KwaZulu-Natal

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Panoramic view of mountain peak at dawn in the Drakensberg, Free State Province, South Africa

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Overview

Rough and ready, smart and sophisticated, rural and rustic: there’s no doubt that KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) is eclectic. It’s a region where glassy malls touch shabby suburbs, and action-packed adventurers ooze adrenaline while laid-back beach bods drip with suntan lotion. Mountainscapes contrast with flat, dry savannahs, while the towns’ central streets, teeming with African life, markets and noise, are in stark contrast to the sedate tribal settlements in rural areas. Here, too, is traditional Zululand, whose people are fiercely proud of their culture.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

Moses Mabhida Stadium

Durban

Durbanites are proud of their state-of-the-art stadium, constructed for the 2010 World Cup. Resembling a giant basket, it seats 56,000 people, and its…

uShaka Marine World

Durban

Divided into areas including Sea World and Wet’n’Wild, uShaka Marine World boasts one of the largest aquariums in the world, the biggest collection of…

Campbell Collections

Durban

These collections are well worth seeing. Muckleneuk, a superb house designed by Sir Herbert Baker, holds the documents and artefacts collected by Dr…

Tatham Art Gallery

KwaZulu-Natal

In keeping with Pietermaritzburg’s self-styled role as a heritage city, one of its finest sights, the art gallery, was started in 1903 by Mrs Ada Tatham…

Nelson Mandela Capture Site

KwaZulu-Natal

On 5 August 1962, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was captured by apartheid police on the R103 outside of Howick. This would mark the start of his 27 years of…

Durban Botanic Gardens

Durban

A 2000-sq-metre garden featuring one of the rarest cycads (Encephalartos woodii), as well as many species of bromeliad, this is a lovely place to wander…

Phansi Museum

Durban

Found southwest of the city centre, this museum features a private collection of Southern African tribal artefacts, displayed in Roberts House, a…

KwaZulu-Natal Museum

KwaZulu-Natal

This impressive museum has a range of well-curated displays reflecting a diversity of cultures, including settler history, war records, stuffed birds and…

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