Harrismith is a small, charming country town, founded in 1849, & named after the glamorous & hard riding British Governor, Sir Harry Smith.
Harrismith is the centre of one of the five wool producing districts in Southern Africa and is the starting point of the Highlands Route. Many tourists use Harrismith as a gateway to the Malutis, the Golden Gate National Park and the Natal Drakensberg.
During the diamond rush at Kimberly, the town became a busy staging post on the Natal transport route and hotels, stores and public buildings sprang up. In 1892 the railway from Natal to Harrismith opened but due to politics, did not go any further for several years.
A major base during the Anglo BoerWar, Harrismith has progressed since then to a delightful, spacious town, with several handsome churches and public buildings.
The Plattberg is the location for the annual Berg Marathon, one of the most prestigious cross-country running events in Southern Africa. The race began when ex-British Army Major Belcher irritated locals by referring to the Platberg as "That little hill of yours". One of the locals took exception to this and bet him that he couldn't reach the top in under an hour. Needless to say he did, but only with eight minutes to spare. The gracious winner donated a floating trophy to the first person to reach the top in a race every year.
Indulge in open air hobbies like birding, biking, 4x4, hiking, climbing, golfing, camping, history, water sport and lots more.
There are quite a few cultural sites to keep the traveler with an interest in history and art busy.
Harrismith is the ideal destination to break a long trip, hold a conference or escape from the stresses of city living & recharge batteries in tranquil surroundings & excellent facilities. Harrismith is a wonderful place to visit for the weekend, but if you only have a day then there is still plenty to see & do.
Some activities include a visit to the Royal Natal Park, the base of the Drakensberg Sentinel or driving out to the Golden Gate Highlands National Park.
A real gem is the Basotho Cultural Village, which offers both a Sotho & Zulu cultural experience & visitors can experience the taverns, schools, spaza shops, the processes of the sangomas & traditional healers, & take in all the local culture.
The Harrismith Wildflower Gardens, founded in 1967 contain about 20% of the Drakensberg region's flora & are great to wander through. The town is well known for its factory shops, gardens (both domestic & wild flower gardens), golf course (third oldest in South Africa) & links with the South African War, with close by battle sites, blockhouses & a military cemetery.
There are also Boer, Brit & sandstone architecture to be seen. Activities include trout fishing, water sport on the Sterkfontein Dam (the third largest dam in South Africa), bird watching & visiting well stocked game farms.
Harrismith is the centre of one of the five wool producing districts in Southern Africa and is the starting point of the Highlands Route. Many tourists use Harrismith as a gateway to the Malutis, the Golden Gate National Park and the Natal Drakensberg. 
During the diamond rush at Kimberly, the town became a busy staging post on the Natal transport route and hotels, stores and public buildings sprang up. In 1892 the railway from Natal to Harrismith opened but due to politics, did not go any further for several years. 
A major base during the Anglo Boer War, Harrismith has progressed since then to a delightful, spacious town, with several handsome churches and public buildings. 
The Plattberg is the location for the annual Berg Marathon, one of the most prestigious cross-country running events in Southern Africa. The race began when ex-British Army Major Belcher irritated locals by referring to the Platberg as "That little hill of yours". One of the locals took exception to this and bet him that he couldn't reach the top in under an hour. Needless to say he did, but only with eight minutes to spare. The gracious winner donated a floating trophy to the first person to reach the top in a race every year. 
Indulge in open air hobbies like birding, biking, 4x4, hiking, climbing, golfing, camping, history, water sport and lots more. 
Harrismith is the ideal destination to break a long trip, hold a conference or escape from the stresses of city living & recharge batteries in tranquil surroundings & excellent facilities. Harrismith is a wonderful place to visit for the weekend, but if you only have a day then there is still plenty to see & do. 
A real gem is the Basotho Cultural Village, which offers both a Sotho & Zulu cultural experience & visitors can experience the taverns, schools, spaza shops, the processes of the sangomas & traditional healers, & take in all the local culture. 
The Harrismith Wildflower Gardens, founded in 1967 contain about 20% of the Drakensberg region's flora & are great to wander through. The town is well known for its factory shops, gardens (both domestic & wild flower gardens), golf course (third oldest in South Africa) & links with the South African War, with close by battle sites, blockhouses & a military cemetery. 
There are also Boer, Brit & sandstone architecture to be seen. Activities include trout fishing, water sport on the Sterkfontein Dam (the third largest dam in South Africa), bird watching & visiting well stocked game farms.