South Africa · Safari destination
Kwazulu - Natal
Safaris built around Kwazulu - Natal.
The only South African province where you can see rhinos and whales in a single day. Big Five reserves, subtropical beaches and the Drakensberg Mountains.
Kwazulu - Natal
Why
KwaZulu Natal is the one place where you can see rhinos and whales in just one day. Durban is a sunny city with great beaches, incredible marine life and some of the best Indian cuisine, whilst in the north-eastern corner of the province travellers are afforded phenomenal Big Five safari in Africa's oldest proclaimed game reserve or in one of the several surrounding privately owned reserves. The iSimangaliso Wetland Park is home to Africa's largest estuary and more than 2 000 hippos and crocodiles, as well as large flocks of pelicans, flamingos and a variety of fish species. KwaZulu Natal boasts pristine Indian Ocean beaches, incredible diving sites, seasonal sightings of whales and dolphins, cultural experiences and battlefields.
Tailor-made safaris
Safaris in Kwazulu - Natal.
Most requested · 9 days
9 Day Kruger & KwaZulu Fly-Drive Explorer
Most meals · Most activities · All flights & transfers
- 3 nights at Rhino Post Safari Lodge in Kruger National Park
- Day and night open-vehicle game drives across a 170km traversing area
- 2 nights at Zimbali Lodge on the Indian Ocean coast at Ballito
- 3 nights at Phinda Zuka Lodge tracking the Big 5, cheetah and wild dog
Special offer available
From
R 89 010 normally R 98 840
per person, complete package
≈ R 178 030 for two · international flights excluded
Most requested · 11 days · South Africa · Mauritius
11-Day Luxury Adventure Through South Africa to Mauritius
Most meals · Most activities · All flights & transfers
- 4 nights at andBeyond Phinda Vlei Lodge in KwaZulu-Natal
- Twice-daily game drives plus a guided Big Game walking safari
- 1 night at Fairlawns Boutique Hotel in a Grand Chateau Suite
- 4 nights at The Oberoi Beach Resort on Mauritius's coast
From
$12,640
per person, complete package
≈ $25,280 for two · international flights excluded
Most requested · 7 days · South Africa
7-Day Luxury Bush and Beach Safari in KwaZulu-Natal
Most meals · Most activities · All transfers
- 3 nights at The Oyster Box in Umhlanga, then 3 at Phinda Forest Lodge
- Luxury sea-facing room steps from Umhlanga Village and beach
- Renowned Curry Buffet at the Ocean Terrace and daily High Tea at Palm Court
- Twice-daily Big Five game drives in andBeyond Phinda Private Game Reserve
From
R 90 280
per person, complete package
≈ R 180 570 for two · international flights excluded
8 days · South Africa
8 Day Durban, Bayala & St Lucia
Most meals · Most activities · All transfers
- 2 nights at Fairlight Beach House on Umdloti's swimming beach near Durban
- 3 nights at Bayala Private Safari Lodge with Big Five game drives
- Optional guided bush walks between morning and afternoon drives
- 2 nights at Lidiko Lodge in St Lucia, on the iSimangaliso Wetland Park doorstep
From
R 26 570
per person, complete package
≈ R 53 140 for two · international flights excluded
8 days · South Africa
8-Day Cape Town to KwaZulu Natal Fly-In Safari
Most meals · All activities · All flights & transfers
- 3 nights at Clarendon Bantry Bay with Atlantic Ocean views
- Free days in Cape Town for Table Mountain, the Winelands or Robben Island
- 4 nights at &Beyond Phinda Zuka Lodge in KwaZulu-Natal
- Guided game drives with Swarovski binoculars and armed walking safaris
Special offer available
From
R 108 090 normally R 122 910
per person, complete package
≈ R 216 190 for two · international flights excluded
8 days · South Africa · Mozambique
8-Day Luxury Durban to Mozambique Serenity Safari
All meals · All activities · All transfers
- 3 nights at Thanda Safari Lodge in KwaZulu-Natal, then 4 at White Pearl Resort in Mozambique
- Twice-daily game drives with professional guide and tracker for Big Five sightings
- Guided bush walks and Zulu storytelling evenings at the lodge
- Snorkelling, kayaking, paddleboarding and fat-bike rides on the Mozambican coast
From
$7,205
per person, complete package
≈ $14,410 for two · international flights excluded
No safaris matching these criteria.
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Brochure
Southern Africa Guide
Southern Africa's icons, shaped into one itinerary: Greater Kruger, Victoria Falls, the Okavango Delta and Cape Town.
Where to stay
Lodges in Kwazulu - Natal.
18 lodges
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Ultra Live availabilityAndBeyond Phinda Rock Lodge
Dramatically set into a cliff-face overlooking spectacular Leopard Rock, the unique Rock Lodge at &Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve is an architectural fascination.
From R 17 850 per person · night · normally R 22 400
Special offer available
-
Biyela Lodge
Biyela Lodge nestles on a spectacular bend of the white Imfolozi River in the Imfolozi Game Park. The northern region of KwaZulu Natal is known its pristine game reserves and gorgeous coastline, making it the perfect location for a bush and beach getaway. Hluhluwe–Imfolozi Park is the oldest proclaimed nature reserve in Africa, spanning over 96 000 hectares of pristine wilderness.
From R 7 060 per person · night · normally R 10 600
Special offer available
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Rhino Ridge Safari Lodge
Hluhluwe - iMfolozi National Park is Africa's oldest game reserve and is home to the beautiful Rhino Ridge Safari Lodge. Set in a 96 000 hectare park, Rhino Ridge is a luxury lodge that offers spectacular scenery and excellent Big Five safari opportunities.
From R 5 630 per person · night
-
Lux Live availabilityAndBeyond Phinda Forest Lodge
Phinda Private Game Reserve is a rich and diverse park that encompasses 28 555 hectares of protected wildlife land in KwaZulu-Natal. The reserve is positioned between the Mkuze Game Reserve and the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park (a World Heritage Site), as well as being within easy reach of the Indian Ocean coastline.
From R 18 100 per person · night
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Lux Live availabilityAndBeyond Phinda Mountain Lodge
Nestled on the crest of a mountain, the contemporary Phinda Mountain Lodge offers the most spectacular views of the surrounding Zululand bushveld. Each suite opens onto a breathtaking panorama.
From R 14 420 per person · night · normally R 17 750
Special offer available
-
PremiumAndBeyond Phinda Zuka Lodge
Phinda Zuka Safari Lodge is an exclusive-use establishment, positioned in a private wooded area of the Phinda Reserve.
From R 11 850 per person · night · normally R 15 800
Special offer available
-
Premium Manyoni Private Game ReserveRhino Sands Safari Camp
Rhino Sands is an eco-friendly camp located in one of South Africa's premier wildlife-viewing destinations; Manyoni Private Game Reserve.
From R 11 340 per person · night
-
Affordable Live availabilitySala Beach House
Sala Beach House is an intimate boutique hotel on the KwaZulu-Natal north coast, set on Thompson's Bay at Shaka's Rock in Ballito. Seven rooms and suites in the main house plus a three-bedroom villa open directly onto the Indian Ocean, with picture windows, a private spa and barefoot coastal living an hour north of Durban.
From R 4 320 per person · night · normally R 5 400
Special offer available
Rates per person sharing, per night.
Kwazulu - Natal
Your guide to Kwazulu - Natal.
When
April to September (early autumn through winter and into spring) is the loveliest time of the year to visit. Summer – November to early March – can be very hot and humid. Game viewing is better in late June, July and August when the grass tends to be shorter and animals congregate around waterholes. Diving is great all year round.
Traveller tip: It can get scorching hot between November and February, so make sure you have enough fluid with you to prevent dehydration.
Where
Keen to see rhinos and whales on the same day? Then head to KwaZulu-Natal’s northeastern corner – absolute perfection for those looking for a combination of a beach and bush safari. This region not only boasts Africa’s oldest proclaimed game reserve, the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park, where you will find the Big Five, but also the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, an internationally renowned UNESCO World Heritage site.
iSimangaliso, meaning ‘wonder’ or ‘miracle’ in Zulu, contains eight ecosystems, including lakes, swamp forests, coral reefs, Africa’s largest estuary and 220km of gorgeous Indian Ocean beaches. And it’s the clear, warm water off these beaches that has watersport aficionados flocking here in droves. Sodwana Bay and Mabibi in particular are popular with divers as the diving is great all year round and the water temperature seldom dips below 19°C, even in winter. Dolphins play in the surf (giving this stretch of coast the name Dolphin Coast) while whales make their seasonal migration to Mozambique.
While you may well choose to simply relax at times, we’re pretty sure some of the activities on offer will entice you to participate. Think kayaking, snorkeling, kite surfing or horse riding on the beach. Sip a cocktail while soaking up the atmosphere from a double-decker ferry on Lake St Lucia or go on game drives (during the day or at night) at one of the many reserves dotted around.
In fact, we’d encourage you to check out the game parks and reserves here. (Not that we don’t love the Kruger!) The weather is milder than further north, the grass is literally greener and you can see all the game you want, including the Big Five. At Phinda Private Game Reserve, for example, you can go on game drives, join a walking safari or scuba dive, go on a river cruise or have the ultimate cultural encounter in the local Zulu community – all in the space of 24 hours.
Interested in history? You’re close to the battlefields of both the Anglo-Boer and the Anglo-Zulu wars. Go on a guided tour of the battlefields: the chilling accounts of the battles of Rorke's Drift and Isandlwana will help you gain a deeper insight into the rich history of the area.
Must see: Take a ‘hippo and croc’ sunset cruise on Lake St Lucia where hippos are so plentiful they look like boulders. And look out for the wide variety of bird life including fish eagles, kingfishers and herons.
Photos from our guests
A traveller's view.
Every photo below was taken by a guest of ours on a recent trip to Kwazulu - Natal. No stock imagery, no marketing shots. What they saw, on their cameras.
Imagery
Kwazulu - Natal, in pictures.
Recent travellers
Word from people who have just been to Kwazulu - Natal.
Quotes pulled directly from Trustpilot. Where we have specific reviews mentioning Kwazulu - Natal, those come up first. Otherwise these are recent five-star notes from across the trips we have planned.
"Sara has been exceptional with the planning of our safari from beginning to end. There have been so many changes made over the past month on my part, yet she has been able to accommodate every single change. I am very impressed and happy with such professionalism."
"Every part of our safari vacation was absolutely perfect . Jolene was so helpful in putting the pieces together during the planning phase. We stayed 2 days at Kruger Shalati, including one day driving the Panorama route, then 3 nights at Lukimbi Safari Lodge. Both places were amazing and transfers were seamless. Cannot say enough good things about their serv…"
"We’ve had a really good experience with Sara at Safari.com. She’s been great to deal with, very patient with all our changes & always quick to come back with helpful advice. She really listened to what we wanted and put together a fantastic South Africa and Namibia trip for us."
"The booking experience was flawless. I was initially apprehensive about even trying to book a safari, because August is the high season and we were less than a month away, but Izanne quickly curated the perfect trip that met the budget I had set. Izanne also demonstrated exceptional flexibility; when I requested a change to the itinerary, they quickly found…"
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