Kwa Zulu Natal, South Africa Part 1

Sanibona! I was privileged recently to have been one of a small group of six taken on a tour of Kwa Zulu Natal courtesy of the Tourism Authority. My first time to South Africa, it vastly exceeded all expectations!!! One of nine provinces in South Africa, KZN, often known as the ‘Zulu Kingdom’ has everything in one area that South Africa has in the country! It has great all year round weather, breathtaking landscapes, is rich in history and diverse in culture. It is a sportsman’s paradise with some of South Africa’s top golf courses. KZN is alive with activity!! I flew overnight with South African Airways to Durban, via Johannesburg. We were met by our guide and new friend, Bongani. We then headed north-west past Pietermaritzburg towards the Midlands. A rich, rolling landscape has drawn many creative inhabitants, which has given rise to thriving cottage industries and the ‘Midlands Meander’, a series of easily self-drive arts and craft routes. Accommodation ranges from bed and breakfasts to boutique hotels to enable visits to the cheese factories, leatherworks, mini brewery, potteries and many other craft shops. Our first stop was at Fordoun, originally a dairy farm but now a boutique hotel with an award winning restaurant and spa. A welcome massage followed by a ‘float’ in the saline floatation tank was very welcome, as was the delicious lunch! An easy twenty minute drive brought us to Granny Mouse Country House and Spa. The cup of hot chocolate was welcome on arrival, and the log fire in our room was much needed - despite the sunshine in the daytime, it was winter after all! A fantastic dinner was had by all in the fine dining Eaves Restaurant. Granny Mouse is fabulous, a very individual thatched property with spa and award winning wine cellar and extensive views of the countryside. It also has its own thatched wedding chapel! It’s a good base to relax or from which to explore the local arts and crafts such as Tsonga Leather or perhaps Culamoya Chimes for that extra special souvenir wind chime. A couple of hours drive through farms and Zulu villages brought us to our next stop, Cathedral Peak Hotel, set high in the Drakensberg Mountains, which is a World Heritage Site. It is a centre for many outdoor activities, such as hiking, walking, mountain biking, golf, fishing, bird watching and many indoor activities, such as the spa. Although winter, the daytime temperature allowed us to take an open air lunch before setting off for short trek to appreciate the scenery followed by dinner and overnight in rooms with amazing views. The following day brought a three hour drive eastwards to the historic battlefield areas of both the Anglo Zulu and the Anglo Boer Wars. Our lunchtime stop was Fugitives Drift Guest House and Lodge, named after Lieutenants Melvill and Coghill who lost their lives attempting to save their Regiment’s Colours and whose graves are on the property. Onwards to the site of the Battle of Rorke’s Drift with its memorials where the battle story was brought to life for us by historian Rob Gerrard, FRGS. That night was spent at Isandlwana Lodge, superbly carved into the iNyoni rock - the rock upon which the Zulu King stood to survey the battle scene. The views from the lodge over the plains to Isandlwana Rock are unparalleled.

We continued northwards towards the border with Swaziland and then headed back south to Mkuze where we lunched at Ghost Mountain Inn. This very comfortable ‘country inn’ is perfectly placed to enjoy the array of wildlife and the coastal reserves and also to relax in the spa and enjoy the glorious gardens.

Our journey continued...