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Delhi to KwaZulu-Natal: Durban and the Drakensberg

Delhi → Durban → Drakensberg

Durban
"Durban_from_the_Balcony_(Dennis_Sylvester_Hurd)_1.jpg" by Dennis Sylvester Hurd, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons· licence
Durban from the Balcony (Dennis Sylvester Hurd) 1 (Durban)
Photo: Dennis Sylvester Hurd, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Indian Ocean city & mountain amphitheatre Best season (general guide): Mar–May, Sep–Nov

KwaZulu-Natal, on South Africa's east coast, combines the warm beaches of Durban with the high Drakensberg mountains. This route spends two nights in Durban and four in the Drakensberg. From Delhi you'll connect through the Gulf or Johannesburg.

How to pace it: Spend days one and two in Durban: day one, the Golden Mile; day two, markets and bunny chow. Then spend days three to six in Drakensberg: day three, drive to the northern Drakensberg; day four, Tugela Gorge or Amphitheatre hike; day five, San rock art at Giant's Castle; day six, mountain walk.

Durban has a large Indian community, one of the biggest outside India, and its food reflects it. Bunny chow, a hollowed-out loaf filled with curry, was born here. The Golden Mile is a long beachfront promenade.

Inland, the Drakensberg rises to a basalt wall along the border with Lesotho. UNESCO lists the Maloti-Drakensberg Park for its landscape and for its San rock paintings, made over thousands of years.

In Royal Natal National Park, the Amphitheatre is a curved cliff several kilometres long. Tugela Falls, one of the highest waterfalls in the world, drops over its edge, and trails follow the Tugela Gorge.

Further south, Giant's Castle has rock art shelters that can be visited with a guide.

Spring and autumn are the best seasons for hiking. Summer brings afternoon thunderstorms, and winter can bring snow on the peaks.

The Drakensberg weather can change quickly, so carry waterproofs and a warm layer even on a sunny morning, and tell your lodge where you are going. In Durban, the beachfront is best enjoyed in the morning, and the Indian markets are a good place to buy spices.

Good to know: A hire car is essential. Drive only in daylight, keep valuables out of sight and follow local advice. Book park accommodation ahead, and start hikes early to avoid afternoon storms.

Lodges in the berg can arrange guided walks, and evenings by the fire after a day on the trails are part of the charm.

Suggested outline

  1. Delhi

    Start

  2. Durban

    By air · 2 nights suggested

    A warm Indian Ocean city, with its Golden Mile beachfront and Indian food heritage.

  3. Drakensberg

    Overland · 4 nights suggested

    The basalt Amphitheatre, Tugela Falls and San rock art in the mountains.

    Amphitheatre (Drakensberg)
    "Amphitheatre_Drakensberg.jpg" by User:Bothar, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Day by day

  1. Day 1 · Durban — Arrive; the Golden Mile· Delhi → Durban (by air) — long-haul; may arrive the next calendar day
  2. Day 2 · Durban — Markets and bunny chow
  3. Day 3 · Drakensberg — Drive to the northern Drakensberg· Durban → Drakensberg (overland)
  4. Day 4 · Drakensberg — Tugela Gorge or Amphitheatre hike
  5. Day 5 · Drakensberg — San rock art at Giant's Castle
  6. Day 6 · Drakensberg — Mountain walk
  7. Day 7 · Drakensberg — Travel home from Drakensberg· Drakensberg → Durban (overland), then Durban → Delhi (by air)

A suggested pace only; expedition days are set by the operator.

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Durban

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Drakensberg

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