South Africa tailor-made holidays & safaris

From the dramatic sandstone peaks of its Drakensberg Mountains backdrop, KwaZulu-Natal’s spectacular setting spills down through wildlife-rich wetlands and grasslands to the pristine beaches of its Indian Ocean coast.

Phinda Private Game Reserve

Set in the prestigious Hluhluwe National Park, Phinda Private Game Reserve comprises 17,500 hectares of prime conservation land.The reserve is home to the Big Five, over 400 bird species and six unique lodges by luxury safari company, andBeyond.

Lion at andBeyondPhinda Private Game Reserve

Durban & Umhlanga

Long overshadowed by its better-looking Cape Town cousin, Durban’s cosmopolitan sprawl is finally finding its own feet. A thriving café, shopping and cultural scene has sprung up along the revamped waterfront and in nearby beachfront suburbs such as Umhlanga, while its sizeable Indian population has lent the city a colourful, multicultural and unmistakably Asian feel. It’s also the gateway for trips to the UNESCO-listed Drakensberg Mountains, a 200-kilometre escarpment where the highveld plunges down more than 1,000 metres to the eastern lowveld plains below.

Lighthouse, Durban coast

Drakensberg Mountains

Mountain biking, white water rafting and several scenic hikes, such as the Sentinel Peak Trail and the Amphitheatre HeritageTrail, are all popular ways to explore the magnificent landscapes of the Ukhahlamba Drakensberg World Heritage Site, one of South Africa’s most spectacular regions.

Drakensberg Mountains, KwaZulu-Natal

Battlefields

A number of scenic self-drive routes run through the battlefield sites of Isandlwana and Rorke’s Drift. Poignant reminders of the Anglo-Zulu and Anglo-Boer Wars, they’re crucial to understanding KwaZulu-Natal’s turbulent history.

Isandlwana battlefield site, KwaZulu-Natal

iSimangaliso/Greater St Lucia Wetlands Park

Back to KwaZulu-Natal’s coast, the country’s best beaches frame rich ecosystems and an abundance of wildlife, best seen in the iSimangaliso/Greater St Lucia Wetland Park. Here, in South Africa’s first World Heritage site, wandering hippos and elephants share an endless network of rivers, lakes and coastal dunes with some 526 species of bird.

iSimangaliso/Greater St Lucia Wetland Park, KwaZulu Natal

South Africa & Mozambique: Black spots & white pearls

15-day tailor-made holiday from £8,320 pp incl. flights

This indulgent getaway is the ideal combination of relaxation and exploration. Begin with city sights and safaris in South Africa, then wrap things up with butler service and private plunge pools on Mozambique’s pristine white sands.

KwaZulu-Natal Discovery Self-Drive

10-day tailor-made self-drive from £4,950 pp incl. flights

With KwaZulu-Natal perhaps the most diverse of South Africa’s provinces, this road trip takes in everything from the Drakensberg Mountains and Durban’s beachfront to Zulu battlefields and a Big-Five safari.

South African Safari & Mozambique beach break

11-day tailor-made holiday from £11,865 pp incl. flights

This is the definitive twin-centre getaway, combining a South African Big-Five safari with the white sands and relaxation of a private-island getaway in next-door Mozambique.

South Africa with Red Carnation Hotels

12-day tailor-made self-drive from £3,815 pp incl. flights

Enjoy nights at three of South Africa's finest hotels as you stay right on Cape Town’s picturesque coast, enjoy a wilderness retreat in the Cederberg Mountains and relax at a beachfront hideaway in Durban.

Top places to stay in KwaZulu-Natal

Forest Lodge, Phinda Game Reserve, KwaZulu-Natal

Contemporary safari lodge

Set in a rare and beautiful sand forest, the dense canopy ensures privacy and a calming atmosphere of Zulu Zen. Located between the Mkuze Game Reserve and the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park, it is home to unique wildlife, over 380 bird species and the marine diversity off the nearby coast is said t…

Oyster Box, KwaZulu-Natal

Historic hotel

Situated on the Indian Ocean’s edge and overlooking the iconic lighthouse of Umhlanga, the 5-star graded Oyster Box is a classy, charming and intimate hotel.

Cathedral Peak Hotel, Drakensberg Mountains

Contemporary hotel

A picturesque mountain resort nestled in the unspoiled surroundings of the Drakensberg Mountain range, a World Heritage Site renowned for its natural beauty.

Makakatana Bay Lodge, Richards Bay

Traditional lodge

The only privately owned safari lodge set on the banks of Lake St Lucia, Makakatana Bay Lodge is a four-star property, benefitting from the unspoiled wilderness beaches, vast wetlands and game reserves that accompany its location- iSimangaliso Wetland Park World Heritage Site.

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Where to go in KwaZulu-Natal

Durban

Durban is South Africa's third largest city and known as one of the country's best seaside escapes, with lively nightlife and an emerging café, shopping and cultural scene.

Kwazulu-Natal Game Reserves

The reserves of KwaZulu-Natal boast lush green terrain thanks to the area's coastal rainfall pattern. The woods, wetlands and grasslands combine with mountains, rivers, marshes and pans to create a rich environment, abundant with diverse wildlife.

When to go to KwaZulu-Natal

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The climate in KwaZulu-Natal is as varied as its topography suggests. The coastal region enjoys an almost perpetual summer, with warm dry winters and occasional rain in the summer. Winter in the mountains brings dry days, perfect for hiking, although it can get cold at night with occasional snow on the high peaks. Spring is a good time to visit, with warm, dry weather throughout the region.

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