Durban is the largest city in the KwaZulu-Natal Province of South Africa. It is a very popular holiday destination for South Africans and foreigners alike, partly for its array of tourist attractions and entertainment venues but primarily because of its sub-tropical climate and beaches. With the exception of a few bad-weather days the city offers year-round beach weather and warm water.
The main tourism activity in Durban is spending time on the beach and in the ocean. The combination of a hot and humid climate, great surf close to the sandy beaches, packed with sun-worshipers and the presence of lifeguards, all contrive to make it one of the best commercial beach destinations in South Africa. The city is extremely popular with surfers and locals are on the waves from as early as 05:00 in the morning 'till late at night.
Various other water sports are pursued with one of the latest crazes being kite surfing. Whether you want to engage in body surfing, surfing, kite surfing, sea-kayaking, scuba diving, shore-based or deep-sea fishing, yachting, etc. - Durban offers it all. One street block back from the beachfront, at the northern tip of the Golden Mile, you'll find the Suncoast Casino & Entertainment World.
Durban has South Africa's largest Indian population, originally arriving on our shores as slaves in the 1800's. Their cultural and religious heritage is alive and well.
The German-guided version of our tour that covers the highlights of South Africa (link to English tour provided as well). It provides a mix of cities, countryside, historical sites, scenic drives, nature, wildlife, culture and people. The southbound tour starts in Johannesburg and ends in Cape Town.
Highlights:
Panorama Route
,
Blyde River Canyon
,
Kruger National Park
,
Swaziland
,
Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Game Reserve
,
St. Lucia
,
iSimangaliso Wetland Park
,
Transkei
,
Garden Route
,
Storm’s River Mouth
,
Knysna
,
Cango Caves
,
Route 62
,
Cape Winelands
,
Stellenbosch
,
Paarl
,
Cape Town
.
The 5 Day Wildlife Experience Scheduled Tour, starts in Johannesburg and ends in Durban. It includes the Makalali Private Game Reserve, the Panorama Route, The Kruger National Park, The Mthethomusha Game Reserve, a game drive and walk in the iSimangaliso Wetland Park and a boat cruise on the St. Lucia Estuary.
Highlights:
Makalali Private Game Reserve
,
Panorama Route
,
Blyde River Canyon
,
Kruger National Park
,
Mthethomusha Game Reserve
,
Swaziland
,
St. Lucia
,
iSimangaliso Wetland Park
,
St. Lucia Estuary & Lake
.
Our Durban City Morning Tour departs daily from Umhlanga and Durban city hotels. Tour duration is ±4.5-hours and highlights include the Golden Mile (beachfront strip), the City Hall, the Botanical Gardens and an African-Indian market.
Highlights:
Golden Mile
,
Durban Botanic Gardens
,
Durban
.
The full day tour to the Drakensberg, departs daily from Durban and Umhlanga. It includes driving up the Sani Pass in a 4x4 (all-terrain vehicle), entering Lesotho, visiting a Basotho village and enjoying lunch at “the highest pub in Africa”.
Highlights:
Drakensberg Mountains
,
Sani Pass
,
Kingdom of Lesotho
.
Umhlanga Rocks in KwaZulu-Natal is a very popular medium-sized beach resort town, which for all practical purposes is part of greater Durban but has a much more laid-back family atmosphere. The town has hotels and holiday apartment blocks right on the beach, as well as the huge Gateway Mall a few kilometres inland.
The main beachfront area in Durban (one of South Africa's top 20 tourist attractions) is known as the Golden Mile. It contains a high concentration of hotel and holiday apartment blocks. The Durban beach experience is special with a paved promenade, high-rise hotels and holiday apartment blocks, restaurants, bars and the uShaka Marine World.
uShaka Marine World, is situated on the Golden Mike in Durban. It opened it's gates to the public in 2004 and has since become one of the main attractions for visitors to Durban. It offers a safe and clean environment where visitors can enjoy a variety of entertainment options.
The Durban Botanic Gardens is Durban’s oldest public institution and the oldest botanic gardens in Africa. It was established in 1849 in order to participate in the Kew Garden’s project to find new economically viable plant species. Today it covers an area of 15 hectares.
The Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban was newly built in preparation for the Soccer World Cup tournament, held in South Africa in 2010. An arch that is 106 m above the pitch spans the stadium. A funicular can take tourists to the top for wonderful views over the city and the Indian Ocean.
The KwaMuhle Museum in Durban gives visitors the opportunity to get a better understanding of what apartheid entailed and how ordinary people participated in the struggle for freedom and human dignity. The current South Africa cannot be properly appreciated without an understanding of apartheid; what it was and how it affected the different communities.