Ever heard of the Drakensberg Boys' Choir? Well here's the skinny that you won't find in the guidebooks.

Established In the mid-60's the idea was to create something modeled on the Vienna Boys. The kids get a great education, play a lot of sport in their mountain paradise and are part of a rigorous vocal training programme. The end result? Voices like angels.

In the middle of a European city steeped in centuries of tradition?

No. In the boondocks. In the Champagne Valley in KwaZulu Natal's Drakensberg mountains.

Now, they travel and compete internationally every year and are now rated as one of the top three in the world alongside the Vienna Boys and the American Boychoir School.

Make no bones about it, this is a rockin' show.

What makes them different? Well, where the repertoire of just about every other boys' choir on the planet is exclusively classical, the Drakensberg Boys' Choir has very diverse musical interests. Yes, the first half of the show is classical. But the second half...

You could get African harmonies that will make you weep. You'll need tissues. And a jersey. Why? For the goosebumps of course. You could get music from the movies or jazz or folk or gospel. Or even Queen (Freddie Mercury would have loved it). Or just about anything. It's simply sublime. Champagne air, dramatic mountain vistas echoing with immaculate counter-tenor harmonies.

Where, When and How Much?

Where? From the N3 highway that links Johannesburg and Durban take the R74 to Winterton. Turn left onto the R600 and keep trucking. Good road all the way. As you start to get deep into the mountains you'll know you're close.

When? Every Wednesday afternoon during school term time - 3:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

How much? R75 in local currency. At the time of writing that's about $10 U.S. or £5 sterling. Now beat that for value - for a show that's going to match anything you've ever seen on Broadway or in London's West End!

Contact Information

Contact Info? Phone: +27 (0)36 468 1012

Order CD's & DVD's Online?

I'd give you an Amazon dot Com feed if I could but they just don't have anything. And no, I don't know why. Sorry. The only solution is to go straight to the Drakensberg Boys' Choir web site. They have two order pages - one for South African postal addresses and one for International postal addresses.

From within South Africa? From anywhere else?

Links You Might Find Helpful

The ever-trusted Wikipedia has a lot of good info on the Drakensberg Boys' Choir but it reads more like a history book than a "what's it like" kind of experience.

And you'll need somewhere to stay. Recommended accommodation in the Drakensberg.

Bottom Line?

Yes, I know you're thinking about Cape Town. And a game reserve or two. But if you're going to South Africa, think Drakensberg. Think KwaZulu Natal. You won't regret it.