reception. But if you have the Caravan hookup then you are sorted. caravan—->>
  • The hot water is not always hot but I think that’s an issue of gas.
  • The entrance and exit gates get closed at night
  • You can still enjoy a game of pool or eat at the restaurant by the main camp
  • The hiking and views are the best I have seen so far of the Drakensberg
  • The Campsite has washing and drying machines. R10 to wash, R10 to dry. Bring R5 coins..

 

 

Images of the Campsite

 

Top Ten Pics #TravelChatSA #DiscoverKwaZuluNatal

Top Ten Tweets #TravelChatSA #DiscoverKwaZuluNatal

Special Mention

 Trending

Top 5 Tweets from #TravelChatSA #ExploreEasternCape

My Top 5 Tweets from #TravelChatSA #ExploreEasternCape from 12 Feb 2014 #TravelChatSA

Best Picture

Special Mentions

#Knysna #TravelChatSA in #Pictures

From today’s #TravelChatSA the topic was on the beautiful Knysna which is on my bucket list, I have decided to select Tweets showing the images of the area for today’s post.

TollTrack for E-Toll iOS app

20130425-074259.jpg

Toll Track is a FREE mobile app that will help you track and log your toll costs automatically.
All you need to do is press ‘Start’ and let Toll Track do the tracking for you while you drive the route.Toll Track calculates the relevant discounts according to your presets and will build a monthly cost log for Bakwena, E-Toll and TRAC N4 gantries.

Toll Track uses your mobile phone’s built-in GPS receiver to track the gantries passed through
and calculates the relevant discounts applicable, to display and log the net payable amount.

Ideal for individuals who do a lot of business travelling, now you can track your toll expenses and incorporate it into your business billing structure.

www.tolltrack.co.za

ORTAMBO Customer Experience – The Social Media Lesson

On my way back to my car on 16 January 2013 at ORTAMBO Airport this happened when paying for parking  to about 5 of us

ORTAMBO responded

Quick Response, they really want to help, I’m thinking, Yeah Right

This is getting serious now, they want to refund the R5

By then I had left the change and the building 

 

Three Weeks Later……

I land at ORTAMBO from one of my business trips and I check-in on FourSquare and send the check in to Twitter

And then this happens! 

 

Howz that for Customer Experience, Use of Social Media. Am still wondering how they remembered after three weeks

Where I stayed in Richards Bay – Feb 2013

How I get to Zululand

N2 to Zululand

N2 to Zululand

First of all when I travel to Richards Bay for business I fly to Durban’s King Shaka International Airport (KSIA) then drive approx 145km to Richards Bay. Why? To chop a long story short, the last plane back to JHB once ran out of fuel and we had to fly to JHB via King Shaka so as to refuel (3hr trip, it was supposed to be 1.5hrs), besides that propeller is something else :).

Lovely road but there is always traffic cops on the road. Especially the Mandeni area. There isn’t much traffic all the way although you lose the two lane system to one lane system as you get closer to Richards Bay. From a scenic perspective there isn’t much worth seeing. You don’t even see the sea all the way to Richards Bay although you will be driving along the coast. There are 3 toll gates costing you R8.00, R9.50 and R32.00 one way. R49.50 in total so you better have R100 for return trip.

Where I stayed February 2013

The Protea Hotel Waterfront! Lovely hotel, very quiet, no outside cars zooming past, no noise in the corridors. Don’t switch on the television and you will understand what I am talking about. This is the standard room. R1161 per night room only. Room only cost suits me fine cause I have a tendency of skipping breakfast. Yeah I know what you are saying. This is what my room looked like (thanks to the iPhone Panorama function)

Protea Hotel Richards Bay

The bed is very comfortable and I slept well the whole night. The furniture is great and they have a proper office chair with a desk (I felt  like I was back at the office!) *maybe even better than my office chair* Hope my boss doesn’t see this 🙂 Below pic shows the view from my window at sunrise

Sunrise at Protea Waterfront Richards Bay

What I ate

First night I had a 250g Sirloin with Giant Hand Cuts with pepper sauce and onion rings. Well done! Yes all my meat MUST be cremated! at least that’s what they say at the office. Dessert was some divine Banana Drama Waffles with hot caramel. YUMMY! I love bananas so yah.. the rest is history. Tip: Order room service they seem to put extra effort in the way the cooking is done and the way its delivered to your room (myView). Don’t judge! The fries make me fat.. at least I had the next meal with veggies.

The Sirloin

Next day I munched some Honey Mustard Chicken (grilled!) with mash and a creamy honey mustard. I kindly asked the chef not to add garlic and he said with pleasure! (How does that beat buffet) I tell you, I think room service gets special treatment.

The Problem with this venue

They are charging residents R30 per day for parking! Dude! It’s not even basement parking. Your car gets cooked by the weather outside in the open and you pay them accommodation fees, dinner, breakfast and parking! I’m sorry but that’s absurd, ridiculous!

The Traffic Officer!

Can you spot the speed trap in this 7 seconds video? Why so short, well there is this thing called VINE for smartphones where you post and share 6 second videos (post for another day)’ Check it out

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dI7o487N5w]

Would I stay there again?

*DrumRoll* Yes ofcourse! Why? It’s one of very few hotels where I actually sleep the whole night without working up 3 times because it’s not my bed. The list number of times I woke up at this hotel was ONCE. So Yes I will stay there anytime. I have had breakfast here once but I was not impressed. P/S you can have a bite with your legs in water 🙂 One of the hot days highlights

Till Next Post!

MyTravel Posts to be published!

Thanks to a Google+ Community called Travel South Africa. I have been invited to write blog articles for TWO websites about my travelling and photography as I travel across South Africa.. I am once again highly honoured!  Thanks to Neil Playdon of Where2stay-SouthAfrica and Rob Baker of South Africa Travel Online for the invitation! The two sites that will publish my travels are

1. http://www.southafrica.to/ 

SouthAfrica Online

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2. http://www.where2stay-southafrica.com/

Our website offers you a great choice of accommodation across South Africa including Guesthouses, Game Reserves, Hotels, Self-Catering and Bed & Breakfast, Backpacker, Campsite and Bush Lodge accommodation.