African Adventures
We arrived in Durban greeted by grey skies and rain and I was really surprised to see how green the landscape was. Although we were expecting blue skies and sun, we felt it would be inappropriate to complain as they were experiencing their worst drought in 65 years and were delighted to finally have rain!
Our first night was spent in the Southern Sun Maharani and Elangeni, situated right across from the Indian Ocean along the Golden Mile and in close proximity to shops, restaurants and activities. We had a fantastic meal in the Grill Steakhouse attached to the hotel that evening. The food and ambiance was super and really enjoyable. The next morning, we were off to explore the Drakensberg Mountain region, stopping at Howick Falls and the Mandela Capture Site/Apartheid Museum en-route. Exploring the Midlands Meander route on the way was a real bonus. I would definitely recommend lunch in Piggly Wigglys, followed by a visit to the nearby Ardmore Ceramics where you can see the world famous ceramic artworks being hand sculpted and hand painted.
After a busy day it was time to relax for two nights at the Drakensberg Sun Lifestyle Resort, a super hotel, surrounded by stunning scenery with a lovely relaxed vibe. The décor of the hotel is perfect, maintaining the mountain lodge style and the staff were very friendly. The next day, rain insisted on hindering our plans so the mountain hike idea was shelved and instead we bravely took on a Tree Canopy Tour. This is a definite must for anyone spending time in this area, it was fantastic. We got the chance to zip line over tree tops, waterfalls and jungle like mountain areas. It’s operated to a high, professional standard and our guides were excellent. Quite a bit of physical effort was involved but most definitely worth it! To balance the day out we spent a lovely afternoon at Cathedral Peak Wine Estate. Caren and her staff were very welcoming and more than happy to spend time showing us around and explaining all about the vineyard and their future plans. The wine tasting with platters was delicious and the views from the veranda were stunning, a great relaxing way to spend an afternoon.
The next day we moved on from the mountains, staying inland and arriving at Isandlwana Lodge, in the heart of the Battlefields. This place really has the wow factor. Staff were very friendly, the décor and comfort of the lodge was superb and the balcony in the room was a real treat with a view that anyone would want to bottle! We spent time by the idyllic pool and were then treated to a Battlefield talk with historian Rob Gerrard while sitting on the hotel terrace. It was emotional and surreal, Rob almost brought the battle fought in January 1879 to real life through his knowledge and story-telling skills.
Reluctantly leaving the oasis of Isandlwana Lodge, we headed north for our next stop at Ghost Mountain Inn, a wonderful homely lodge. I loved the indoor/outdoor feel of the hotel with walls of doors opening out into their wonderful tropical like gardens, very serene and chilled out! After settling in, we were hosted by Jean who brought us on a visit to a traditional Zulu village where we met local Zulu people and learned about their way of life and traditions. An early start to the next day, we met at 6am for our safari trip to Hluhluwe National Park. A definite must is to spend time on safari in Kwazulu-Natal. Within minutes of entering the park we saw zebras and buffalos and shortly after rhinos, giraffes and elephants in the far distance. Our guide Christopher was excellent. He gave us great insight to conservation and information on the animals. After lunch we stopped by at Lake St Lucia, a beautiful area with lots of places to stay, nice restaurants and plenty of things to do. We also took a river boat cruise which was super. It was a real treat to get so close to the crocodiles and hippos in the water.
Our final journey was back to the Durban area, to stay in Umhlanga at The Beverley Hills Hotel and it was like arriving home! We received a wonderful warm welcome from the manager John and his team. The staff and service here was excellent, personal and genuine. Breakfast and dinner were outstanding. The rooms were beautiful, extremely comfortable and the bonus of the balcony overlooking the Indian Ocean was the icing on the cake. Having direct access to the promenade walkway and beach at Umhlanga on one side of the hotel and shops and restaurants on the other side gives this hotel an enviable location. After an early morning walk on the beach and breakfast fit for a King, our guide Stuart gave us a tour of Durban city. His local knowledge was super and he gave us a real insight into the ways and workings of life in Durban. The visit to the Moses Mabhida Stadium is a must, particularly the sky car ride which gives superb views of the city in all directions which I found really helpful in forming a ‘city map’ together in my head!
This was my first visit to Africa and I was really impressed. Kwazulu-Natal is beautiful, very scenic and has so much to offer in a holiday. South Africa is renowned for its excellent food and wine and now I can personally vouch for that. After this trip I would say to anyone now, don’t think about going to Kwazulu-Natal, just go there!