KwaZulu Natal

Sodwana Bay   Sodwana Bay is located on the east coast of South Africa, in one of the most unique and unspoiled parts of the world. The KwaZulu-Natal province is home to the Zulu people who have inhabited the area in harmony with the land for several centuries. They still remain the predominant ethnic group in the region. Situated in the iSimangaliso Wetland Park and the Maputaland Marine Reserve, efforts are made to protect its integrity from environmental degradation. You will find a peaceful and yet dynamic little town to spend some quality time away from home. Come explore the area, meet the locals and enjoy a wide variety of activities in one of the top ten scuba diving destinations in the world. lotus For the avid ocean enthusiasts, sea turtle tours, ocean tours, kitesurfing, learning about sharks, fishing and much more is on the menu and Sodwana Bay will meet your highest expectations. While on land, go quad biking or on nature walks. Scan the horizo

    What is Ballito parkrun? It is a 5km run - it's you against the clock. When is it? Every Saturday at 8:00am. Where is it? The event takes place at Sugar Rush Park, Esenembi Road, Ballito 4420. See Course page for more details. What does it cost to join in? Nothing - it's free! but please register before your first run. Only ever register with parkrun once. Don't forget to bring a printed copy of your barcode ( request a reminder ). If you forget it, you won't get a time . How fast do I have to be? We all run for our own enjoyment. Please come along and join in whatever your pace! Ballito parkrun needs you! It is entirely organised by volunteers - email ballitohelpers@parkrun.com to help. We're friendly! Every week we grab a post parkrun coffee in the Sugar Rush coffee shop - please come and join us!       The Course The course is 5000m (5K) long. The course is at Sugar Rush Park, Ballito. The course is run on a mix

Durban Enchanted Pleasure - Palace - Africa's bewitching seaside playground in the sun, Durban has from its earliest days possessed a special charm...a certain mystique that adds 'something extra' to the meeting of warm Indian Ocean, radiant golden sands and lush sub-tropical greenery. The creation of Durban Metro beckons visitors to this sublime paradise with yet another bonus...the addition of three invaluable elements to our ever - evolving, ever - widening portfolio of irresistible attractions. To offer the broadest possible spectrum of unforgettable experiences, we've brought to your holiday doorstep the magnificent environment and cultural wonders of the Valley of a Thousand Hills, long and tranquil beaches of The South and up - market ambience of the historic and culturally rich Umhlanga. Durban Metro is where the proud Zulu nation meets East and West...a wealth of influences to entertain and enthrall with traditional warrior dancers, my

FREDERIKA NATURE PRESERVE The Frederika Nature Preserve came into being in 1977 when 30 beachfront residential sites where placed on the market. Leo Driessen, a concerned environmentalist, realised the value of the biodiversity of the area and the negative impact that development of the primary dune would have on Southbroom. He chose to purchase all of the properties on offer and donated them into the custody of SA Nature Conservation Centre (now Delta Environmental Centre). He named the preserve for his wife, Frederika, who later increased its size by the donation of certain adjoining sites on the highest part of the dune.  In 1990, Delta's then Chairman, and friend of Leo Driessen, Mr NC Bloom,  registered the preserve with the Department of Environme

The Wonderful World of Disney On Ice heads  to SA in 2017 , skating into Durban for the first time! Disney On Ice will return to South Africa in 2017 for the sixth time with  The Wonderful World of Disney On Ice! . With tickets now available, families will be able to celebrate magic, spirit, and fun as an extraordinary lineup of Disney stories come to life in Johannesburg, Cape Town and, for the very first time, Durban! Presented by Feld Entertainment Inc and leading local promoter, Showtime Management  The Wonderful World of Disney On Ice!  opens on Friday, 30 June 2017 at the Ticketpro Dome, Johannesburg and runs until Sunday, 09 July 2017.  The production then moves to Durban’s ICC  Arena from Thursday, 13 July to Sunday, 16 July and then to GrandWest, Cape Town from Wednesday, 19 July to Sunday, 23 July 2017. Tickets are on sale at Computicket.  Join Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck and Goofy as they walk down memory lane and reawaken Disney moments tha

East Griqualand - KZN The East Griqualand Highlands in the southernmost section of the Drakensberg is perhaps KZN’s best kept secret. Without having to look too hard, these beautiful mountain highlands and rolling farmlands have much to offer visitors. Kokstad is the largest town in the region, named for a famous Griqua leader Adam Kok, whose story is in the quirky local museum. The natural beauty of the East Griqualand Highlands is astounding in all seasons. In spring, the earth comes to life in all its fresh greenery and there are magnificent private gardens, including a prayer garden and a cycad “garden”, many of which can be visited during the annual Encounter East Griqualand festival, one of the strangest and friendliest in the province. Summer is the lovely blonde-grass harvest season and a beautiful time to visit. There are great hikes and trails through the Ngele Forest (where, with a guide, you can pick wild porcini mushrooms) and Mount Currie Nature Reser

Fort Amiel Museum The fort is located in Amiel Park in Newcastle and was constructed in 1877 by men of the 80th Staffordshire Volunteers to protect the town and to provide support for Shepstone’s expedition to annex the Transvaal in April 1877. It served through the Anglo Zulu War and as a support base for Gen. Sir George Pomeroy-Colley’s advance to relieve the British garrisons invested in the Transvaal in 1881. The Fort has now been restored and serves as a museum.   Fort Amiel was constructed in 1876 by Major Charles Frederick Amiel and soldiers of the 80th Staffordshire Volunteers. It was built as a fort and "look-out post", for the British during the run up to the annexation of the former Transvaal and the Zulu War, although it really never served that purpose. During the First Boer War it was used as a garrison for the King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster). Fort Amiel served as a commissariat depot, transit camp and hospital. Many wounded

Bird of Prey Sanctuary The African Bird of Prey Sanctuary is a working facility dedicated to the conservation of indigenous raptors and is base to ongoing research, breeding and rehabilitation projects for birds of prey. The majority of these projects run ‘behind the scenes’ to ensure that the integrity of the wild birds is not compromised and that a high release success rate is achieved. The sanctuary is also, however, home to a wide selection of captive-bred or ‘non-releasable rehabilitation’ birds of prey. These raptors can be viewed in their ‘micro-environment’ enclosures by anyone who wishes to visit and learn about South Africa’s magnificent aerial predators. The African Bird of Prey Sanctuary opened quietly in June 2006, but was an amalgamation or a variety of projects that have been ongoing in KZN for the previous five years. Headed up by  Shannon Hoffman, the sanctuary cares for over 180 different birds of prey of 50 different