Day 1 : Durban

We will pick you up from King Shaka International Airport in Durban and if you have enough time we will do a short city tour according to your arrival time and after the tour we will drop you off at your hotel.

Embark on a scenic and guided half day tour of Durban and Ethekwini municipality. An experienced and knowledgeable local guide will show you a variety of landmarks which highlight Durban’s diverse culture and history.

At Victoria Street Market you will be given time to shop for African inspired accessories, clothing, souvenirs, home decorations, paintings and luggage etc. Next to the Victoria Street Market is the Zulu Medicine Market where your guide will take you on an informative tour of “Inyanga (Doctors) lane”. The Zulu Medicine Market is a unique place where Zulu culture has survived in the modern urban environment.

The Moses Mabhida stadium has become a defining feature of the Durban skyline. It has a high-rise platform on top of its arch which is accessible by an elevator called the Sky Car for an additional fee. Your tour guide will show you around the exterior of the stadium and explain its history, use and significance. You will be given time to go to the sky platform if desired.

The tour includes a visit to uShaka Marine World’s Village Walk on the famous Golden Mile Beachfront on Durban’s OR Tambo parade. There you will be given time to shop and have lunch. uShaka Village Walk is home to Durban’s most unique shopping experiences, offering a shopper’s paradise in an open-air environment, affording guests a world of entertainment, family fun, shopping and dining.

The tour includes a stop at the beautiful Botanical Gardens, which is the oldest Botanical Gardens in Africa, est 1849. Your guide will show you some of the interesting and beautiful features of the gardens and give you the option of extra time to explore alone.

The KwaMuhle Museum was once the headquarters of Durban’s Native Administration Department and the centre of Durban’s harsh system of labour control. Now it has been transformed into Durban’s Apartheid Museum that seeks to reflect Durban’s urban growth and the history of its residents. It also houses a very interesting HIV / Aids exhibition which educates the public on the South African HIV/ Aids situation.

The tour also includes various quick stops which include Durban’s City Hall, Durban Harbour & the Shiva Statue at the Umgeni Hindu Temple. Overnight in Durban, Bed and Breakfast 

Day 2 : Nelson Mandela Capture Site and Phezulu Cultural Village Day Tour

The tour departs from Durban for the capital of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg. Your guide will give you a short tour of the city and visit Mahatma Gandhi’s statue by Pietermaritzburg City Hall.

Next stop will be the small town of Howick to visit its waterfall. KwaNogqaza or Howick Falls is approximately 95 m in height and lies on the Umgeni River. The local Zulu people named it the “Home of the Tall” referring to its height. Next to the falls lies a quaint old section of Howick which has a selection of historical museums and antique stores to visit.  

Next is the Nelson Mandela Capture Site Statue and Apartheid Museum. The Capture Site boasts a large sculpture of Nelson Mandela made up of multiply steel columns which stand between 6 and 9 metres tall. Tourists at the Capture Site are required to stand 35 meters away from the large Nelson Mandela bust for it to come into clear focus. Facing west the impressive sculpture creates a uniquely beautiful landscape for the local Howick community. The museum is dedicated to Nelson Mandela’s life and his struggle against Apartheid government. 

Next is the ‘Valley of 1000 Hills’ to experience traditional Zulu culture at PheZulu Cultural Village and Reptile Park. Visitors are taken into a traditional Zulu homestead to experience what traditional Zulu life was like before the modern era. Inside a traditional Zulu homestead there are thatched huts placed in a circular position, with the cattle placed in the centre as a form of protection. At PheZulu’s ‘Sibaya’ or homestead the thatched huts are surrounding the auditorium which faces the beautiful ‘Valley of 1000 Hills’. The local PheZulu guide will take you on a guided tour of the PheZulu sibaya and describe Zulu cultural practices to gain insight into Zulu traditions during the 1800’s. The local Zulu dancing show is educating and entertaining with the local performers singing beautiful traditional Zulu songs and dancing energetically. The performers wear their traditional Zulu attire, showing off their dancing and singing skills with rhythmic agility and pride.

Included in PheZulu is the Reptile Park where guests enjoy a guided tour by a local PheZulu Reptile park guide. The local guides are very knowledgeable and eager to take you around the park and share interesting facts about the animals in the park. PheZulu Reptile Park has diverse reptilian wildlife on site which include crocodiles, alligators, snakes, tortoises, spiders and iguanas. The local PheZulu guide will let you touch or hold some of the animals including a small crocodile and the giant Burmese python, just long enough to take a photo. Overnight in Durban, Bed and Breakfast

Day 3: Sani Pass Lesotho 4x4 Experience Day Tour

After breakfast we will leave Durban to Sani Pass Lesotho to see the highest point in the Southern Hemisphere. Passport required.

The Sani Pass is a 33km gravel road that straddles the sheer cliffs of the Drakensberg escarpment in a series of tight Zig Zag curves. The route begins at the Sani Pass Hotel which is 1566m above sea level. You will be travelling in a Land Rover 4×4 upwards along the narrow road crossing the South African / Lesotho border post which is 1968m above sea level. On route the landscape of KwaZulu-Natal opens-up displaying spectacular views of rolling hills and vast skies.

At the top of Sani Pass, at a height of 3240 metres / 9900 feet is the “Highest Pub in Africa” where you will be given time to enjoy a warm pub meal. You tour guide will take you to a local’s home near the pub to introduce you to a Basotho people in a local village. There you will see how the Basotho people of Lesotho live. Thereafter you will make your way down Sani’s Pass and cross the border back into South Africa and head back to Durban. Overnight in Durban, Bed and Breakfast

Day 4 : Durban to St Lucia

After breakfast we will depart from Durban heading northward along the coast to northern KwaZulu-Natal. The first stop is the town of St Lucia and the estuary inside the iSimangaliso Wetlands Park. There you will board a river boat for a 2 hours guided tour of the estuary. The local guide will inform you of the reserves history and its incredible wildlife.

The iSimangaliso Wetlands Park was declared South Africa's first Natural World Heritage Site in 1999. Previously known as the Greater St. Lucia Wetland Park, the UNESCO site dates back over 120 years. Established in 1895 the reserve is considered South Africa's third largest park with its’ unique ecosystem spanning over 280km of near pristine coastline and 328 000 hectares of magnificent scenery. The protected area is home to one of the largest population of hippopotami in SA as well as an estimated 1000 crocodiles. Isimagaliso has a wealth of plant, bird and animal life, including lion, zebra, African elephant, leopard, giraffe, black and southern white rhino and fish eagles.

After the boat tour we will check in at hotel in St Lucia. Overnight in St Lucia Bed and Breakfast