Upper Highway at a glance
Less than 30 kilometres west of Durban, Kloof was the region of choice in the late 19th Century for captains of commerce, industry and government, who built far from the humidity of the City. Many of the homes were originally farmlands and over the years, as demand for homes in the area increased, these farmlands were subdivided with stands averaging between a minimum of two acres (in some areas) and one half acres and an interesting blend of new and old architecture emerged. The lush and heavily wooded vegetation, which is a unique characteristic of the Upper Highway area, is still preserved today. The Upper Highway encompasses about 10 little suburbs stretching from Kloof to Hillcrest and the horsey enclaves of Assagay and Shongweni up to Botha’s Hill.
Property Rentals in Upper Highway
Kloof is a leafy, middle- to upper class suburb in the Upper Highway that includes a smaller area called Everton. The word Kloof means 'gorge' in Afrikaans and the area is named after the deep ravine formed by the Molweni stream (stream of high cliffs). The Kloof Gorge is part of the Krantzkloof Nature Reserve. Kloof extends from the top of Field's Hill and borders Winston Park, Gillitts, Forest Hills and Hillcrest. The M13 highway (built in the 1940s) intersects Kloof and forms part of the route of the annual Comrades Marathon, an approximately 90 kilometres ultra-marathon run between Pietermaritzburg and Durban since 1924. Kloof features several upmarket shopping centres and the Kloof Country Club, founded in 1927. It is known as a mist-belt with winding roads and tree-surrounded mansions.
Hillcrest is very picturesque and is one of the oldest villages, having celebrated its 100th birthday just a few years ago and is one of the fastest developing areas in the Upper Highway. Literally on a hill on a crest someway above Durban, Hillcrest was once a little hamlet that bordered on the Valley of a Thousand Hills, surrounded by green pastures and farmland. It was a retreat away from the hub of the city, somewhere one could escape to cooler air and guaranteed peace and quiet One of Hillcrest’s main attractions is “The Heritage Market”, a Victorian style shopping complex which exudes a certain Old World charm with gazeboes, lovely walkways, beautiful rose gardens, restaurants and many quaint shops. The Shongweni Farmers market every Saturday morning provides a wonderful place to buy organic and fresh produce, and contributes even further to the feeling of country living, and the many farm stalls, nurseries, country pubs and artists’ havens mean that one doesn’t have to leave the charm of country living or head off to the malls to shop. There’s little in the way of heavy industry out in Hillcrest, which, despite the boom, means that Hillcrest manages to retain its country village feel.
Types of Property Available in Upper Highway
• Townhouses
• Flats
• Garden Cottages
• Residential Homes
Popular areas to rent in Upper Highway
• Hillcrest
• Kloof
• Assagay
• Botha’s Hill
• Gillitts
• Cato Ridge
• Crestholme
• Monteseel
• Inchanga
• Crestview
• Westriding
• Harrison
• Hillcrest Park
• Drummond
• Waterfall
• Winston Park
• Everton
• Forest Hills
• Shongweni
• Summerveld
• Alverstone
• Hammersdale
• Camperdown
Attractions in the Upper Highway area
1000 Hills Choo Choo
Trains run from Kloof Station (Stokers Arms) to and from Inchanga Station, on the last and first Sunday of each month (twice daily 08h45 and 12h30), along the edge of the picturesque Valley of a Thousand Hills. At Inchanga Station one will find the popular Inchanga Station Craft Market and numerous food outlets.
Kloof Country Club
Situated in the hills of the mist belt of Kloof, close to Durban, Kloof Country Club is an attractive parkland course with beautiful trees that define the holes.
Krantzkloof Nature Reserve Situated only 4 kilometres from the centre of Kloof, this nature reserve was established by the Natal Parks Board in 1950 and boasts an abundance of wildlife. Krantzkloof Nature reserve offers spectacular views across the well forested gorge. Valley of 1000 Hills Experience.
The Valley of 1000 Hills Route is one of KwaZulu Natal's best kept secrets. The Valley of a 1000 Hills forms around the majestic valley created by the Mngeni River and it's tributaries. Many artists and crafters have been attracted to the beauty and tranquility of this area which is dotted with cozy guest lodges. The new 1000 Hills Experience Route features Zulu Cultural villages and stunning mountain vistas as the backdrop to a wealth of creative talent. This fascinating tourist experience, which follows the Comrades Marathon Route, is all about rolling hills, valleys, gorges, forests, rivers and scenic dams.
Renting Property in Upper Highway
The Upper Highway has, to all intents and purposes, become self-contained and is increasingly seen as providing space for a healthier, more family friendly lifestyle. The area is home to many of KZN’s top private schools, including Kearsney, St Mary’s, Thomas More and Highbury. The property boom spawned massive commercial, residential and tourism estates and developments, particularly in Hillcrest and Kloof. Today, little corner cafés are long gone, replaced with mega-shopping centres in Hillcrest. There are still taverns and ‘locals’, like Stokers, and established older areas where grand properties sit on their ‘Kloof acre’ near Kloof Golf Course. Hillcrest is renowned for its estates, while Kloof tends towards free-standing homes. The attraction to the Upper Highway area is numerous: less humid, a real winter, village-like, less flashy, superb schools, large value-for- money properties, established trees/greenery.
Upper Highway Flats to Rent
The buoyant rental market in the Upper Highway sees garden cottages go for around R4 500 a month, bachelor units for around R3000 a month and 2 bedroom apartments typically can be let at around R5500 to R6500 a month, depending on area, finishes and security. The Upper Highway area has many estates offering upmarket apartments to let in Plantations, Clifton Hills and Aintree lane . These apartments are also popular for the buy to let investor and offers superb rental returns.
Upper Highway Townhouses to Rent
Secure lifestyle estates such as Kirtlington, Cotswold Downs, Queensbridge and Plantations offer breathtaking scenery and landscaped open spaces, and a superlative lifestyle that most can only dream of. Whether your passion is horseriding or golfing, these superb townhouses appeal to people with good taste who appreciate the finer things in life. These secure manned estates also typically offer peace of mind: children can safely play outdoors, joggers are free to enjoy the beautiful surrounds and women can walk home from a neighbouring friend in the evening. Rental listings in the Upper Highway have been further boosted with developers listing units not sold directly off plan. An oversupply in the market has led to a slight downturn in unit sales, which leaves developers and investors facing possible financial loss unless they can get tenants into the unit. One can expect to pay from R9500 a month up to R25000 a month, depending on the size of the townhouse.
Upper Highway Houses to Rent
The Upper Highway area boasts many superb free standing homes and manor houses. Gracious family homes in close proximity to prestigious private and excellent public schools offer the luxury of space and comfort. Expect to pay rentals from around R8700 a month up to R30 000 a month, depending on location and size.
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