Photo by whereitallbegan.co.za

Kwazulu Natal

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A journey to the province of Kwazulu-Natal in the east of South Africa is fantastic, the nature here is extremely beautiful. KwaZulu Natal is located in eastern South Africa on the Indian Ocean and is very popular with tourists. It is s a large melting pot of all kinds of typical South African features: countless beautiful landscapes, a colorful collection of cultures, wildlife parks, busy and deserted beaches, lively cities, small villages and  a subtropical climate. These are all ideal conditions for an unforgettable bucket list trip.


Kwa Zulu Natal is home to the Zulu tribe, the largest tribe in South Africa. Zulu is also the most important language in South Africa and is spoken by 23% as a native language. Striking is the difference in nature in the traditional Zulu areas and the parts that have been labeled as white during the Apartheid years. In the white areas dominates mainly large-scale agriculture or forestry. In the traditional black areas, the original vegetation has remained much more and that creates a particularly beautiful landscape.

There are many places with beautiful nature and lots of wild animals. In Ithala, several mammals, such as the giraffe and the zebra, were reintroduced after they had completely disappeared. Today it is a wildlife paradise and with luck you can even see rhinos among the acacia trees. Mkuzi and the nearby St Lucia wetlands are especially known by bird spotters, because in addition to hippos there are more than 400 bird species, including the pink flamingo and many water birds.

Near Durban lies the Valley of a Thousand Hills with its Zulu villages, acacia trees and authentic huts characterize the amazing landscape. And you should definitely add the Drakensberg area on your itinerary. This is one of the most beautiful areas for hiking in South Africa.

More in the south, continuing to the Eastern Cape, lies the Wild Coast, where there are mainly coastal towns that are very popular with surfers. You can relax, swim and enjoy the idyllic bays. We loved the coast and it was amazing to spend some time here as well.

Where to stay

If you are looking for a spectacular place to stay we recommend  the Thonga beach lodge. Accommodation was amazing with extremely comfy beds and the views from the rooms are fantastic. When we stepped out of our room, it was stunning to see both the ocean and the forest on the other side.


We also love that Thonga's 12 eco-sensitive rooms are positioned to create minimal environmental impact. On booking.com they get an average rating of  9.5.

Best time to visit

Kwazulu Natal is a year round destination. The coast of KwaZulu-Natal has around 230 days of sunshine a year. In summer it can be very hot and humid with temperatures around 30 degrees Celsius.(86 degrees Fahrenheit) The sea water is almost always warm.The interior is also quite warm throughout the year, although it can occasionally snow in the high mountains. Keep in mind here a sudden thunderstorm, which can start especially at the end of the afternoon. Click here for more climate details. 

This article was last updated on December 21, 2020.