For many travellers, KwaZulu Natal is where South Africa becomes Africa. The KwaZulu Natal safari destinations rank among the best for rhino, big cats and elephants. The KwaZulu Natal coast, away from the popular resorts, is a place of deserted beaches set between bird-filled forests and teeming coral reefs. Thatched Zulu villages lie close to old battlefields where the echoes of colonial wars still reverberate.
It’s South Africa’s most diverse holiday destination. You can go on Big 5 game drives, enjoy the country’s best bird watching and track nesting turtles. Scuba divers will find an ocean filled with tropical sea life and its mountains are home to spa retreats, hiking trails and world heritage rock art sites. It’s also easy to visit too: many KwaZulu Natal safaris are self-drive tours; you drive between accommodations, leaving the lodge’s guides to take care of the safari activities.
Boasting a sub-tropical climate, KwaZulu Natal will suit every kind of traveller. There are beachfront hideaways for romantic travellers as well as family-friendly lodges and kids safari programmes. History buffs enjoy expertly guided tours around famous battlefields such as Rorke’s Drift and Spion Kop; Zulu culture is showcased through storytelling and song.
There’s plenty for the discerning traveller to enjoy: exclusive country manors and boutique eco-lodges are tucked away in private reserves. It’s also a destination that suits the active traveller: KwaZulu Natal is a playground for nature, sport and water lovers. Go on game drives, track rhino on foot and paddle a coastal lagoon to the call of African fish-eagles. The weather is usually warm and sunny even in mid-winter – and its generously warmed Indian Ocean coast is South Africa’s best snorkelling and diving destination.
Accessible via Durban’s King Shaka International Airport, KwaZulu Natal combines easily with South Africa’s other popular travel destinations – the Kruger Park, Sabi Sands and Cape Town. Contact us and we can recommend a tour based on your requirements or will tailor-make you an itinerary.
Our Top Places to Visit on a KwaZulu Natal Safari:
KwaZulu Natal’s sub-tropical climate means visitors can expect sunny warm weather and pleasant sea temperatures throughout the year. It also means there can be rain at any time but the great bulk of KwaZulu Natal’s rain falls between September and April, peaking in the summer months December through February. Count on an average maximum temperature of 27°C/80°F during summer and 22°C/71°F in winter.
The best time for a KwaZulu Natal safari is between May and August, coinciding with the best time for game viewing in Kruger National Park and the Sabi Sands. It’s the driest and coolest time of year, and also coincides with Cape Town and the Western Cape’s rainy winter season. This makes KwaZulu Natal ideal for travellers who are after a bit of winter sunshine, big game viewing and warm oceans after a Cape Town holiday.
KwaZulu Natal lodges are as diverse as the province itself. Some are beach retreats, looking out over the sub-tropical Indian Ocean; others are thatched lodges gazing out over haunted battlefields or savannah landscapes with big game. There are romantic hideaways as well as family-friendly accommodations, complete with kids’ activities, menus and child-minders.
Standards of service at KwaZulu Natal lodges is very high and you’ll enjoy some of the best local guiding in South Africa, whether you’re tracking rhino, watching turtles on a beach or imagining a nineteenth century Zulu army pouring over the hills at Isandlwana. Facilities at most lodges are generous and you’ll have a huge range of activities to choose from.
Browse our recommended KwaZulu Natal lodges or simply contact us for advice and help with booking the right accommodation for your needs and budget.
One of our absolute favourite lodges, Thonga is not only a magical, romantic hideaway but is also one of the best scuba diving sites in the country. Depending on season, you can add nesting turtles & migrating whales.
With 7 distinct biomes to explore, the private Phinda Reserve is one of Africa’s most diverse wildlife destinations & an absolute delight for nature lovers. There’s a wide range of lodges & activities include game drives, birding, walks, river cruises, diving & turtle nesting.
Spectacular scenery & great game viewing come together at this hilltop lodge; you’ll be on the lookout for the Big 5 as well as nocturnal creatures when you return on a spot-lit night drive. Accommodation includes a honeymoon villa & 4-sleeper family room.
A KwaZulu Natal safari is usually part of a bigger itinerary featuring South Africa’s other top destinations such as Cape Town and the Kruger and Sabi Sands. And with international airports Durban, Johannesburg and Cape Town at your fingertips, you can head further afield and add Victoria Falls or Botswana onto your itinerary.
Many KwaZulu Natal itineraries are self-drive ones and simple to experience: fly to Durban from Johannesburg or Cape Town, pick up a hire car from the airport office and get straight into your adventure, whether it’s to the battlefields, a game reserve or the Indian Ocean coast.
Browse our recommended tours below, each including a KwaZulu Natal safari. Alternatively, if you’d like a more personalised itinerary, simply contact us and we’ll tailor-make a tour based on your needs and budget.
Our team of destination experts will design a holiday to meet your budget and interests. Let’s start planning your tailor-made African safari today!
A KwaZulu Natal safari is usually part of a bigger itinerary featuring South Africa’s other top destinations such as Cape Town and the Kruger or Sabi Sands. Many KZN itineraries are self-drive ones and simple to arrange: you fly to Durban from Johannesburg or Cape Town, pick up the car from the airport and get straight into your adventure.
