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KwaZulu-Natal’s (or KZN as it is commonly known) stands out as one of the most beautiful of all tourist destinations. This is the ideal holiday destination for tourist and local holidaymaker alike. To cater for all of these, KwaZulu-Natal abounds in all types of holiday accommodation.
There are budget b&b accommodation establishments, luxurious b&b's, self-catering accommodation, hotels, lodges, guest houses, Game Lodges, Private Game Parks, backpackers - you name it, we've got it!
From fertile lush vegetation to wetlands teeming with fauna and flora - to sunny beaches to Game parks such as Hluhluwe Umfolosi Game park where the Big 5 wander freely!This is a country for the adventurous in spirit who want to explore in open game viewing vehicles on real African Safaris, to the laidback holidaymaker and tourist who just wants to relax on pristine, sunny beaches to soak in the many hours of sunshine!n addition to all the beautiful scenery, the province of KZN in South Africa, offers so many different places to see and things to do. For the adrenaline freak, there is a large variety of adventure activities.
See our page Things to Do to find out more about activities such as game safaris, deep sea fishing, scuba diving, microlight flights, horse trails, swimming with dolphins, whale watching, helicopter flights, hiking and birdwatching.
The many Places to See make this one of the major tourist destinations in South Africa. Not to be missed is the St Lucia wetlands - a World Heritage Site - making it a must for the eco-tourist! Also one the list of "must see's" is the Hluhluwe Umfolosi Game Park, where one can take open vehicle game viewing safaris in the hope of spotting the "Big 5" - elephant, lion, rhino, leopard and buffalo.
If it is an ethnic and cultural experience you are after, look no further than Shakaland Cultural Village, and the truly mind boggling experience of Simunye Cultural Village, where one can see genuine Zulu dancing to the throb of the African drums.
Flickering firelight and pulsating ryhthm make this an experience not to be missed! Itala Game Park with its rolling grassland plains makes one aware of the beauty of out South African experience. Then, of course, there is the Rhino Route, the Tuzi Gazi Waterfront, the Pongolo Game Reserve, Kosi Bay.....
the list is long! Check it out! |
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We provide tourist information on accommodation, businesses, tourist destinations and things to do in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa, as well as other related information such as business as regards to property, real estate and property developers.
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The history and folklore of KZN can be experienced through the many battlefields, cultural sites and tours, found in KZN.
Portugal's ship-borne explorer Vasco da Gama sighted KwaZulu-Natal’s coastline on Christmas Day, 1497, and duly named it Natal, the first clan to bear the title 'Zulu' would only recently have come into existence.
The son of Malandela, and bearing a name that translates as 'Heaven', Zulu CLICK FOR MORE had followed the traditional path of marrying and leaving home to establish his own clan soon after coming of age. His settlement thus became the first kwaZulu - 'Place of Heaven' - and its inhabitants the amaZulu - 'People of Heaven'.
Zulu's most famous descendant, Shaka, was destined to impact on this land as profoundly as the European and British adventurers who followed in Vasco da Gama's path-finding wake
The Kwazulu-Natal Tourist board includes towns like Margate, Port Shepstone, Scottburgh and Port Edward in its definition of what constitutes the South Coast, while Ballito, Umhlanga and Salt Rock are North Coast resort towns. Superb beaches of world-class quality are to be found along South Africa's eastern seaboard, with some of the least developed gems like the beach at Marina Beach (and its adjoining resort San Lameer) that was recognized in 2002 as a Blue Flag beach.
KwaZulu-Natal has an estimated population of 8.9 million. In KwaZulu-Natal there are 11 official; languages, with English, Afrikaans, Zulu and Xhosa are the most spoken. KwaZulu-Natal’s climate is an idyllic subtropical, which prevails throughout the year.
Inland areas are more temperate. The warm Indian Ocean sea water temperature is enjoyed by swimmers all year round. KwaZulu-Natal province has three different geographic areas: the lowland region along the Indian Ocean coast, plains in the central section, and two mountainous areas, the Drakensberg Mountains in the west and the Lebombo Mountains in the north.
The Tugela River flows west to east across the center of the province. KwaZulu-Natal's average temperatures in the province ranges from 17° to 28° C from October to April and from 11° to 25° C in the colder months. Annual rainfall is about 690 mm, falling throughout the year.
KwaZulu-Natal’s great wealth of environmental beauty and resources is now firmly established as one of the world's most protected places. KwaZulu-Natal’s expertly managed Nature Conservations and Game Parks ensure not only the protection of our fauna and flora but also provide an incredible outdoor experience. KwaZulu-Natal conjures up images of a noble culture, magnificent wildlife and fabulous surroundings - nothing compares to personal experience of our Zulu Kingdom's heartland.
Remarkable military landmarks also bear testimony to the Anglo-Boer War throughout KwaZulu-Natal. The region got its name in 1816, when the reigning chief, King Shaka, named his Kingdom KwaZulu - the Place of the People of Heaven.
An incredible natural phenomenon that takes place annually on the KwaZulu-Natal coast during late autumn or early winter is the "sardine run". Also referred to as "the greatest shoal on earth", the sardine run occurs when millions of sardines migrate from their spawning grounds south of the southern tip of Africa northwards along the Eastern Cape coastline towards KwaZulu-Natal following a path close inshore, often resulting in many fish washing up on beaches along the coast. The huge shoal of fish are followed and preyed upon by thousands of predators, including gamefish, sharks, dolphins and sea birds. Many questions surrounding this extraordinary event remain unanswered.
The KwaZulu-Natal coastline is populated with many small towns, many of which serve as holiday and recreational destinations. North of Durban is generally referred to as "The North Coast", while south is "The South Coast".
There are few places in Africa that rival the diversity of experiences and adventures on offer in KwaZulu-Natal. A few of the tourist attractions in Zululand are:
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Authentic Zulu cultural villages.
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Battlefield sites, forts and Museums
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Game drives and guided walks
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Wilderness hiking trails
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a birders paradise
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the coral reefs of Sodwana
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St Lucia Wetland Park
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DURBAN
The Zulu name for Durban is eThekwini, from itheku meaning 'bay'.
Durban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal and probably the third largest city in the country.
Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism because of the warm subtropical climate and extensive beaches.
The municipality, which includes the neighbouring towns, has a population of almost 4.5 million, making the combined municipality the biggest city on the east coast of the African continent.
Today, Durban is the busiest container port in Africa and a popular tourist destination.
The Golden Mile, developed as a welcoming tourist destination in the 1970s, as well as Durban at large, provide ample tourist attractions, particularly for people on holiday from Johannesburg.
It lost its international holiday pre-eminence to Cape Town in the 1990s, but remains more popular among domestic tourists.
The city is also a gateway to the national parks and historic sites of Zululand and the Drakensberg.
Because of the high volume of tourists flocking to Durban, as well as many holidaymakers throughout the year, Durban has many B&B accommodation establishments suitable for holidaymakers, tourists and businessmen and women.
Because of the attraction of the white sandy beaches and warm Indian Ocean, campsites, caravan parks, holiday resorts and backpackers abound.
For those with more exclusive tastes, the many 5 star hotels in Durban cater to one's every desire.
Durban Guest Houses, Durban Self Catering units and Lodges range from budget accommodation, making it affordable for everyone, to exclusive and luxurious holiday apartment blocks.
In keeping with the prevailing holiday atmosphere in Durban, there is a wide variety of activities and things to do in and around Durban.
From swimming and surfing to windsailing and scuba diving ... you name it, Durban can provide it.
You the inclination is more towards museums and art galleries, bird watching or golf, just browse through the Things to Do page and take your pick |
SOUTH COAST KZN
Stretching for nearly 200 kilometres south of Durban, the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast is a sparkling necklace of bustling small towns, quaint villages, rolling sugarcane fields and natural coastal forest, punctuated by a hundred different rivers, streams and lagoons all merging with the warm blue Indian Ocean.
A short drive from Durban, it is a place of serene calm, bright sunshine, endless golden beaches, lush subtropical foliage and a thousand exciting things to see and do.
Whether you are looking for self-catering, bed & breakfast or full board accommodation, you can be sure the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast caters for every tourist’s taste, budget and need. But golden beaches, a subtropical climate, endless sunshine, good food and comfortable accommodation are not the only things South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal South Coast has to offer. Visitors can expect some of the finest fishing, diving, surfing, spear fishing, bird-watching, abseiling, hiking, river rafting, whale watching, through to eleven challenging golf courses … just about everything a pleasure-seeker needs!
Long before the off-shoots of various Central African tribal groups began filtering down to begin populating the southern end of the African continent the original inhabitants were the San, or Bushmen. With the countryside teeming with game, the sea with fish and the climate most agreeable, baring their own squabbles and clan infighting, they had not a care in the world.
However, with the arrival of the African tribal southerly migration and relatively shortly thereafter the first European settlers, life changed dramatically for the Bushmen.
The most significant change was the introduction of domestic cattle by both the African tribes and the European settlers. Being very elusive and opportunistic and finding domestic cattle much easier to hunt than wily game, the Bushmen found themselves detested and pursued by all. Suddenly they became hunted and fast dwindled in numbers, they became the first really endangered species in Africa.
What with the challenges of establishing Durban, the continual interaction and jockeying for position with Shaka and other Zulu Kings to the north and the birth of Pietermaritzburg as the gateway to the then Transvaal Republic, any interest and thoughts of development along the South Coast was the last thing on anyone’s mind.
The recorded history of the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast falls into two basic periods: pre- and post-rail.
Prior to the start of the South Coast railway, in 1895, the region was the domain of a few Zulu clans that chose to distance themselves from their more northerly Zululand brethren and a few dozen intrepid hunters, adventurers and farmers who were prepared to tackle the criss-crossing
of the one hundred rivers and streams that cut through this region to the sea.
The enormity of the transportation logistics for ox-drawn wagons to ford so many rivers and ravines made any serious development south of Durban a highly unattractive proposition. Hence, prior to 1895, the focus was on circumventing the overland transport nightmare via establishing shallow-draft harbours in some of the South Coast’s river mouths.months after starting, the first boat ran aground. Further attempts were made during 1861 and then again in 1873, but all were eventually wrecked.
Scottburgh was tried, only for the ship to end its second voyage on the beach. In 1878 a schooner-rigged boat named ‘Somtseu’ succeeded in visiting Scottburgh and other would-be ports along the coast, but was eventually beached at Umkomaas for 5 months before a team of oxen managed to drag it back into the sea.
Rocky Bay, at the mouth of the Umzinto River, was also used for shipping sugar cane to Durban until a few wrecks there shut down operations in 1892.
Long-term success also eluded Port Edward, despite those attempts still being alluded to in its name.
The most successful shallow harbour venture along the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast was in Port Shepstone’s river, the Mzimkulu – Zulu for the river of all rivers –which, despite the occasional beaching and wreck, serviced the area until the arrival of the railway line.
A SOLID LINK AT LAST
Even by today’s standards the challenge of building the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast railway would be a monumental task. Imagine: besides hacking through dense coastal forest and negotiating endless rolling hills, the work also entailed bridging some seventy-five rivers and streams.
Work started from the Durban Station in 1895. The first stage was to Isipingo, where Natal’s very first sugar mill had been established in 1852. From there they pushed on to Umkomaas, where the first train, with fifty excited passengers, arrived in 1897.
Next stop, Park Rynie, which they reached in December that same year. Work then ground to a snail’s pace as the construction team were faced with a further twenty three river crossings to reach Port Shepstone.
By August 1900 they had reached Mtwalume and completed an inland branch line to Umzinto. March 1901 saw them at Mzumbe and on July 26 that same year, 1901, the first train from Durban arrived at Port Shepstone’s north bank terminus on the giant Mzimkulu River.
Where it had taken the construction team six grueling years to get there, that first train trip took just five hours … five magical hours that were to change the history of the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast forever.
ALL AT SEA
The first attempt was in 1856 when a Captain Maxwell surveyed the navigational potential of the uMakhosi – 'the river of the Chief' in Zulu – at today's Umkomaas, for extracting the ever-expanding sugar cane crops lining its banks. He assessed it navigable for vessels of no more than 60 tons for nearly 25 km upstream which naturally excited the local farmers.
Their excitement was short-lived though
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