14 Days - KwaZulu-Natal - From £860

Our 14 day KwaZulu-Natal itinerary includes time in Durban, the central Drakensberg Mountains, the battlefields, a game park and a stop-over in the Wetlands.

Day 1 and 2

Arrive in Durban, pick up your hired car and check into your hotel. Today you may decide to have a lazy day on one of Durban’s famous beaches on the Golden Mile or explore the surrounding areas. You could visit FitzSimon’s Snake Park or see sharks up close at uShaka Marine World. There is also the Indian area around Grey Street, the Victoria Street Indian Market or Dalton Road Zulu Market. Overnight in Durban.

Day 3

Leave Durban and head for the Howick Waterfalls, a Natural Heritage Site. Follow part of the Midlands Meander, a scenically enchanting arts-and-crafts route. Get off the tourist track, there is no need for speed. Visit studios and workshops offering weaving, pottery, painting, graphics and art restoration along this unique route. Overnight en route.

Day 4

Continue the Midlands Meander, enjoying the stunning scenery along the way to your hotel in the Central Drakensberg Mountains. View the breathtaking natural sights of this awe-inspiring landscape, features like Giant’s Castle and Cathedral Peak on a backdrop of beautiful clear skies. Take in the abundance of fresh air as you trek through these wilderness areas. Overnight in Central Drakensberg.

Day 5

Enjoy the abundance of activities in this area. Choose a guided walk to bushman paintings, view mountain streams and rock pools. Try horse riding, mountain biking, golf or fly fishing. See the abundance of game, birds, plants and rock art. Finish the day with a refreshing sundowner drink or a traditional braai (barbeque). Overnight in Central Drakensberg.

Day 6

Today you could visit the Royal Natal National Park for some scenic walks and beautiful scenery. Walk to the amazing Amphitheatre, an 8km long cliff. The Tugela Falls is the second highest waterfall in the world at 948m high. From the top of the Amphitheatre you get a stunning view of the falls rushing down the Amphitheatre in a series of five spectacular cascades. Overnight in Central Drakensberg.

Day 7

Drive to Rorke’s Drift for a taste of the battlefields. Here you can visit the garrisoned mission station where some 150 British soldiers heroically resisted a Zulu onslaught of about 4,000 warriors on 22 and 23 January 1879. 11 Victoria Crosses were awarded as a result of this resistance. Overnight near Rorke’s Drift.

Day 8

Leave Rorke’s Drift for the drive to your accommodation in a game park. See a wide variety of animals and birdlife. ‘The Big 5’ lion, rhino (both white and black), elephant, buffalo, and leopard can be seen in the park as well as a variety of other species like cheetah, wild dog and giraffe. Overnight in the park.

Day 9

Take a day walk in the park supervised by an experienced field ranger or follow one of the self-guide foot trails. Alternatively, choose between a game drive with a ranger in an open vehicle or follow an auto trail and discover the secrets of the bushveld from the seclusion of your own hired vehicle. Overnight in the park.

Day 10

Take another game drive today. View animals and birds as they come to drink at waterholes in strategically located hides. Smell the animals’ odour and hear them breathing they are so close. For a different experience try a night game drive. Overnight in the park.

Day 11

Drive the short distance to the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park, a World Heritage Site, where there are unspoilt beaches, vast wetlands and game reserves all rolled into one. From here you can do sailing, fishing or bird watching or some leisurely hiking trails. Overnight at Lake St Lucia.

Day 12

Drive to either Sodwana Bay or Rocktail Bay where you can enjoy unspoilt beaches and dive in beautiful coral reefs. Here you could do snorkelling, scuba diving or game fishing or you could just relax on the beach. Overnight at Rocktail Bay or Sodwana Bay.

Day 13

Drive to Durban along the Dolphin Coast via the more interesting Old North Coast Road. Stop off at pretty beach resorts such as Salt Rock, Ballito or Umhlanga Rocks. Ballito, is known as the 'Pearl' of the Dolphin Coast and is well known for its superb safe beaches. Overnight in Durban.

Day 14

Make some last minute shopping purchases before your connecting flight home.