KwaZuluNatal
Overview
Protected by the impressive
Drakensberg mountains in the East and
washed by the warm
Indian Ocean in the East lies one of South Africa’s
most popular tourist destination –
KwaZulu-Natal or KZN. This colourful
and diverse province with its warm ocean, nature reserves, magnificent mountains
and almost everything in between, has an enormous amount to offer the local and
international tourist. Known as the Kingdom of the
Zulu, KwaZulu
Natal is also steeped in history and tells the story of South Africa’s historic
battles.
Being a popular tourist destination, KwaZulu Natal offers the very best in terms
of accommodation. Apart from the many luxurious and exclusive game reserves and
world class hotels, KwaZulu Natal also offers a wide variety of accommodation options
in the form of lodges, holiday resorts, guest houses, self catering apartments and
houses and camping and caravanning sites.
KwaZulu Natal’s two main cities are
Pietermaritzburg in the Natal
Midlands and
Durban. Durban is the sun playground of KwaZulu Natal
and indeed South Africa. This vibrant harbor city offers the very best in entertainment
and tourist attractions. Accommodation ranges from the world class hotels on Durban’s
“Golden Mile” to many guesthouses and self catering apartments dotted around this
sunny and cosmopolitan city.
The coastal region to the north of Durban is known as the
North Coast
or Dolphin Coast
and is one of South Africa’s favourite and most beautiful holiday spots. The many
town and villages dotting the coastline offers accommodation for any travel or holiday
budget. The premier tourist attraction of the
Dolphin Coastt is no doubt
Ballito
which is home to the wonderful Zimbali lodge. Other towns worth a visit on the
Dolphin Coastt include
Zinkwasi,
Blythedale Beach,
Salt Rock and
Shaka’s Rock.
Further north,
Zululand
offers the best the sub-African continent has to offer.
With its astonishing variety of wildlife, a multitude of game reserves and a 350km
stretch of warm Indian Ocean coastline,
Zululand the very best in accommodation,
wildlife adventure and relaxation. The Elephant coast lies between
Lake St Lucia (a
world heritage site) and Mozambique. The area is epitomized by its wilderness and
game sanctuaries. It is home to the largest herd of African Elephant in South Africa.
Accommodation in the area varies from luxury game lodges to camping sites – and
everything in between. The Elephant Coast offers some of the best game viewing in
South Africa. Other towns in the area include
Sodwana bay, which
is renowned for its scuba diving,
Mkuze,
Kosi Bay
and
Mtubatuba.
To the south of Durban lies an excellent holiday destination. The
South Coast
is dotted with small seaside villages and coastal towns all offering a wonderful
array of activities from surfing, diving and shark diving. Some of the major towns
and attractions of the
South Coast include
Margate,
San Lameer,
Port Edward and
Port Shepstone. The area is very developed
and accommodation is usually of a high standard.
Even further south, one will find the untamed wilderness of the Wild Coast which
is renowned for its surfing and fishing. Some of the major towns in the area include
Coffee Bay,
Port St Johns and
Port Edward.
In stark contrast to the coastal playgrounds of the North and
South Coast lies
a thousand kilometers of mountainous majesty in the KwaZulu Natal
Drakensberg. The
majestic Drakensberg is the country's highest and most impressive mountain range
rising to over 3 000 meters and offers the tourist a wide variety of outdoor adventures,
including hiking, mountaineering, paragliding and mountain biking. A diverse range
of accommodation compliments the many activities and the Drakensberg area is well
known for a variety of luxury resorts, hotels and guest houses. Popular destinations
in the Drakensberg include
Bergville,
Winterton,
Giants Castle and
Cathedral Peak.