Best Of Kwazulu-natal

The Best of KwaZulu-Natal combines the beauty and adventure of the Drakensberg Mountains with the historical experience of the Battlefields and game viewing at Hluhluwe – Imfolozi Park before completing your stay in South Africa with relaxation time on the beach in Durban.

DAY 1 HEATHROW-DURBAN
Overnight flight to Durban from Heathrow via Johannesburg (plane change).

Standard Self-Drive Tour – Departs Daily

DAY 2 DRAKENSBERG
Arrive at Durban airport where a representative will meet and assist you to collect your hire car. You will drive to the Ukhahlamba Drakenberg, a 200 km long mountainous wonderland and a proclaimed UNESCO World Heritage Site. (400 km – approximately 5 hours) Overnight: Cathedral Peak Hotel. (d)

DAY 3 DRAKENSBERG
After breakfast the day is free to enjoy the mountains, go hiking, or just relax around the pool. Overnight: Cathedral Peak Hotel. (b,d)

DAY 4 DRAKENSBERG-BATTLEFIELDS
After breakfast leave the Drakensberg, via Dundee in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, for the battlefields. A lunch stop is recommended at Talana Museum, the site of the Battle of Talana Hill in 1899 between the Boers and the British. (200 km – approximately 3 hours). Overnight: Isandlwana Lodge. (b,d)

DAY 5 BATTLEFIELDS
Today you will enjoy a full day tour of the Battlefields of Rorke’s Drift and Isandlwana. An expert guide brings the story of this region to life – where Boer, Brit and Zulu fought bloody battles over many years. Overnight: Isandlwana Lodge (b,d)

DAY 6 BATTLEFIELDS-HLUHLUWE
You will depart this morning towards Zululand, home to the most famous tribe in Africa, the Zulus. The Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park is internationally acclaimed for its conservation efforts, especially in the pioneering work in saving the white rhino from extinction, plus it is the oldest reserve in Africa. In the afternoon you will enjoy a guided game drive into the park in search of the ‘big 5′ (260 km – approximately 3 hours). Overnight: Hluhluwe River Lodge. (b,d)

DAY 7 HLUHLUWE
Today you can choose from either a morning or an afternoon game drive in to the park. Go in search of the rhinos, lions, cheetahs, wild dogs and other game. Overnight: Hluhluwe River Lodge. (b,d)

DAY 8 HLUHLUWE-ST LUCIA
Drive to St Lucia and spend the afternoon exploring this quaint seaside village. Maybe take an interpretive guided walk in the Eastern Shores Game Reserve. Spend the night in St Lucia, which is situated in the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. (70 km – approximately 1 hour). Overnight: Lidiko Lodge. (b)

DAY 9 ST LUCIA-DURBAN
Today you will enjoy a morning boat cruise on the St Lucia Estuary viewing hippos, crocodiles and a variety of bird life from the boat. After disembarkation, proceed to the coastal playground city of Durban, and your hotel located on the beachfront, affectionately known as ‘The Golden Mile’. (250 km – approximately 3 hours). Overnight: Southern Sun Elangeni. (b)

DAY 10 DURBAN
Today simply soak up the sun and savour the tranquillity of this pristine, sandy beach, plus with its crystal clear, warm waters the area offers some of the best snorkelling and off-shore scuba diving in South Africa. Alternatively, highly recommended is an optional Durban City Tour. Overnight: Southern Sun Elangeni. (b)

DAY 11 DURBAN-HEATHROW
After your relaxing stay in this magnificent area you will drive to Durban Airport (40 km – approximately 40 minutes) to return your hire car in time to connect with your onward travel arrangements, or your overnight flight to Heathrow via Johannesburg. (b)

Where Next
Add to your experience by extending your holiday to one of these easy to combine destinations: Victoria Falls, Mozambique, Malawi, Seychelles, Mauritius or Dubai.

This itinerary is also available as:

4*+ Luxury Self-Drive Tour – Departs Daily
Day 2 Drakensberg – Cleopatra Mountain Farmhouse
Day 3 Drakensberg – Cleopatra Mountain Farmhouse
Day 4 Battlefields – Isandlwana Lodge
Day 5 Battlefields – Isandlwana Lodge
Day 6 Hluhluwe – Thanda Private Game Reserve
Day 7 Hluhluwe – Thanda Private Game Reserve
Day 8 St Lucia – Amazulu Lodge
Day 9 Durban – Oyster Box Hotel
Day 10 Durban – Oyster Box Hotel

At Thanda Private Game Reserve in Hluhluwe, all meals and selected beverages are included.

Established in 1968, Somak Holidays is an independant Tour Operator specialising in holidays to East Africa.

Somak Holidays aim to offer inspiring holidays to the most superb locations in Africa. Above all they pride themselves on being a family-owned and run company. That means they are solely focused on the holidays they arrange, and not on appeasing shareholders. Somak Holidays continually inspect hotels and airlines, and test itineraries in order to improve some aspect or another.

Somak Holidays is a multi-award winning operator, winning such accolades as “Best Independant Tour Operator to Africa” in the Travel Weekly Awards 2010.

Our Opinion
“Somak Holidays has been arranging safaris to Kenya for over 40 years and have built an excellent reputation as the number one independant tour operator to East Africa.”