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KwaZulu-Natal- Shaka's Heaven on Earth

The remarkable diversity of attractionsHluhluwe-Umfolozi Park, 175 km to the
of the KwaZulu-Natal region isnortheast of Durban. This combination of
unsurpassed in South Africa. Itthe game reserves of Hluhluwe and
encompasses the splendid DrakensburgUmfolozi occupies 960 sq km. The park is
Mountains, sublime subtropical beaches,mostly savannah grasslands and low
top rated nature and game reserves,acacia bush, but has a forested
historic battlefields, rolling greenmountainous section. You will see the
hills of the Natal Midlands and the cityfamed "big five"- lion, elephant,
of Durban. The range of activitiesbuffalo, leopard and rhino. The park is
possible is a challenge even for thosewell known for its very successful black
with the most eclectic of tastes:and white rhino conservation efforts.
swimming, fishing, boating, scubaOther animal species to look out for
diving, hiking, abseiling, game viewing,include impala, blue wildebeest,
cultural and historical touring, whalewaterbuck, zebra, nyala, kudu, bushbuck,
and bird watching and golfing.warthog, cheetah, hyena, jackal and
Warmer and more authentic South Africagiraffe. Birding is great and over 300
than the Cape Region, KwaZulu-Natal isspecies are on record.
the favourite holiday destination forYou can see game on guided walks, but
locals. The region lies between thefor obvious reasons, an armed ranger
Drakensberg Mountains and Swaziland tomust accompany you. The less adventurous
the west; the Indian Ocean to the eastwill have an equally satisfying game
stretching from Port Edward in the southviewing experience aboard a vehicle.
to the Mozambique border in the north.Accommodation in the Umfolozi reserve is
As you transition from a subtropical toavailable at various bush camps at
tropical environment, you encounter coolSontuli, Nselweni and Mndindini and at
mountain ranges, savannah grassland,the self-catering cottages and tented
coral reefs, indigenous coastal forestcamp at Mpila. At Hluhluwe, the
and dunes, lakes and lagoons and papyruswell-positioned Hilltop Camp offers
wetlands. Here 9 million people occupyaccommodation ranging from a luxury
92,000 sq km of some the fairest andlodge to self-catering chalets and
best-watered lands in South Africa.rondavels. The dry season in the
Little wonder that the Zulu, or "peopleHluhluwe-Umfolozi area falls between May
of heaven" considered the area a heavenand August, while most off the rains
on earth indeed, and were extremelyfall within the rest of the year.
jealous of late comers who sought aTo the northeast of KwaZulu Natal is the
share of it. And yet the Zulu peopleGreater St Lucia Wetland Park, which
themselves had arrived only in the 16thstretches along a 280 km coastline from
century. Their ancestors, the Nguni, hadCape St Lucia to Kozi Bay near the
been pushing southwards from the GreatMozambique border. This first rate
Lakes region for at least three thousandeco-tourism paradise, is an amalgamation
years. The land was inhabited- if youof a numberof protected areas including
could use the term- by San Bushmen. This- Lake St Lucia, St Lucia and Maputaland
hunter-gatherer society was very sparingMarine Reserves, Coastal Forest Reserve
in its demands on the land. The arrivaland the Kosi Bay Natural Reserve.
of the Nguni, a people with numerousDeclared a World Heritage Site in 1999,
cattle herds and great thirst for land,the official bulletin justifying this
put the Bushman under great stress anddistinction highlighted the existence of
severe disadvantage.5 ecosystems resulting in an exceptional
The Zulu derive directly from a clandiversity of species and actual ongoing
head of the Nguni named "Heaven" orspeciation.
Zulu, who established a territoryThe park is a tropical and subtropical
bearing his own name or KwaZulu in theinterface and has landforms that include
Umfolozi valley. The Zulu was a fairlycoral reefs, sandy beaches, coastal
insignificant power, even among thedunes, lakes, swamps, and reed and
Nguni, until the arrival of Shaka Zulu.papyrus wetlands. It occupies more than
Shaka, born in 1787, was first-born son3200 sq km, but supports more animal
to Chief Senzangakhona, but wasspecies than larger parks. Here you can
considered illegitimate on account of afind hippos, turtles, crocodiles, rhino,
technicality. Shaka eventually correctedleopard and sharks. The birding is
this injustice by plotting the death ofunsurpassed and more than 530 species
his younger brother - the legitimateare on record. The numerous activities
heir. He thus rose to be chief of hispossible include- fishing, hiking,
people when his father died in 1816.boating, diving, game viewing and whale
Shaka was a man gifted with greatand bird watching. You can seek
daring, cunning and imagination. Heaccommodation within the park or nearby
repulsed numerous attacks by thetowns in the range of basic camps and
Ndwandwe- a rival and more militarilyluxury game lodges to hotels and
superior Nguni people, eventuallyself-catering chalets.
forcing the enemy to flee northwards.Sodwana Bay Nature Reserve, which falls
Shaka appreciated thatthe Ndwandwe wouldwithin the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park
be back unless he created conditions tois a haven for sport fishing, boating,
make it impossible. Above all else asnorkeling and scuba diving. The
military leader, he devised suchunderwater world, and the coral reefs in
weaponry, battle tactics and trainingparticular are outstanding, and the
methods that resulted in an unbeatablemarine life plenty. This is one of the
army among known enemies of the day. Byworld's top diving destinations. Youcan
numerous treacherous devices -war,visit year round, but conditions for
assassination, deceit and intimidation -diving are best April to September.
he subdued smaller and larger clans, andWater temperatures vary from about 20
gathered all to his realm.degrees C and can reach 29 degrees C in
Within three years to 1819, the Zulusummer. Take time off from water sports
nation emerged as the largest and mostfor a guided to see loggerhead and
feared in the whole of southeasternleatherback turtles. There is good
Africa. And Shaka, now King Shaka, wasaccommodation for most budgets nearby.
sitting pretty as its head. His successThe Drakenberg Mountains on
had however caused unprecedented mayhemKwaZulu-Natal's western border are one
in the region, and aroused bitterof South Africa's most outstanding
jealousy amongst his ambitiousattractions. Rising 3282 m above sea
compatriots. He also ruled with an ironlevel, the spectacular 200 km long
fist and was such a tyrant as had nevermountain ranges were named by the
risen before among the Zulu. Shaka wasmartial minded Zulu as uKhahlamba or
speared to death by Dingane -his half"Barrier of Spears". The thoroughly
brother, in 1824. The Zulu kingdomphotogenic "Amphitheatre"is very
survived him, but his legacy was to beimpressive and is popular with visitors.
severely tested, later in the century inThis is a rock wall with a height of
conflicts with new rivals - the British500m and stretching for 5 km. Many
and Boers.adventure activities are available here
The British had approached Shaka,in the most scenic of surroundings,
shortly before his death, for tradingincluding- hiking, rock climbing,
rights in ivory and animal skins. Shakamountain biking, paragliding,
signed a document granting them thewhite-water rafting, birding, and fly
chieftaincy of Port Natal, their smalland trout fishing.
base on the east coast. In a veryThere are several parks and game
liberal and rather dishonestreserves around the Drakensberg
interpretation of Shaka's intentions,Mountains, the most prominent of which
they claimed the Port Natal area in theis the 2430 sq km uKhahlamba-Drakensberg
name of the King of England. Port NatalPark. It was declared a World Heritage
is today known to most as Durban -and toSite in 2000 mainly for two reasons;
locals as "Durbs". The city is thefirst for its remarkable physical charm
gateway and business hub ofand biological diversity, and second to
KwaZulu-Natal, and the logical startinghighlight the outstanding collection of
point for exploring the region.Its portSan rock art. Scattered over 600 sites;
ranks among the world's top 10, and isthere are more than 35,000
the busiest on the African continent. Towell-preserved artworks, with scenes
discover KwaZulu-Natal, rent a car atdepicting hunting, dancing, fighting and
Durban or take a South Africa tour orfood gathering. The oldest paintings are
safari that covers the region.estimated to date back 2400 years, with
Durban's weather is mild and pleasant -more recent ones less than 200 years
temperatures average 17 degrees C inold.
winter (June-August) and 27 degrees C inScholars have in recent years studied
summer (December to February).San rock art closely and the consensus
Holidaymakers are favoured with seanow is that this is not merely
temperatures averaging 24 degrees C inrepresentation art but it has some
summer rarely falling below 19 degrees Cspiritual content. At the Kamberg Rock
in winter. This coastal playgroundArt Centre, you can learn more about the
enjoys at least a good 320 days ofSan people, and how to interpret the
sunshine every year. The rains come oversymbolic and spiritual content of their
the summer months, when it can get quiteart. In the Drakensberg region, there is
hot and humid, with temperaturesa very wide range of accommodation
reaching for 33 degrees C. Long beforeincluding - basic bed & breakfasts,
everybody else, the San Bushmen winteredguesthouses, camps, hotels, and luxury
in Durban, taking advantage of theresorts. The rains come in summer
excellent climate relative to theirbetween October and April, with the rest
inland domains.of the year being mostly dry. Beware
"The Golden Mile" is a 6 km longthat winter nights can get extremely
waterfront lined with some of Durban'schilly and of sudden thunderstorms in
top rated hotels. The city has some ofsummer.
the finest beaches in the country. GoodDescending from the Drakensberg, you can
beaches for swimming and surfing can bevisit the battlefield sites, where some
found to the south of the city- Ansteys,of South Africa's most vicious battles
Brighton, Cave Rock, and Garvies. To thewere fought. The protagonists were Zulu,
north- Country Club, Tekwini, and LagunaBoer and British who engaged one another
beaches are more exclusive and lessin the nineteenth and early
crowded. Within the city, you can visittwentiethcentury. The hottest battles
museums and art galleries and shop forwere fought in areas around Colenso,
crafts. The Kwa-Muhle museum willWeenen, Dundee, Estcourt, Glencoe,
educate you about Apartheid, which isLadysmith,Newcastle, Utrecht, Volksrust,
important if you want to understandVryheid and Winterton.
South African society.The Voortrekkers had headed north away
There are numerous restaurants- Indian,from the Cape Colony to escape British
African and Western - in thiscontrol. After crossing the Drakensberg,
cosmopolitan city. The Indians startedjust like the Zulu people earlier, they
coming here in 1860 as indentured labourbelieved they had reached "Heaven on
for the sugar plantations. Today, theEarth". Conflicts over land and other
Durban metro area has the largest Indianresources were inevitable and in several
population outside India. Durban standsepisodes between 1836-1852, the two
between the North and South Coast ofparties sought a resolution through
South Africa's eastern seaboard. Thearms. Next came the Anglo-Zulu war of
North Coast beaches include Umhlanga1879. The British eventually won, but
Rocks, Ballito, Shaka's Rock and Shelleythey met a number of disasters as they
Beach. Here you find good accommodationhad initially underestimated the Zulu
and myriad opportunities for swimmingarmy. This is the war that broke the
and surfing. Around Ballito is great forhearts of Bonaparte royalists after
watching the ever-fascinating dolphins.Prince Louis Napoleon - an observer with
The South Coast stretches from Durban tothe British party- succumbed to multiple
Port Edward and covers Hibberdene, Portassegai thrusts.
Shepstone, Margate and Southbroom. TheThe British were busy making war again,
region has fantastic beaches andthis time on the Boers between 1880-81.
matching amenities. Between Port EdwardThey lost the war, made peace but sought
and Hibberdene is the scene of thea rematch in the Anglo-Boer War of
sardine run. This most spectacular1899-1902. This second engagement
display of the natural world occursattracted worldwide attention, and it
around June and July. It is triggered bywas the first war ever recorded on film.
a 4-5 degrees C drop in sea temperatureTwo of the giants of the twentieth
that prompts millions of sardines incentury were witnesses - Churchill as a
great shoals to head northwards. On thisreporter, and Gandhi as a
dash, game fish, dolphins, sharks,stretcher-bearer. It is advisable to
whales and others of their mortaltour with an accredited battlefield
enemies follow. Thisunforgettableguide, who will retell the story of the
experience appears to be the marinebattles at various sites. While in the
world's answer to the annual wildebeestarea, there are opportunities to learn
migration on the Kenya-Tanzania border.about Zulu history and culture, and also
To see wildlife you can travel to theto buy local arts and crafts.



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