| The remarkable diversity of attractions
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| | To see wildlife you can travel to the
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| of the KwaZulu-Natal region is
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| | Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Park, 175 km to the
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| unsurpassed in South Africa. It
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| | northeast of Durban. This combination of
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| encompasses the splendid Drakensburg
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| | the game reserves of Hluhluwe and
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| Mountains, sublime subtropical beaches,
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| | Umfolozi occupies 960 sq km. The park is
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| top rated nature and game reserves,
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| | mostly savannah grasslands and low acacia
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| historic battlefields, rolling green
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| | bush, but has a forested mountainous
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| hills of the Natal Midlands and the city
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| | section. You will see the famed "big
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| of Durban. The range of activities
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| | five"- lion, elephant, buffalo, leopard
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| possible is a challenge even for those
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| | and rhino. The park is well known for its
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| with the most eclectic of tastes:
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| | very successful black and white rhino
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| swimming, fishing, boating, scuba diving,
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| | conservation efforts. Other animal
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| hiking, abseiling, game viewing, cultural
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| | species to look out for include impala,
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| and historical touring, whale and bird
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| | blue wildebeest, waterbuck, zebra, nyala,
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| watching and golfing.
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| | kudu, bushbuck, warthog, cheetah, hyena,
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| Warmer and more authentic South Africa
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| | jackal and giraffe. Birding is great and
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| than the Cape Region, KwaZulu-Natal is
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| | over 300 species are on record.
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| the favourite holiday destination for
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| | You can see game on guided walks, but for
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| locals. The region lies between the
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| | obvious reasons, an armed ranger must
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| Drakensberg Mountains and Swaziland to
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| | accompany you. The less adventurous will
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| the west; the Indian Ocean to the east
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| | have an equally satisfying game viewing
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| stretching from Port Edward in the south
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| | experience aboard a vehicle.
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| to the Mozambique border in the north.
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| | Accommodation in the Umfolozi reserve is
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| As you transition from a subtropical to
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| | available at various bush camps at
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| tropical environment, you encounter cool
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| | Sontuli, Nselweni and Mndindini and at
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| mountain ranges, savannah grassland,
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| | the self-catering cottages and tented
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| coral reefs, indigenous coastal forest
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| | camp at Mpila. At Hluhluwe, the
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| and dunes, lakes and lagoons and papyrus
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| | well-positioned Hilltop Camp offers
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| wetlands. Here 9 million people occupy
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| | accommodation ranging from a luxury lodge
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| 92,000 sq km of some the fairest and
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| | to self-catering chalets and rondavels.
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| best-watered lands in South Africa.
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| | The dry season in the Hluhluwe-Umfolozi
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| Little wonder that the Zulu, or "people
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| | area falls between May and August, while
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| of heaven" considered the area a heaven
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| | most off the rains fall within the rest
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| on earth indeed, and were extremely
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| | of the year.
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| jealous of late comers who sought a share
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| | To the northeast of KwaZulu Natal is the
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| of it. And yet the Zulu people themselves
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| | Greater St Lucia Wetland Park, which
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| had arrived only in the 16th century.
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| | stretches along a 280 km coastline from
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| Their ancestors, the Nguni, had been
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| | Cape St Lucia to Kozi Bay near the
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| pushing southwards from the Great Lakes
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| | Mozambique border. This first rate
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| region for at least three thousand years.
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| | eco-tourism paradise, is an amalgamation
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| The land was inhabited- if you could use
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| | of a numberof protected areas including -
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| the term- by San Bushmen. This
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| | Lake St Lucia, St Lucia and Maputaland
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| hunter-gatherer society was very sparing
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| | Marine Reserves, Coastal Forest Reserve
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| in its demands on the land. The arrival
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| | and the Kosi Bay Natural Reserve.
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| of the Nguni, a people with numerous
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| | Declared a World Heritage Site in 1999,
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| cattle herds and great thirst for land,
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| | the official bulletin justifying this
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| put the Bushman under great stress and
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| | distinction highlighted the existence of
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| severe disadvantage.
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| | 5 ecosystems resulting in an exceptional
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| The Zulu derive directly from a clan head
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| | diversity of species and actual ongoing
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| of the Nguni named "Heaven" or Zulu, who
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| | speciation.
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| established a territory bearing his own
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| | The park is a tropical and subtropical
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| name or KwaZulu in the Umfolozi valley.
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| | interface and has landforms that include
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| The Zulu was a fairly insignificant
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| | coral reefs, sandy beaches, coastal
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| power, even among the Nguni, until the
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| | dunes, lakes, swamps, and reed and
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| arrival of Shaka Zulu. Shaka, born in
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| | papyrus wetlands. It occupies more than
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| 1787, was first-born son to Chief
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| | 3200 sq km, but supports more animal
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| Senzangakhona, but was considered
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| | species than larger parks. Here you can
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| illegitimate on account of a
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| | find hippos, turtles, crocodiles, rhino,
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| technicality. Shaka eventually corrected
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| | leopard and sharks. The birding is
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| this injustice by plotting the death of
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| | unsurpassed and more than 530 species are
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| his younger brother - the legitimate
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| | on record. The numerous activities
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| heir. He thus rose to be chief of his
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| | possible include- fishing, hiking,
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| people when his father died in 1816.
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| | boating, diving, game viewing and whale
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| Shaka was a man gifted with great daring,
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| | and bird watching. You can seek
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| cunning and imagination. He repulsed
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| | accommodation within the park or nearby
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| numerous attacks by the Ndwandwe- a rival
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| | towns in the range of basic camps and
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| and more militarily superior Nguni
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| | luxury game lodges to hotels and
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| people, eventually forcing the enemy to
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| | self-catering chalets.
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| flee northwards. Shaka appreciated
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| | Sodwana Bay Nature Reserve, which falls
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| thatthe Ndwandwe would be back unless he
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| | within the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park
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| created conditions to make it impossible.
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| | is a haven for sport fishing, boating,
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| Above all else a military leader, he
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| | snorkeling and scuba diving. The
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| devised such weaponry, battle tactics and
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| | underwater world, and the coral reefs in
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| training methods that resulted in an
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| | particular are outstanding, and the
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| unbeatable army among known enemies of
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| | marine life plenty. This is one of the
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| the day. By numerous treacherous devices
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| | world's top diving destinations. Youcan
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| -war, assassination, deceit and
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| | visit year round, but conditions for
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| intimidation - he subdued smaller and
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| | diving are best April to September. Water
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| larger clans, and gathered all to his
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| | temperatures vary from about 20 degrees C
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| realm.
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| | and can reach 29 degrees C in summer.
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| Within three years to 1819, the Zulu
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| | Take time off from water sports for a
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| nation emerged as the largest and most
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| | guided to see loggerhead and leatherback
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| feared in the whole of southeastern
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| | turtles. There is good accommodation for
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| Africa. And Shaka, now King Shaka, was
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| | most budgets nearby.
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| sitting pretty as its head. His success
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| | The Drakenberg Mountains on
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| had however caused unprecedented mayhem
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| | KwaZulu-Natal's western border are one of
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| in the region, and aroused bitter
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| | South Africa's most outstanding
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| jealousy amongst his ambitious
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| | attractions. Rising 3282 m above sea
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| compatriots. He also ruled with an iron
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| | level, the spectacular 200 km long
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| fist and was such a tyrant as had never
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| | mountain ranges were named by the martial
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| risen before among the Zulu. Shaka was
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| | minded Zulu as uKhahlamba or "Barrier of
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| speared to death by Dingane -his half
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| | Spears". The thoroughly photogenic
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| brother, in 1824. The Zulu kingdom
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| | "Amphitheatre"is very impressive and is
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| survived him, but his legacy was to be
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| | popular with visitors. This is a rock
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| severely tested, later in the century in
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| | wall with a height of 500m and stretching
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| conflicts with new rivals - the British
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| | for 5 km. Many adventure activities are
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| and Boers.
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| | available here in the most scenic of
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| The British had approached Shaka, shortly
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| | surroundings, including- hiking, rock
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| before his death, for trading rights in
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| | climbing, mountain biking, paragliding,
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| ivory and animal skins. Shaka signed a
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| | white-water rafting, birding, and fly and
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| document granting them the chieftaincy of
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| | trout fishing.
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| Port Natal, their small base on the east
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| | There are several parks and game reserves
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| coast. In a very liberal and rather
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| | around the Drakensberg Mountains, the
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| dishonest interpretation of Shaka's
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| | most prominent of which is the 2430 sq km
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| intentions, they claimed the Port Natal
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| | uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park. It was
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| area in the name of the King of England.
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| | declared a World Heritage Site in 2000
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| Port Natal is today known to most as
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| | mainly for two reasons; first for its
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| Durban -and to locals as "Durbs". The
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| | remarkable physical charm and biological
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| city is the gateway and business hub of
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| | diversity, and second to highlight the
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| KwaZulu-Natal, and the logical starting
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| | outstanding collection of San rock art.
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| point for exploring the region.Its port
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| | Scattered over 600 sites; there are more
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| ranks among the world's top 10, and is
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| | than 35,000 well-preserved artworks, with
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| the busiest on the African continent. To
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| | scenes depicting hunting, dancing,
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| discover KwaZulu-Natal, rent a car at
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| | fighting and food gathering. The oldest
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| Durban or take a South Africa tour or
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| | paintings are estimated to date back 2400
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| safari that covers the region.
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| | years, with more recent ones less than
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| Durban's weather is mild and pleasant -
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| | 200 years old.
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| temperatures average 17 degrees C in
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| | Scholars have in recent years studied San
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| winter (June-August) and 27 degrees C in
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| | rock art closely and the consensus now is
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| summer (December to February).
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| | that this is not merely representation
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| Holidaymakers are favoured with sea
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| | art but it has some spiritual content. At
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| temperatures averaging 24 degrees C in
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| | the Kamberg Rock Art Centre, you can
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| summer rarely falling below 19 degrees C
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| | learn more about the San people, and how
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| in winter. This coastal playground enjoys
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| | to interpret the symbolic and spiritual
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| at least a good 320 days of sunshine
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| | content of their art. In the Drakensberg
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| every year. The rains come over the
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| | region, there is a very wide range of
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| summer months, when it can get quite hot
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| | accommodation including - basic bed &
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| and humid, with temperatures reaching for
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| | breakfasts, guesthouses, camps, hotels,
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| 33 degrees C. Long before everybody else,
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| | and luxury resorts. The rains come in
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| the San Bushmen wintered in Durban,
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| | summer between October and April, with
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| taking advantage of the excellent climate
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| | the rest of the year being mostly dry.
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| relative to their inland domains.
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| | Beware that winter nights can get
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| "The Golden Mile" is a 6 km long
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| | extremely chilly and of sudden
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| waterfront lined with some of Durban's
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| | thunderstorms in summer.
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| top rated hotels. The city has some of
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| | Descending from the Drakensberg, you can
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| the finest beaches in the country. Good
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| | visit the battlefield sites, where some
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| beaches for swimming and surfing can be
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| | of South Africa's most vicious battles
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| found to the south of the city- Ansteys,
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| | were fought. The protagonists were Zulu,
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| Brighton, Cave Rock, and Garvies. To the
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| | Boer and British who engaged one another
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| north- Country Club, Tekwini, and Laguna
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| | in the nineteenth and early
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| beaches are more exclusive and less
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| | twentiethcentury. The hottest battles
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| crowded. Within the city, you can visit
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| | were fought in areas around Colenso,
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| museums and art galleries and shop for
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| | Weenen, Dundee, Estcourt, Glencoe,
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| crafts. The Kwa-Muhle museum will educate
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| | Ladysmith,Newcastle, Utrecht, Volksrust,
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| you about Apartheid, which is important
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| | Vryheid and Winterton.
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| if you want to understand South African
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| | The Voortrekkers had headed north away
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| society.
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| | from the Cape Colony to escape British
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| There are numerous restaurants- Indian,
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| | control. After crossing the Drakensberg,
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| African and Western - in this
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| | just like the Zulu people earlier, they
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| cosmopolitan city. The Indians started
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| | believed they had reached "Heaven on
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| coming here in 1860 as indentured labour
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| | Earth". Conflicts over land and other
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| for the sugar plantations. Today, the
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| | resources were inevitable and in several
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| Durban metro area has the largest Indian
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| | episodes between 1836-1852, the two
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| population outside India. Durban stands
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| | parties sought a resolution through arms.
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| between the North and South Coast of
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| | Next came the Anglo-Zulu war of 1879. The
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| South Africa's eastern seaboard. The
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| | British eventually won, but they met a
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| North Coast beaches include Umhlanga
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| | number of disasters as they had initially
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| Rocks, Ballito, Shaka's Rock and Shelley
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| | underestimated the Zulu army. This is the
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| Beach. Here you find good accommodation
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| | war that broke the hearts of Bonaparte
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| and myriad opportunities for swimming and
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| | royalists after Prince Louis Napoleon -
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| surfing. Around Ballito is great for
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| | an observer with the British party-
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| watching the ever-fascinating dolphins.
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| | succumbed to multiple assegai thrusts.
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| The South Coast stretches from Durban to
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| | The British were busy making war again,
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| Port Edward and covers Hibberdene, Port
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| | this time on the Boers between 1880-81.
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| Shepstone, Margate and Southbroom. The
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| | They lost the war, made peace but sought
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| region has fantastic beaches and matching
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| | a rematch in the Anglo-Boer War of
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| amenities. Between Port Edward and
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| | 1899-1902. This second engagement
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| Hibberdene is the scene of the sardine
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| | attracted worldwide attention, and it was
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| run. This most spectacular display of the
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| | the first war ever recorded on film. Two
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| natural world occurs around June and
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| | of the giants of the twentieth century
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| July. It is triggered by a 4-5 degrees C
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| | were witnesses - Churchill as a reporter,
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| drop in sea temperature that prompts
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| | and Gandhi as a stretcher-bearer. It is
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| millions of sardines in great shoals to
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| | advisable to tour with an accredited
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| head northwards. On this dash, game fish,
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| | battlefield guide, who will retell the
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| dolphins, sharks, whales and others of
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| | story of the battles at various sites.
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| their mortal enemies follow.
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| | While in the area, there are
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| Thisunforgettable experience appears to
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| | opportunities to learn about Zulu history
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| be the marine world's answer to the
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| | and culture, and also to buy local arts
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| annual wildebeest migration on the
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| | and crafts.
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| Kenya-Tanzania border.
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