Mooi River, meaning ‘pretty river’ in Afrikaans is one of the major towns on the Midlands Meander route of KwaZulu-Natal. It is conveniently situated to use as a base to explore this beautiful area of the province being only an hour and a half from the coast to the east and a little over half an hour from the Drakensberg in the West. It is also near to the historic Battlefields area. The surrounding countryside varies from rolling green hills to thornveld and the soaring peaks of Giant’s Castle.
It is known as one of the fly-fishing capitals of the country and is also the capital of racehorse breeding in South Africa. Visitors can visit Summerhill, an internationally recognised stud farm that attracts clients from around the world. Being a hotspot for waterfalls in the country, visitors can also visit the Mooi River Falls, just 25km outside of town.
The economy of the town is largely based on agriculture and tourism with a well developed retail sector. There are a number of excellent schools in the area including Treverton, the Weston Agricultural School, Mooi River Primary and Ai Kajee Primary. But the town’s main claim to fame is that it’s the gateway to the Midlands Meander and boasts numerous craft shops, cottage industries, restaurants and excellent accommodation establishments. The Country Club facilities include a great golf course, bowls, tennis and squash well as a restaurant and bar.
Getting there: from Durban, take the N3 to Mooi River.
