KwaZulu-Natal

Durban and the iSimangaliso Wetland Park on the Indian Ocean coast, the huge basalt cliffs of the Drakensberg to the west, and the homeland of the Zulu kingdom and the Free State highlands.

This region is defined by province and includes KwaZulu-Natal and the Free State. The Free State's Golden Gate Highlands National Park connects with the northern Drakensberg and is often visited together with it for travel, so the two are combined into one region.

Highlights: the Drakensberg's Amphitheatre, Champagne Castle and Giant's Castle, and San rock art (the Maloti-Drakensberg Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site); Durban's Golden Mile, Indian quarter and curries; iSimangaliso Wetland Park (hippos and crocodiles in the St Lucia estuary, and diving at Sodwana Bay); white rhinos at Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park; the Zulu battlefield sites (Isandlwana and Rorke's Drift); central Pietermaritzburg and the Midlands Meander; and the Free State's Golden Gate Highlands, Clarens and the capital Bloemfontein.

Classic itineraries: 1–2 days in Durban, 2–3 days at St Lucia and Hluhluwe, and 2–3 days in the Drakensberg, about 7 days in total; you can also self-drive from Johannesburg via Swaziland (Eswatini).

Getting there: King Shaka International Airport in Durban is the gateway, and self-driving is the norm. Note: Drakensberg weather is changeable and hikers must register; at the beaches, watch for rip currents and swim only in shark-netted areas.

Destinations

• St Lucia (iSimangaliso)
• Durban
• Drakensberg (Champagne Valley)
• Southern Drakensberg

Itineraries

• Kruger, Eswatini, Zululand & Drakensberg – Drive from Johannesburg to Durban, traversing the east via the Panorama Route, Eswatini, wetlands, and the Drakensberg.
• Lesotho Highlands East-West Traverse & Sani Pass – Traverse the highlands east from Maseru to ride ponies, see waterfalls and dams, and descend Sani Pass to Durban.