Steeped in Battle field history,
the oldest Game Reserves in Africa, birthplace of a
rich traditional Zulu culture and home to the Drakensberg
Mountains
‘barrier of spears’ the KwaZulu Natal is a place to visit.
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KwaZulu Natal
AWOL facilitates tours from Durban which
can include hiking in the Drakensberg mountains, wildlife safaris in
Hluhluwe-uMfolozi (Africa’s oldest game reserve is the Africa), river
rafting the Tugela, bird watching for the Narina Trogan in Dlinza
forests, scuba-diving on Sodwana Bay reef as well as opportunities to
experience Zulu cultural heritage, turtle-spotting and boat trips, all
in the iSimangaliso Wetland Park.
The Drakensberg
is the highest mountain range in Southern Africa, rising to 3,482
metres (11,420 ft) in height. It is also the largest outdoor Art
Gallery in the World, with tens of thousands of rock paintings. It was
listed by UNESCO in 2000 as a World Heritage site. The Zulu people
named it 'Ukhahlamba' (Barrier of Spears) and the Dutch Voortrekkers
'The Dragon Mountain'. The Drakensberg Mountains, with their
awe-inspiring basalt cliffs, are snow-capped in winter and tower over
riverine bush, lush yellowwood forests and cascading waterfalls. They
form a massive barrier separating KwaZulu-Natal from the Kingdom of
Lesotho. The only road access to the Drakensberg is via Sani Pass,
which at the top, boasts the highest pub on Africa - 3 000 metres above
sea level.
Hluhluwe-uMfolosi Game Reserve
Proclaimed in 1895, the Hluhluwe-uMfolosi Game Reserve was
originally two separate reserves, Hluhluwe (a name referring to the
thorny Monkey Rope tree) and uMfolosi (meaning ‘river of fibres’)). It
is now linked by an 8km wide corridor. The park is the birthplace
of white rhino conservation, breeding the species back from extinction
(less than 20 rhinos world wide in 1900 to more than 10,000
today). The reserve was originally the exclusive hunting preserve
of the Zulu kings who protected the area by proclaiming conservation
laws long before any official protection was instituted.
iSimangaliso Wetland Park (formerly St
Lucia)
is South Africa's third-largest protected area, spanning
280 km of coastline and made up of around 3,280 km² of pristine
natural ecosystems. The wetlands are home to 530 bird species as well
as the largest population of hippopotami in South African parks.
Elephants were reintroduced in 2001. Two sea turtle species use the
reserve’s beaches for laying eggs. The coastal reserve includes
offshore coral reefs and Humpback Whales migrate along this section of
the coast. It is the only park in Africa where hippos, crocodiles and
sharks can be found all in the same area.
Zululand
A visit to a rural Zulu village to engage with the local community is a
fantastic opportunity to gather an understanding of Zulu culture and
history. We visit a Sangoma (spiritual healer), who will introduce you
to local herbal & ‘magical’ medicine. A tour of the surrounding
area portrays the Zulus’ life today with many of the local people
opening their homes to tourists. Visitors are taken to the local
shebeen, where traditional beer is made and sampled. The community
vegetable gardens and local tuckshops provide insight into the melding
of ancient and modern ways of life for the Zulu people. The experience
culminates in a display of traditional Zulu dancing and a stop at the
Zamimpilo Community Market, with a chance to view and buy a wide array
of Zulu crafts and curios.
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