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KwaZulu Natal Grand Tour (self-drive)
DCZ12D

12 NIGHTS
FROM $1,654
International flights and car hire quoted separately
This comprehensive self drive holiday of KwaZulu Natal cover the beaches of Durban, the dramatic Drakensberg Mountains, the Zulu Battlefields & a stay in a Zulu Village for an insightful cultural experience. Enjoy a luxury safari then complete your holiday walking or relaxing at St Lucia in the Isimangaliso Wetlands. Outstanding for walking & birding.
HIGHLIGHTS
Car Hire Durban Car Hire Hluhluwe Self Drive Safari Holiday Durban Vacations Durban Safaris
• Durban • uShaka Marine World • Drakensberg Mountains • Bushman Paintings
• Walking • Rorkes Drift • Zulu Village • Zululand Game Reserve
• Mkuze • St Lucia
Day 1
Arrive at Durban Airport, collect your hire car and drive 30-minutes to your hotel on the North Coast of KwaZulu Natal, renowned for its wonderful beaches and reliably warm holiday weather all year round.
  
Check in, settle in and relax on the shores of the Indian Ocean.
Day 2
Today we recommend an optional Durban City tour, including the City Hall and Botanical Gardens.
 
We recommend continuing to uShaka Marine World situated in the old harbour area that is being extensively re-developed. Here you have the opportunity of viewing large indigenous sharks of the Indian Ocean and a wide variety of other marine animals, including the opportunity to interact with dolphins, seals and penguins (pay entrance fee locally).
Day 3
Today drive 3-hours to the spectacular uKhahlamba Drakensberg Mountains, recognised as a World Heritage site for its vast collection of San Bushmen rock art paintings.
  
Known locally as the Barrier of Spears the dramatic Drakensberg Mountains forms the backbone of Southern Africa, running all the way down from the Great Rift Valley. Check into your mountain resort in this area of unspoilt natural beauty.
Day 4
At leisure to relax in the central Drakensberg Mountains and enjoy the facilities of your resort. There are many wonderful walks in the Giants Castle region - particularly noted for their Bushman Paintings.
 
Bird watching is also outstanding – particularly for raptors and grasslands species.
Day 5
Today drive 3-hours through the Natal Midlands and rural Zululand to the the remote battlefields at Isandlwana.
 
Check into your lodge and enjoy dinner whilst absorbing more of the fascinating history of this great conflict between Britain, the Boers and the proud Zulu Kingdom.
Day 6
Today we recommend an optional guided tour to the poignant battlefield at Isandlwana, where in 1879 the mighty British army suffered the greatest defeat in its history following its controversial invasion of Zululand. See for yourself the events portrayed so passionately in the film Zulu Dawn, as the regiment was wiped out almost to a man by 25,000 Zulu warriors.
 
Continue to Fugitives Drift, where a handful of survivors fought valiantly to save the Queen's colours and Rorkes Drift, where the following morning honour was restored as a small contingent of 100 British soldiers (many of them sick) held off over 4,000 Zulus earning no fewer than 11 Victoria Crosses – unforgettably brought to life by Michael Caine in the film Zulu.
 
Recommended Reading:
Brave Men’s Blood – Ian Knight
Day 7
Today drive 3-hours from the Zulu Battlefields to your Zulu Village in the heart of rural Zululand.
 
You will be collected from the drop off point between 3.30pm and 4.00pm and transferred 1-hour by horseback, ox wagon or 4x4 vehice to your Zulu Village (so please dress appropriately, and only bring an overnight bag - your main luggage will be stored securely at the drop off point).
 
On arrival enjoy a warm Zulu welcome & dinner, including some energetic dancing, and an insight into traditional Zulu culture.
Day 8
Today is free to relax and absorb more of the local cuture of Zululand, including the opportunity to visit local communities and villages in the area.
 
Walking (with picnic lunch at the waterfall), bird watching and horse riding are also available as optional activities.
Day 9
This morning transfer 1-hour back to the drop off point and drive 1.5-hours to St Lucia.
 
After checking into your hotel, we suggest a boat ride on the Lake St Lucia estuary, where you may see hippos and crocodiles. Forming part of the Isimangaliso Wetlands, this area has been declared a World Heritage site because of its unique biodiversity and importance to marine conservation. With over 500 different bird species in the region, it also offers outstanding bird watching.
Day 10
At leisure to relax and explore the St Lucia Isimangaliso Wetlands.
 
Optional excursions include deep sea game fishing for marlin, bird watching and (from August to October) an Ocean Safari to view migrating humpback whales, turtles, dolphins and other sea life.
Day 11
Today drive 1-hour to your Private Game Reserve in Zululand, renowned for its outstanding wildlife.
  
After checking in to your lodge, game viewing opportunities should present themselves almost immediately and hopefully you will see several species of antelope, zebra, wildebeest and maybe even giraffe - as well as several of the Big 5 - before dining under the stars in the atmosphere that only the African bushveld can provide!
Day 12
Rise at dawn to take advantage of the best game viewing conditions of the day and enjoy a thrilling open top game viewing safari with your lodge ranger in your Private Game Reserve, which is home to all the Big 5 - Lion, Elephant, Buffalo, Leopard and Rhino. Hope to see many interesting species before returning to your lodge for breakfast.
 
The rest of the morning is free to relax by the lodge swimming pool, before setting off again in the late afternoon for another game drive. Hope to see cheetah, giraffe, hippo, kudu, crocodiles, sable antelope, waterbuck, warthogs, baboons and many other interesting animals. With over 500 bird species, outstanding bird watching is also guaranteed!
 
After a beautiful African sunset, enjoy the balmy evening and the pristine stars of the Milky Way as you have never seen them before - as well as the spectacular Southern Cross.
 
Children < 6 are not allowed on open top game drives
Day 13
After some final game viewing, drive 1.5-hours to Richards Bay Airport to drop off your hire car before your flight home.
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