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KWAZULU-NATAL

KWAZULU-NATAL

Getting there : Durban is approximately 12 hours ( non-stop ) flight from the UK . There are also excellent flight links within South Africa to Durban , including from Johannesburg , which takes 1 hour 10 minutes and Cape Town , which is a 2 hour flight .
Best time to go : KwaZulu-Natal is a year-round destination . Durban enjoys warmth and lots of sunshine with occasional rain , while further north the conditions are more subtropical with higher temperatures and humidity .
Standerton
UKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park
Durban
Dramatic mountains , historic battlefields , beautiful beaches and enthralling game viewing
From the soaring peaks of the Drakensberg Mountains , traditional Zulu villages and historic Boer War battle sites , to glorious sandy beaches lapped by the warm Indian Ocean and magnificent game reserves , KwaZulu-Natal - or KZN as it is often simply known , is a tourist ’ s paradise . Vibrant Durban is South Africa ’ s third largest city and a popular holiday haunt thanks to a subtropical climate , carnival atmosphere , warm seas , safe swimming beaches and luxury beachfront hotels . It ’ s also an amazing sporting hub with lots of watersports and world class stadiums for rugby , soccer and cricket . Ten miles north is laid-back Umhlanga , an upmarket resort that attracts sun worshippers with gorgeous beaches , exclusive hotels , a village vibe , good shopping and adventure aplenty on both land and sea . The sheer jagged peaks of the Drakensberg Mountains rise to form a natural barrier between South Africa and Lesotho , and are South Africa ’ s highest mountain range . A number of foothpaths make hiking by far the best way to take in the seriously stunning landscape or , you can zip around by mountain bike or even opt to sightsee on horseback . The mountains form part of the UNESCO World Heritage listed uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park , a stunning natural mountain wilderness area with a huge diversity of protected plants and animal species as well as around 35,000 examples of San rock art . When it comes to wildlife , KwaZulu-Natal ’ s most outstanding game reserve is Hluhluwe-iMfolozi . Dating back to 1895 , it ’ s South Africa ’ s oldest proclaimed reserve with conservation efforts resulting in it becoming one of the world ’ s best places to spy endangered black and white rhino . Elephant are also plentiful as are other members of the Big Five . Comprised of 328,000 hectares of magnificent scenery with a huge variety of habitats , iSimangaliso Wetland Park is another of KZN ’ s UNESCO World Heritage Sites . Centrepiece of this very special slice of Africa is Lake St Lucia which has large numbers of hippos , crocodiles , pelicans and flamingos . Elsewhere in the park you can watch for whales , sea turtles and dolphins as well as elephant , rhino , giraffe and buffalo . Learn about some of South Africa ’ s most turbulent history with a tour of the 19th century battlefields which echo with the heroic and often tragic deeds of the past when Zulus , Boers and the British all came to blows . Rorke ’ s Drift and Isandlwana are two of the most famous battlefields and other worthwhile sites include Spioenkop , Elandslaagte , the Blood River Monument and Talana Museum near Dundee . Gain cultural insights in Zululand , a beautiful swathe of KwaNulu-Natal with mist-shrouded hills and traditional settlements . Visit one of the many cultural villages to experience Zulu hospitality and learn about the legendary King Shaka . Another enriching experience is to follow the Midlands Meander , also known as the ‘ arts and crafts route ’, which runs northwest from Pietermaritzburg to Estcourt . The drive winds past Midmar Dam , some 200 arts and crafts studios , flower farms , artisan workshops , rolling green hills and quaint villages .
Zululand iSimangaliso Wetland Park
Bergville
Dundee Rorke ’ s Drift Elandslaagte
Spioenkop Estcourt
Isandlwana
KWAZULU-NATAL
Hluhluwe
St Lucia Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Balgowan Park
LESOTHO
Midmar Dam
Pietermaritzburg Umhlanga Durban
Indian Ocean
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