Simple stays with essential amenities. Typically guesthouses, hostels or hotels rated below 3 stars — clean, no-frills, and great for value-conscious travelers.
Comfortable and reliable 3-star stays. Expect private rooms, en-suite bathrooms, and solid amenities — a great balance between comfort and cost.
Upscale 4-5 star hotels and lodges. Enjoy high-end service, refined comfort, and premium locations — ideal for travelers seeking extra indulgence.
Explore the history of KwaZulu-Natal, the distant and the recent, on this guided tour. Learn about the struggles during and the triumphs over the apartheid as well as get a glimpse of Zulu culture before the dawn of the 20th century. End the day with a thrilling visit to a reptile park.
The tour departs from Durban for the capital of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg. Your guide will give you a short tour of the city, including Mahatma Gandhi’s statue by Pietermaritzburg City Hall.
Next stop will be the small town of Howick to visit its waterfall. KwaNogqaza or Howick Falls is approximately 95 metres in height and lies on the Umgeni River. The local Zulu people named it the “Home of the Tall” referring to its height. Next to the fall lies a quaint old section of Howick that houses a number of historical museums and antique stores.
Next, head to the Nelson Mandela Capture Site and Apartheid Museum. The Capture Site boasts a large sculpture of Nelson Mandela made up of multiple steel columns. Tourists at the Capture Site are required to stand 35 meters away the steel columns to clearly see the large bust of Nelson Mandela in focus. Facing west the impressive sculpture is a unique monument for the local Howick community. The Apartheid Museum is dedicated to Nelson Mandela’s life and his struggle against the Apartheid government.
Next is the "Valley of 1,000 Hills" to experience traditional Zulu culture at PheZulu Cultural Village and visit the Reptile Park. Visitors are taken into a traditional Zulu sibaya or homestead to experience traditional Zulu life before modernization. Inside a traditional Zulu homestead there are thatched huts placed in a circular position, with the cattle placed in the centre as a form of protection. At PheZulu homesteads the thatched huts are surrounding the auditorium which faces the beautiful valley.
The local PheZulu guide will take you on a guided tour of the PheZulu sibaya and explain the Zulu cultural practices to gain insight into Zulu traditions during the 1800’s. The local Zulu dancing show serves both educational and entertainment purpose as local performers sing and dance to beautiful traditional Zulu songs with complete Zulu attire.
PheZulu also has the Reptile Park. The local guides are very knowledgeable and eager to take you around the park and share interesting facts about the animals in the park. PheZulu Reptile Park has diverse reptilian wildlife on site, including crocodiles, alligators, snakes, tortoises and iguanas. The guides will let you touch or hold some of the animals, including a small crocodile and the giant Burmese python, just long enough to take a photo.
City sightseeing
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Embark on a scenic, guided full day tour of Durban’s top 10 sites! An experienced and knowledgeable local guide will show you a variety of landmarks which highlight Durban’s diverse culture and history.
Gandhi’s house, situated in Inanda township, now stands as a museum dedicated to his 21 years in South Africa. Gandhi himself said South Africa was essential to his personal achievements. The racial oppression he felt during the 21 years he spent in South Africa shaped his future. In 1904 Mahatma Gandhi established a settlement at Phoenix devoted to his principles of Satyagraha [passive resistance] and printed his newspaper, the Indian Opinion was printed.
After Gandhi’s home, the tour will then include a drive through Inanda Township before progressing to Umhlanga Promenade and the pier.
At Victoria Street Market, you will be given time to shop for African inspired accessories, clothing, souvenirs, home decorations, paintings and luggage etc.
Next to the Victoria Street Market is the Zulu Medicine Market where your guide will take you on an informative tour of “Inyanga (Doctors) lane”. The Zulu Medicine Market is a unique place where Zulu culture has survived in the modern urban environment.
The Moses Mabhida stadium has become a defining feature of the Durban skyline. It has a high-rise platform on top of its arch which is accessible by an elevator called the Sky Car for an additional fee. Your tour guide will show you around the exterior of the stadium and will give you time to go to the sky platform if desired.
The tour also includes a visit to uShaka Marine World’s Village Walk on the famous Golden Mile Beachfront on Durban’s OR Tambo parade. There you will be given time to shop and have lunch. uShaka Village Walk is home to Durban’s most unique shopping experiences, offering a shopper’s paradise in an open-air environment, affording guests a world of entertainment, family fun, shopping and dining.
We won't forget a stop at the beautiful Botanical Gardens, which is the oldest Botanical Gardens in Africa, est 1849.
The KwaMuhle Museum was once the headquarters of Durban’s Native Administration Department and the centre of Durban’s harsh system of labour control. Now it has been transformed into Durban’s Apartheid Museum that seeks to reflect Durban’s urban growth and the history of its residents.
The tour also includes various quick stops which include Durban’s City Hall, Durban Harbour & Shiva Statue at the Umgeni Hindu Temple.
Contiki is an amazing company and despite the fog at the top of table mountain it was great to connect with everyone on this tour and a wonderful way to enter Africa. did a great job. Thank you guys.
The trip was fantastic! We saw a lot of animals, got to know different cultures and always felt safe due to our amazing tour guide. The group had a great dynamic right from the start.
City sightseeing
Tour Type
Group Tour
Accommodation
Camping, Hotel, Lodge, Tent, Hut
Age Range
18-35 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Cape Town, Johannesburg, Oudtsho
Cape Town, Johannesburg, Oudtshoorn, Saint Lucia, Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary, Kruger National Park, Gqeberha, Knysna, Durban