KwaZulu Natal, South Africa

· Excellent winter climate (May to August) with warm sunny and dry days
· Long stretches of pristine beach
· Big Five game-viewing in Hluhluwe, Phinda, Thanda and Amakulu game reserves
· Hiking in the Drakensberg mountains
· Enthralling Battlefields tours to Isandlwana and Rorke’s Drift
· Shopping for Zulu crafts and beadwork
· World class diving
· Superb golf courses
· Browsing through the arts and craft shops on the Midlands Meander

When to visit
Given KwaZulu Natala’s sublime winter climate - dry, warm and sunny, don’t stint on your time here if travelling between April and September. Game-viewing is also better between June and September when the grasses are shorter and the animals need to come to the waterholes to drink. Its subtropical climate means that summer is very hot and steamier but with cooling afternoon rain showers, and glorious cooler temperatures in the Drakensberg mountains.

How to get to KwaZulu Natal
Most of our visitors fly into Durban and begin their KwaZulu Natal tour from there. The northern safari areas of KZN are also accessible by scheduled flight to Richards Bay (followed by a fairly long road transfer to your safari lodge of 1½ to 2 hours), or by scheduled charter into some of the safari lodges (Phinda & Thanda). To combine KwaZulu Natal with the Greater Kruger Park area to the north, you can either do a self-drive tour through the picturesque kingdom of Swaziland, or you can opt for a private charter flight which, though relatively expensive, saves approx a day of travelling.

Reasons to visit KwaZulu Natal

Sub-tropical beaches in KwaZulu Natal

KwaZulu Natal offers long stretches of golden beach and a warm sub-tropical climate. The beaches of the South Coast and the Dolphin Coast close to Durban tend to be fairly resort-orientated. Golden beaches are backed by cosmopolitan resort towns with lots of seafood restaurants, shops and vibe with shark nets and lifeguards in place. As you head north the beaches become less accessible with fewer and fewer towns until Coastal Maputaland, in the far north of KwaZulu Natal, offers remote beach lodges as much as 50km apart! Here the beaches are truly pristine untouched by human development. We recommend Thonga Beach Lodge or Rocktail Bay Lodge if you are looking for a beach experience in our winter months (May to August).

• Thonga Beach Lodge, Coastal Maputaland
• Rocktail Bay Lodge

Walking in the Drakensberg mountains

The Drakensberg Mountains offers a full range of walking trails from strenuous full day hikes to some of the highest peaks such as Cathedral Peak, through the challenging but more achievable Tugela Gorge walk (see below) to plenty of delightful walks of a couple of hours. If you are staying at one of the traditional mountain hotels, they offer daily walks with the hotel guide. Each hotel has its local favourites. These walks area usually vary with gentle walks on some days and full day hikes offered on others. However many of the trails can be undertaken under your own steam with the aid of a map/guidebook. The famous Amphitheatre, an 8 km stretch of cliff-like mountains some 1400 metres high is to be found in the northern section of the Drakensberg. The main peak is called Mont-aux-Sources because five of the country's major river systems have their source here. The mighty Tugela River cascades 850 metres over the edge forming the Tugela Falls. The most popular hike is a six-hour walk up the Tugela Gorge, which involves crossing/fording the river a number of times before emerging into the Amphitheatre.

• Cathedral Peak Hotel

Golf in KwaZulu Natal

KwaZulu Natal offers a number of stunning golf courses, many of which take full advantage of their spectacular coastal settings. Most of our clients combine a couple of rounds of golf with some time enjoying KwaZulu’s wildlife reserves and diverse scenery. Some of our hotels and lodges have golf courses – notable examples being Zimbali Lodge and Selbourne Hotel, both on the coast, and Cathedral Peak Hotel in the Drakensberg mountains. However many hotels and lodges are within 15 minutes drive of several top courses such as Mount Edgecombe, Princes Grant or the Royal Durban Country Club which has boasted more South African Opens than any other club.

• Selbourne Hotel, Spa & Golf Estate

Diving in KwaZulu Natal

KwaZulu Natal’s warm sub-tropical waters offer the finest diving in South Africa. To the north is Sodwana Bay, a resort mecca for keen divers with spectacular coral formations and a bewildering range of beautiful reef fish as well as turtles, manta ray, dolphins and sharks. The pristine reefs off Coastal Maputaland offer a more exclusive diving experience in a true wilderness environment. Both Rocktail Bay and Thonga Beach Lodge offer diving and PADI four-day diving courses. On the South Coast, Aliwal Shoals, just south of Durban, was recently voted one of the top 10 dive sites in the world. The reef is known for its marine diversity: dazzling soft coral, starfish, anemones, seahorses, large schools of pelagic fish, even the docile Ragged Tooth Shark.

• Thonga Beach Lodge

The battles of Isandlwana & Rorke's Drift

During the mid 19th century, the Zulu people confined themselves mainly to the north of KwaZulu Natal whereas the English Settlers took over from the Afrikaners in the south. This was not an easy situation and the Zulus repeatedly attacked the border areas. By the 1870’s the English decided to counter-attack both to assert their dominance but also to get closer to the prized Boer Republic of the Transvaal (with its gold and mineral riches). At Isandlwana, some 20,000 Zulu warriors, angered by the British encroachment attacked the British on 22nd January 1879 in the blistering heat of summer. Here, the Zulus using Shaka’s classic ‘horns of the buffalo’ formation, inflicted one of the worst defeats on the British on the eastern slopes of Isandlwana mountain. Lord Chelmsford had underestimated the force of the Zulus. The Zulus attacked descending on the British with their short stabbing spears and after only two hours of pitched and terrifying close combat battle, the British fled. In all 1,000 Zulus died as did 1,300 British. The nearby fort and military hospital of Rorke’s Drift was the scene of high drama later that day as 141 British soldiers holed up in the fort, including 35 wounded, repeatedly repelled 4,500 Zulu warriors over the course of 12 hours using biscuit tins and flour bags as barricades. When the smoke cleared some 500 Zulus and 17 British lay dead. A total of 11 Victoria Crosses were earned at Rorke’s Drift, the most ever given in one single battle in British History. To learn more about this fasacinating day, stay in the Zulu Battlefields at Fugitives Drift, Isandlwana Lodge or Babanango Valley Lodge.

• Fugitive's Drift Guesthouse

Walking Safaris

For us, the walking safari is the ultimate wildlife experience. You will never forget the moment when, crouched low in the aromatic golden grass beside your armed game scout and guide, you watch elephants cross the river towards you! A walking safari is gentle ambling so it is suitable for any adventurous adult. KwaZulu Natal and the Greater Kruger Park area have a number of walking safaris on offer. Most famous are the wilderness trails of the Kruger, Hluhluwe and Mkuze Game Reserves; five-day game trails guided by park rangers, where you eat out under the stars and sleep in simple trail camps. Alternatively you can choose the length of your walking safari when you stay in some of the private game reserves. Phinda Game Reserve (in KwaZulu Natal) and Ngala Game Reserve (in the Greater Kruger) both offer walking safaris staying comfortable, but rustic, bush camps. Rhino Post Walking Safaris offers two to three night stays at Plains Camp, a private concession in the Kruger National Park, with the opportunity to enjoy a sleep-out in their elevated treehouses.

• Plain Camp (Rhino Walking Safaris)