Its Easter time, schools out and a long weekend is around the corner – so consider a family holiday close to home that is fun, affordable and with lots of options.
The Valley of a 1000 Hills has a myriad options to suit every style, occasion and budget – and is geographically well placed to be in easy reach of countless attractions and destinations: from Berg to Bush to Beach.
Kearsney Easter Rugby Tournament.
The 2023 edition of the Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival gets underway on Thursday and will feature one of England’s top schools for the first time – joining this year’s line-up for the first time is Hartpury College from Gloucestershire. The English side is a powerhouse of note, having claimed the UK’s national ACE League title 10 times in the past 12 years. NextGenXV, a global hub of school rugby, recently named them the world’s best at producing professional players.
From KZN Glenwood, Westville Boys’ High and Durban High School will join the hosts again this year. From Gauteng come Hoërskool Dr EG Jansen (Boksburg) and Hoërskool Monument (Krugersdorp), with Dale College (Qonce), Hoërskool Framesby (Gqeberha) and Hoër Landbouskool Marlow (Cradock) making up the Eastern Cape contingent. Hoërskool Noord-Kaap from Kimberley and debutants Worcester Gimnasium (Western Cape) complete the South African line-up.
The action takes place over Easter weekend, with play on Thursday 6, Saturday 8 and Monday 10.
The school website and FB will have up-to-date fixtures and info.
Easter Family Fun at the Kloof and Highway SPCA.
Kloof and Highway SPCA: Saturday 8 April 8am until 3pm.
1000 Hills Community Tourism Organisation is supporting the Kloof and Highway SPCA in an event packed morning of Easter family fun on Saturday 8 April.
Well known creatives Kevin Ellis and Gareth Graves have put together an interactive programme of entertaining events for the Saturday morning all with an underlying Easter theme. The Easter Jive Bunny is scheduled to visit mid-morning to oversee the Easter egg hunt. This year, there will be a hunt – with children searching for specially painted cute little Easter rocks, which can be redeemed for Easter Eggs at the end of the hunt. The Easter eggs have been donated by 1000 Hills Community Tourism Organisation.
There will be dance demos leading kids (and parents) in some fun line dancing routines. Songstress Belinda Dolphin will be providing the vibes for the morning. All the Village Green shops, the Hidden Treasures marquee and the Tea Garden will be open.
All activities will be raising much needed funds which goes towards the upkeep, costs and the feeding of the rescued animals in their care.
PheZulu
The first 40 kids on Sunday 9 April to visit the Reptile Park and Creature Cave, will get free Easter Eggs on arrival. Visit the crocs, snakes, tortoises and other magnificent reptiles and learn more about them.
The ever-popular game drives through the PheZulu conservation area will be running over the Easter weekend, and tickets are sold on a first come first served basis, so arrive early! Game drive times are held hourly.
The PheZulu Gasa Clan Dancers will be performing four shows a day over the Easter weekend, in a show which is both educational and entertaining. Show time are: 10h00; 11h.30, 14h00 and 15h30.
PheZulu serves traditional South African food in their Nguni Café and offers accommodation options to make a weekend of it – so you can fall sleep to the soundtrack of the PheZulu animals and night calls of Africa.
Eggs For Holah
Easter is for everyone! For their Easter tourism initiative, 1000 Hills CTO have donated Easter eggs to SPCA for their public Easter Egg Hunt; and as their CSI contribution, they have also donated Easter eggs to Holah baby house in Crestholme.
Holah cares for 12-14 children, with the number fluctuating as they are called to help in crisis care. They have two cottages; one for babies and toddlers and a separate cottage for children with special needs, most of whom are in wheelchairs.
Holah is the baby home of NGO Likhon iThemba – one of five projects this busy NGO runs. They also run a children’s feeding scheme: Bowl of Plenty, their fund-raising thrift shop in Glenwood, the Hop Shop; Vikela Baby Saver which is a repository for abandoned babies and Holah Networking.
1000 Hills CTO uses its tourism network and marketing support to support the member NGOs in its area.
1000 Hills B&B
For a local Easter getaway – visit 1000 Hills B&B Association: a collective of a dozen or so accredited B&B’s who network closely together – all situated in the Kloof / Hillcrest / Botha’s Hill area. Their website is designed to process and send your request to all of the members so this saves on having to contact each establishment separately for a quote. Only members that have availability will respond to you.
1000 Hills B&B Association work closely with 1000 Hills CTO – both of whom have active websites with different accommodation options – which jointly account for at least 60 registered, compliant and accredited venue options in 1000 Hills area.
Things to do
And of course we have heaps to offer right here on our doorstep: great food options; outdoor activities (such as putt-putt, golf, hiking, biking, horse riding, quad biking); galleries and cultural attractions; the great outdoors; animal-themed parks and a zillion retail options and markets.
Umgeni Steam Railway Easter trip has been cancelled. The USR Easter Train has been cancelled – Wesley (the vintage steam loco) is not well! He was pulled over last weekend and is going to be checked out, fixed and repaired – and should be back on track soon. But not in time for Easter unfortunately. What a shame! Everyone is very apologetic and heart sore…..
The USR administrators can sort out people who have booked with either a refund or a USR Voucher. Visit: http://umgenisteamrailway.com/
Good to Know:
Visit: www.stayin1000hills.co.za
https://www.1000hillstourism.co.za/listingcategory/where-to-stay/
Kloof & Highway SPCA: 29 Village Road, Kloof.
Tel 031 764 1212
PheZulu is 190 Old Main Rd, Botha’s Hill
Phezulu Game Estate tel 031 777 1465 / Safari Park tel 031 777 1000