South Africa 2017
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24<br />
BLUE ROUTE<br />
Take a meander<br />
Driving Route Three: Durban-Midlands-Drakensberg Mountains-Battlefields-Jozini Dam<br />
Hluhluwe-St Lucia Wetlands-North Coast Beaches<br />
Total distance: 1,200km; 12 days<br />
MIDLANDS: DAY 1<br />
After picking up their rental car at Durban’s<br />
airport, clients can explore KwaZulu-Natal’s<br />
hinterland. Pietermaritzburg is the gateway<br />
to the Midlands, a scenic area of lakes and<br />
rivers in the foothills of the Drakensberg<br />
Mountains dotted with small towns. The<br />
journey from Durban to Pietermaritzburg is<br />
about 75 minutes, so suggest a short detour<br />
through the picturesque Valley of 1000 Hills,<br />
rich in Zulu traditions. Places to visit and<br />
things to do include:<br />
Midlands Meander: This<br />
80km network of routes<br />
features arts and crafts galleries,<br />
studios, shops and activities.<br />
midlandsmeander.co.za<br />
Karkloof Canopy Tour:<br />
Soar through the<br />
canopy of <strong>South</strong>ern <strong>Africa</strong>’s<br />
second-largest indigenous<br />
forest on 10 zip line slides.<br />
karkloofcanopytour.co.za<br />
Horse-riding: KwaZulu-<br />
Natal’s Midlands is horse<br />
country: BergTrails offers<br />
guided horse riding on<br />
Turtle season in<br />
the bays north<br />
of St Lucia lasts<br />
November-<br />
March. Take a<br />
day beach tour to<br />
see loggerhead<br />
and leatherback<br />
turtles lay their<br />
eggs and a night<br />
tour to see the<br />
hatchlings<br />
Appaloosa horses on trails, framed by the<br />
Drakensberg. bergtrails.co.za<br />
Nelson Mandela’s Capture Site: Mandela<br />
was captured in 1962 near Lions River in<br />
the Midlands. See a portrait sculpture made from<br />
50 10-metre-high laser-cut steel poles.<br />
thecapturesite.co.za<br />
DRAKENSBERG MOUNTAINS: DAYS 2-3<br />
The scenic Drakensberg Mountains, a<br />
UNESCO World Heritage Site, are a highlight<br />
for adventure and outdoor<br />
activity lovers. Choose from<br />
the <strong>South</strong>ern Drakensberg<br />
region, around Underberg,<br />
the Central Drakensberg<br />
such as Giant’s Castle and<br />
areas such as Royal Natal<br />
National Park in the Northern<br />
Drakensberg (distances from<br />
Pietermaritzburg range from<br />
1.2-2.5 hours). Suggest:<br />
Drakensberg Adventures:<br />
Hiking, pony trekking trips<br />
and 4x4 tours up the Sani Pass<br />
to the Roof of <strong>Africa</strong>, bordering<br />
Lesotho. sanilodge.co.za/da<br />
San rock art: The ancient San bushmen<br />
left rock paintings at hundreds of sites in<br />
the Drakensberg. View some and get an insight<br />
into their art and culture at the Didima San Rock<br />
Art Centre at Cathedral Peak. didima.info/<br />
Accommodation/didima-camp-rock-art-center.html<br />
Giant’s Castle Nature Reserve: Popular with<br />
ramblers, hikers and mountain climbers,<br />
this reserve is home to majestic eland – large<br />
antelopes – and birds including rare-bearded<br />
vultures, which can be viewed from the<br />
restaurant at Giant’s Castle Camp. giantscastle.info<br />
Tugela Falls: The Tugela River drops 950<br />
metres down from the top of the<br />
Amphitheatre plateau in Royal Natal National Park:<br />
see the world’s second-highest waterfall. royalnatal.info<br />
BATTLEFIELDS: DAY 4<br />
The hills, valleys and plains around Ladysmith<br />
and Dundee (around 2.5-3 hours from the<br />
Drakensberg Mountains), north-west of the<br />
Drakensberg peaks, are sprinkled with names<br />
of places that still resonate today for bloody<br />
battles fought during the Zulu and Anglo-<br />
Boer Wars. Sites include:<br />
Spion Kop: The hill where this famous Boer<br />
War battle was fought (both Winston<br />
saspecialist.southafrica.net