Suggested Routes & Holiday Ideas - ITINERARY-8
Durban and Zululand
Summary of the Route
KwaZulu-Natal has something for everyone - splendid beaches lapped by the Indian Ocean, stunning mountain scenery, wildlife, and a vibrant city life. Nowhere else in Southern Africa are so many outstanding tourist destinations to be found in such close proximity to one another, and this really is modern Africa at its magnificent best.
Below you will see just a selection of the highlights you can combine for a truly unforgettable trip.
The cost of your holiday will vary depending on the type of accommodation you prefer and the type of safari you choose - there is a wide range of accommodation all along this route from inexpensive B&Bs and guest houses to 5* hotels and world-class safari lodges.
ITINERARY-8Sample Itineraries For This Route
These are a selection of example itineraries that follow this route.
- from R 17,057 ppNature Reserves and Horse Back Safaris
- from R 19,044 ppSafaris, Saddles and Surfing
- from R 23,190 ppExploring KwaZulu-Natal in 4* Comfort
- from R 31,095 ppSafari Special Offer
*Prices are per adult sharing and are fixed in South African Rand (R).
Prices exclude international flights - ask us if you would like to include these.
- Durban
- Private Lodge Safari
- Self-drive Safari
- St Lucia Wetlands
- The Battlefields
- The Drakensberg
- Getting Home
Durban
Durban is a wonderful sub-tropical city. With over 320 days of sunshine per year, it has a cosmopolitan population, a thriving nightlife, and a history that goes back to the earliest days of European settlement in Southern Africa.
The 6km 'Golden Mile' of beaches are packed with sun worshippers throughout the year, while the warm waters of the Indian Ocean entice swimmers, surfers, divers and other watersport enthusiasts.
Ghandi's home in South Africa and Zulu villages in the Valley of a 1000 Hills are also within easy reach of the city.
Whilst the mid-summer months of February and March are known for being extremely hot and humid, the rest of the year is milder, and the tropical sunny climate gives the city a constant 'feel-good' appeal.
Private Lodge Safari
The private game reserves of KZN are all less than a 4 hour drive from Durban, and offer the undoubted highlight of any visit to Africa - a safari experience in a Big 5 game reserve with lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, and buffalo.
Because the land is privately owned, the experienced rangers can drive off-road to some sightings, giving you an unbelievably close encounter with Africa's wildlife.
Most include in their rates all meals, 2 game drives per day in 4x4 vehicles, and an optional guided bush walk each day. Some will also include all drinks as well.
Self-drive Safari
The Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Park offers excellent self-drive game viewing opportunities, and is renowned for its variety of animal and bird life.
Although you will probably not get as close to the wildlife as in the private reserves (in Hluhluwe itself you are restricted to the extensive road network), the thrill of waiting at a peaceful waterhole and having a sighting all to yourself is hard to beat.
Cheetah, wild dog, the Big 5 and many species of antelope and other plains game including giraffe and zebra inhabit the Park, offering the visitor a varied self-drive game viewing experience. There have also been over 300 bird species recorded. The Park is most famous for its population of white rhino, of which there are about 1,600.
St Lucia Wetlands
The 260,000 hectares covered by the Greater St Lucia Wetlands Park (also now known as the iSimangaliso Wetland Park) is home to a diverse number of habitats and wildlife.
Coastal beaches and sand dunes, wetlands, bushveld, coastal forests, nature reserves, and mangrove swamps are all here, as well as South Africa's most southernmost coral reef off the Sodwana Bay coastline, a diving and snorkelling paradise and home to an extremely large number of colourful tropical fish species.
Leatherback and loggerhead sea turtles lay their eggs on the ocean shows of the eastern peninsula - the turtle breading season starts October the one year until April the next year while whale watching season is from June until December. Other wildlife includes rhino (both black and white), elephant, buffalo, giraffe, kudu and other antelope species. There are also over 450 species of birdlife, including fish eagles and colonies of pelicans and flamingos. Here, and nowhere else in the world, can one find hippopotamuses, crocodiles, and sharks sharing the same waters.
The Battlefields
The Battlefields of KwaZulu-Natal offer an incredible insight into the history of South Africa.
The best way to really appreciate this bloody and fiercely-fought history is to go on one of the mesmerising and theatrical tours of the key areas, which bring to life the incredible stories of events that happened only 100 years ago.
No matter how uninterested you think you are in history, these tours will captivate and move you.
The Drakensberg
The Drakensberg Mountains are simply magnificent. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the mountains are an area of outstanding natural beauty as well as being home to some of the earliest evidence of human habitation.
The scenery is breathtakingly beautiful, and nature lovers will enjoy the many hiking and walking trails available for all levels of ability.
There are easier walks through lush meadows and across clear streams, or more strenuous hikes up and across rugged mountain terrain. In addition there are countless other activities including horse riding, fly-fishing, and art-courses to be enjoyed.
Getting Home
At the end of your holiday, you can either fly back home from Durban (flights connect in either Cape Town or Jo'burg), or alternatively you can drive to Jo'burg and catch your flight from there.
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