Ixopo, immortalized in Alan Paton’s “Cry the Beloved Country” is the main centre of the Southern Midlands. Although originally named ‘Stuartstown’, the original onomatopoeic Zulu name has prevailed. When pronounced in Zulu, the ‘click’ letter (letter ‘x’) is reminiscent of the cattle’s hooves moving through the local marshes. Ixopo’s countryside is very attractive, ranging in height from 400m to 1800m and therefore, give Ixopo a very distinct and diverse landscape.
The C J Rhodes 1870 National Heritage Site is situated on a Farm, in the Umkamaas Valley. This is where Cecil John Rhodes and his brother Herbert, first farmed cotton in 1870. The first wagon road from Pietermaritzburg to Cape Town was found in what now is a, nature reserve. In October 1871 Rhodes left the colony for the diamond fields of Kimberly.
There is a very distinctive floodlit cross, bestowing peace and goodwill on the Town and the nearby Buddhist Retreat Centre. For over twenty years people of all religions, have been visiting the Buddhist Retreat to experience total peace and tranquility. Different paths meandering through the 300 Acre property each bring their own revelation: follow the pine-scented path to the Dam; walk past ancient cycads to the tracks of early Voortrekker wagons; or make your way to the rocky outcrop that provides a perfect seat for contemplating the Valley below. Nearby are the breeding sites of the rare Blue Swallow - the Endangered Wildlife Trust has appointed the Buddhist Retreat Centre a custodian of these rare swallows. Their presence, together with the Buddhist Retreat Centre's commitment to encouraging the indigenous biodiversity of the Area, has led to the Centre being declared a Natural Heritage Site, by former President Nelson Mandela.
Justice Raymond Mnyamezeli Mlungisi Zondo (popularly known as Judge Raymond Zondo) was born in this rural town, in 1960. South African president Cyril Ramaphosa announced on the 22 of March 2022, the appointment of Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo as the next chief justice of the Country's Constitutional Court.

Winterton is a little Town found on the banks of the Tugela River in the foothills of the Drakensberg. Close to the Second Boer War battle sites of the Battle of Vaal Krantz and Spioenkop, it is often passed through by visitors on their way to Champagne Castle and Cathedral Peak - two of the Peaks that are arguably the most spectacular of the Drakensberg!
The Winterton Museum on Church Street has a display on the History of farming in the Area, including a unique Gallery of San paintings. And the Drakensberg Boys’ Choir, based in the central Drakensberg, performs concerts mid week and over weekends. The Drakensberg Boys' Choir School that lies just outside of Town, and a number of Monuments and Memorials connected to the South African (Anglo Boer) war like the Marianne Church ruins, there is also the Winterton Museum to inspire a visit. It is a small Museum but well worth a visit for its insight into Zulu history, San rock art and the Spioenkop battle.
The Village of Winterton plays host to an annual street carnival in July, when local artists, crafters, musicians and companies serving the tourist industry congregate on the main street, which is closed for the day, to showcase the Town! There are a number of Museums and Monuments in and around Winterton, including the Marianne Church ruins. Named after the wife of the Dutch Reformed Minister, Dr. Faure, they are located on the Farm; 'Doveton', just outside Winterton.
In 2003 the San Art Interpretive Centre was opened in Didima, in the Cathedral Peak Valley. Show casing the History of the San people, through their art and culture. The Centre is decorated to represent a cave, a likely place to find San Rock Art. Built on a Heritage Site, the Centre has many other exhibits including audio visual presentations and many other static displays. Stepping into the Centre gives you a sense of sitting around a camp fire with the bushman and listening to their stories! Didima Gorge was known as the Valley of the bushman, with over a thousand painted pictures being located in the caves around the Valley, the most popular being the Botha's Cave.