kwa-zulu-natal, accommodations

Accommodation in KwaZulu-Natal is sought after for many reasons. Called the garden province, it’s a subtropical paradise full of lush greenery. Also referred to as the Zulu Kingdom, KZN is the traditional heartland of the Zulu nation where visitors can experience their traditions and culture while visiting original dwellings, kraals and burial sites.

Renowned for its golden beaches and warm ocean waters, visitors from around the world flock to various spots in the region during the holidays. It’s at this time that you’ll find accommodation in KwaZulu-Natal at its busiest, as it’s the ideal place for snorkelling, scuba diving, swimming, angling or just relaxing in the sun. Northern KZN offers several impressive game reserves, including the oldest game park in Africa, the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Game Reserve, as well as the world heritage site that is the iSimangaliso Wetland Park.

Meanwhile, the city of Durban presents visitors with an eclectic mix of design, art, music, food and nightlife that is peppered with the cultural influences of the province’s large Indian population. One can also uncover the liberation efforts of icons such as Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi on the Freedom Route.

Further inland one finds the picturesque Natal Midlands, home to some of the most tranquil and luxurious KwaZulu Natal-accommodation destinations. There you’ll see some of the finest arts and craft shops in SA as well as another of SA’s world heritage sites, the uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park. Within this park are the spectacular mountains of the Drakensberg, where thousands of San rock paintings can still be seen. The Zulus named this mountain range the ‘Barrier of Spears' and it offers a multitude of hiking trails, horse trails, canopy tours, white water rafting, abseiling and much more.

KZN also has its share of thrilling history. The 1879 Anglo-Zulu War took place here, beginning at Isandlwana, the site of the greatest defeat of a British Colonial Army. There’s also Rorke’s Drift, which entered military mythology when around 150 soldiers held out against thousands of warriors and 11 Victoria Crosses were won on a single day. There are also numerous battlefields from the Anglo-Boer War including Majuba, Spionkop, Colenso and Dundee, as well as the site where a young English war correspondent was captured by Boers in 1899 – his name: Winston Churchill.

The reality is that most visitors to KZN want to spend at least some of their time at the province’s pristine beaches, and there is no doubt that KZN has many of these. The beaches of Cape Vidal, Umhlanga, Umdloti, Ballito and Salt Rock are found along the north coast. Then there are Durban’s own North, South, Addington and Anstey's beaches, or Margate, Marina/San Lameer, Ramsgate and Trafalgar beaches down the south coast. KZN is not only a beautiful melting pot of cultures, traditions and history, it also offers visitors everything from warm oceans and stunning beaches to tranquil mountains and untamed nature reserves – it is one place you cannot afford to miss out on! If you’re keen to travel the coast to see this spectacular province, there are many places that offer accommodation in KwaZulu-Natal inland and stretching along the coast - so you can enjoy sea views and lush scenery. 

Things to do:

• Hark back to traditions of more than a century ago by taking a rickshaw ride along the Durban beachfront.
• Travel the Freedom Route, which spans Durban and Pietermaritzburg, telling SA’s struggle history through visits to museums, homes and hideouts of KZN’s many anti-apartheid activists, including Mohandas Gandhi.
• Try 'Slaying the Dragon'. This is a 230km trek through the Northern Drakensberg and is one of the most challenging hiking trails in SA. KwaZulu-Natal accommodation is highly prized in this picturesque area.
• Spend a few days doing the ‘Midlands Meander’, which incorporates restaurants, arts and crafts, galleries and studios, adventure-tourism activities and a local beer brewery.
• Go for an exhilarating canopy tour, swinging through the trees on zip lines, up to 30m above the ground - either in the Drakensberg or the Karkloof Forest Reserve.
• Catch ‘fish fever’ along the eastern shoreline of KZN, when the annual sardine run sees millions of these fish shoaling along the coast, causing a feeding frenzy of enormous proportions.
• View the magnificent Tugela Falls in the Drakensberg. These are the second-highest waterfalls in the world, behind Angel Falls in Venezuela.
• Visit the wonderfully-named Valley of a Thousand Hills, which offers culture and curios, retail therapy, Zulu history, wildlife tours, adventure sports, hiking trails and excellent restaurants. You’ll also find some fantastic accommodation in KwaZulu-Natal should you wish to stay a little longer in this area.
• Don’t miss out on a visit to uShaka Marine World - the fifth largest of its kind in the world and a quite spectacular aquarium experience.
• Go to the Dolphin Coast, famed for its gorgeous beaches, warm water, frequent sightings of large pods of Bottlenose dolphins and pristine accommodation. KwaZulu-Natal is a coastal wonderland simply waiting to be explored. 

Top Festivals and Events:

• The Midmar Mile takes place in February and is the world's largest open water swimming event.
• Also in February is the Dusi Canoe Marathon, which is a three day race between Pietermaritzburg and Durban, along the Msunduzi River.
• The Bell’s Fort Nottingham Highland and Traditional Games take place in April in the grounds of Fort Nottingham in the Natal Midlands and features highland dancing and athletic games - typically found at Scottish Gatherings such as the Breamar Games.
• Splashy Fen is the longest-running music festival in the country and happens every Easter in the Underberg District of the Drakensberg. This five-day event offers a multi-genre line-up of the country’s hottest acts. Those who are not keen to camp will find a multitude of affordable KwaZulu-Natal accommodation spots to stay at.
• The Comrades Marathon is undoubtedly the world’s greatest ultra-marathon. Covering the 90kms between Durban and Pietermaritzburg, it is renowned for the incredible challenge it poses and the camaraderie it fosters amongst participants.
• The Royal Show in Pietermaritzburg dates back to 1851 and offers diverse entertainment, including concerts, fireworks displays, vintage tractor displays and show-jumping. It takes place in June.
• A reason to book early accommodation, KwaZulu-Natal is home to something nicknamed the ‘Greatest Shoal on Earth’, the annual sardine run draws thousands of dolphins, sharks, whales, seabirds and spectators during June and July – a spectacular must see.
• Africa's biggest horseracing event also occurs in July, when over 50 000 spectators gathered to watch the Durban July at Greyville Racecourse.
• Also in July, the Mr Price PRO Ballito surfing competition takes place 30km north of Durban and features the cream of the international surfing set.
• The Umhlanga Summer Carnival is a two week festival in December comprising a multitude of fun-filled beach events.

Things you should know:

• KZN is is known for its particularly good weather – on average 320 days of sunshine per year.
• It is an all-year-round destination, due to its warm climate. The coast has hot, humid summers with high rainfall and maximum temperatures of around 30-35°C. Inland, summers are warm and winters mild, night temperatures rarely dropping below 10°C.
• KZN is host to two of SA’s four UNESCO World Heritage Sites – the uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park and iSimangaliso Wetland Park.
• The brand new King Shaka International Airport is the third largest airport in SA. It is a state-of-the-art facility, built to process up to 7.5 million passengers a year.
• Durban is known as ‘South Africa's Miami', due to its variety of restaurants, pubs, clubs and accommodation. KwaZulu-Natal has a reputation for providing fun and entertainment for all.

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