- Ballito and Shaka's Rock
The bay is just half an hour from Durbs, has all the restaurants, cinemas and social paraphernalia you could need and is a lovely place to spend a few days.
- Gingindlovu
British soldiers called it ‘Gin gin I love you’. The name is Zulu and means ’the swallower of the elephant’. Go here just to stay at Inyezane.
- Eshowe
Eshowe has a quiet, colonial feel to it that reflects graceful feelings of yesteryear. It’s almost as though time slowed down here and the town has not quite reached this century.
- Mtunzini
Mtunzini is a quiet coastal town blessed by nature and with a colourful history. It is 132km from Durban and a great place to get into the heart of Zululand culture.
- Kwambonambi
Meaning “the place where chiefs gather”, Kwabonambi is a little town in the middle of nowhere which makes a good base for exploration into the surrounding areas and its game parks, wetlands, rivers and coastline.
- Mtubatuba
Matubatuba is just off the N2, this little town is a convenient stop over between reserves. it is located only 25km from St Lucia.
- St Lucia
St Lucia is a cool town. It’s got everything you need to have heaps of fun but is surrounded by so much wilderness that you can walk out of a bar door and into a hippo... The best time to visit St Lucia is in winter when it is cooler.
- Sodwana Bay
This is one of South Africa's premier dive sites.
- Kosi Bay
Kosi Bay is a unique and magnificently varied eco-system ranging between lake wetlands and marine coastal reserve. There is a great backpackers in the village.
- MkuzeKZN
This is probably the best base you could choose for exploring Maputaland, and area rich in unexploited wilderness where local people still live according to generations of traditon.
Hluhluwe has three backpackers surrounding the park. The main attraction here is the Hluhluwe/Umfolozi game reserve which is an incredible piece of nature that teems with game. The big five are prolific.
UmHluhluwe - the Zulu name for a thorny rope creeper found in the area - lies 300km north of Durban. It was the first area to be “reserved for game” (1895) and its main attraction is the Hluhluwe/iMfolozi game reserve which literally teems with game. The Big Five are prolific and we recommend a safari with one of the local operators.
The area produces over 90% of SA’s pineapples and also grows sisal – an unfriendly looking spiky fibrous plant that is used to make rope.
The park boasts impressive numbers of magnificent white (or square-lipped) rhinos and the more aggressive black rhino as well as buffalo, nyala, kudu, impala, zebra, bushbuck, waterbuck, giraffe, leopard, cheetah, numerous small antelope and a fantastic bird population. The re-introduction of lion and elephant completes a natural balance which was disturbed by heavy hunting between 1800 -1890.
Places to Stay
- Bushbaby Lodge
This Hluhluwe backpackers is conveniently situated for easy access to Hluhluwe/iMfolozi park.
- Hluhluwe Backpackers
Hluhluwe backpackers is on the doorstep of the Hluhluwe/Umfolozi National Park.
- Isinkwe Safaris Bushcamp
Isinkwe backpackers is a well managed bush camp set in the middle of indigenous bush, just outside of Hluhluwe.
Feeling lucky?(randomly selected service providers from all regions)
A true African paradise with Ivory coloured beaches framed by green hills
(Mthatha Eastern Cape,Wild Coast)
This Paternoster backpackers could not get you any closer to the sea...
(Paternoster,West Coast)
They are on the edge of the reserve and the river is in their front garden.
(Port St Johns,Wild Coast)
Fairy Knowe is a Wilderness backpackers which is set on an old rambling farm with masses of space, horses, dogs and birds, overlooking the wetlands.
(Wilderness,Garden Route)
A quiet beach with warm water year round, thumping surf and safe swimming is just a 2 minute walk away. Most mornings see dolphins cruising around the point.
(Umzumbe KZN,South Coast)
Little Brak Beach House offers fab out-of-town tranquillity and loads of comfort .
(Little Brak,Garden Route)
They organise volunteer projects and can book day trips and safaris.
(Lobamba,Swaziland)
A canopy tours that also crosses the Letaba River.
(Tzaneen,Limpopo)
Hluhluwe backpackers is on the doorstep of the Hluhluwe/Umfolozi National Park.
(Hluhluwe,Zululand)
Live with the locals and get to understand their culture
(Grahamstown,Eastern Cape Inland and the Karoo)
