Long weekend suggestions in KZN

Emjay

Emjay

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Hello everyone,

My husband has never been to KZN. So, I was thinking it would be a good idea for a long weekend trip for just the 2 of us. We are in JHB and we love road trips, so we will drive down.

However, I have seen in the news and social media that some areas in KZN are not doing too great. Anyone have some suggestions on what areas are good for a long weekend? Any recommended stops or sights to see are very welcome.
 
Emjay said:
Hello everyone,

My husband has never been to KZN. So, I was thinking it would be a good idea for a long weekend trip for just the 2 of us. We are in JHB and we love road trips, so we will drive down.

However, I have seen in the news and social media that some areas in KZN are not doing too great. Anyone have some suggestions on what areas are good for a long weekend? Any recommended stops or sights to see are very welcome.
Click to expand...
As Poly said, there is a lot to see. If you are doing a road trip down to KZN there are some great places to stop/pass through. If you have time, perhaps overnight in the berg... If you come down the escarpment via Oliviershoek Pass (R74), then would recommend overnighting somewhere near Royal National (amphitheater area) which is one of my favorite places in the berg. (Thendele camp is the Ezemvelo site there which is very cool)

From there, the Midlands and Nottingham Road, Midlands Meander is nice with lots of pubs and various other places of interest) After that it depends, Beach or Game viewing? Umhlanga town, beach and promenade are very nice but then so is Hluhluwe-Imfolozi game reserve and St Lucia up the North Coast.

Can also highly recommend the South Coast, Oribi Gorge/Lake Eland which has an amazing Zip Line tour if you are into that sort of thing. The Karfloof Zip line tour is also pretty epic if you don't end up going down the South Coast.
 
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I'd follow N3 toll route on X, they're pretty good for keeping you updated on what's going on with the roads.
If you're doing N3, there's that big Bergview OneStop (just those Engen garage stops) that is very popular but this is why we normally skip it. It caters for both directions and you can queue for fuel, but it does have a bunch of your franchise fastfood places if you're keen. We plan our stops so we can make it to the Windmill stop, just outside Pietermaritzburg if you're coming from JHB. There's a nice restaurant there, normally has a fireplace going in the colder months, small shop that we've bought an nguni cow hide plus some sheepskin rugs from, was cheaper than other places. Also can get busy but just a nicer more holiday vibe.
Leave early doors either way - that route is just busy with trucks, earlier has been better in our experience.

Attractions depends on you guys and what you're looking for, my recommendations would be more kid-friendly based. Probably worth swinging by the Nelson Mandela Capture Site, that's midlands side. I'm also a fan of the aquarium - it's in the CBD which is not great but you'll be perfectly fine driving in and out, and uShaka itself is cool. Can rent a bicycle there and cycle around along the beach a bit. Speaking of if you guys do have your own bicycles it might be worth moving with them if you can - coming from JHB there's just nicer places to go on long rides.

Long weekend I'd probably pick a place just outside Durban - Ballito or Umhlanga maybe, do day trips to midlands, Durban itself. Reckon you can see a decent part of KZN this way. Beaches are also clean(er?) here. If you want to be in Durbs I'd pick a place close to the Berea, Florida road area. If swimming beaches are your thing I'd head south - past Warner Beach at least. Towns are old and not fancy but beaches are great.
Food spots - I mean you gotta do a bunny chow right, or at least some curry from a local dodge curry spot. Depends on who you ask and where you're staying, check out the bunny chow thread for recommendations but I reckon the place has Govender in it's name you're good to go.
Oyster Box hotel also has a cool restaurant, plus Umhlanga has good steak spots - Butcher Boys and Little Havana are two I've been to.
So if you do go enjoy and safe travels!
 
Visit Karkloof and the surrounding areas especially Benvie Gardens.

Stay away from Durban. Its unapologetically aweful.
 
Emjay said:
Hello everyone,

My husband has never been to KZN. So, I was thinking it would be a good idea for a long weekend trip for just the 2 of us. We are in JHB and we love road trips, so we will drive down.

However, I have seen in the news and social media that some areas in KZN are not doing too great. Anyone have some suggestions on what areas are good for a long weekend? Any recommended stops or sights to see are very welcome.
Click to expand...

Cape town
 
Polymathic said:
Depends on what you want to do, there's the Berg, Midlands, the regular beaches and the marine protected tropical beaches and wetlands
Click to expand...

We are easy. We often go somewhere and then are very spontaneous. So a mix of a beach, hiking and will take a look at the aquarium as suggested above (never been). We do love hiking. Do you have any recommended day trails we should look at?
 
Emjay said:
We are easy. We often go somewhere and then are very spontaneous. So a mix of a beach, hiking and will take a look at the aquarium as suggested above (never been). We do love hiking. Do you have any recommended day trails we should look at?
Click to expand...
Then consider Rocky bay in the south coast as their trails offer what you seek. Park at the beach, hit the trails and enjoy a good meal at the restaurant. Note the water shortage so carry your own.
 
Emjay said:
We are easy. We often go somewhere and then are very spontaneous. So a mix of a beach, hiking and will take a look at the aquarium as suggested above (never been). We do love hiking. Do you have any recommended day trails we should look at?
Click to expand...

In terms of day trails in the Berg, the Gorge Walk from Royal National is rated very highly in terms of ease of access and views. If you are feeling more adventurous then Sentinel Car Park --> Chain Ladders --> Tugela Falls is spectacular.

https://www.alltrails.com/trail/south-africa/kwazulu-natal/royal-natal-tugela-gorge

https://www.strayalongtheway.com/sentinel-peak-hike/

Most of the Ezemvelo areas have excellent day hikes... Monks Cowl, Cathedral Peak area and Royal National are all good places to visit for day hikes.
 
Emjay said:
We are easy. We often go somewhere and then are very spontaneous. So a mix of a beach, hiking and will take a look at the aquarium as suggested above (never been). We do love hiking. Do you have any recommended day trails we should look at?
Click to expand...
The best hiking spots are in the Midlands there's too many to choose from.

This guy on Tiktok does a good job highlighting all the hiking spots in KZN, you should have a look and see if there's anything that catches your interest

But based on what you're looking to do, the best place to be based out of is probably Umhlanga its upmarket and safer than Durban itself, and it's still fairly central. It's a short drive to the Durban Beachfront/uShaka and avoids the less savory parts of the city. There's also a forest reserve in Umhlanga itself but thats more a running/walking trail than a hike. Personally, I find the Durban and North coast beaches a bit meh compared to the South Coast but it keeps your options opened if you want to go for a drive.

Hiking spots I know of nearby are Paradise Valley, Shongweni and the Everton Conservancy all within Greater Durban.

Also you can get taste of the Midlands on the/ drive down by getting off the N3 at Mooi River and taking the R103 to Howick.
 
Be sure to visit Kwandengezi, Claremont and Marianhill. These are tourist cultural enrichments hotspots.
 
Aghori said:
Be sure to visit Kwandengezi, Claremont and Marianhill. These are tourist cultural enrichments hotspots.
Click to expand...
Don't knock the monastery at Mariannhill, it's quite spectacular.

The rest not so much though.
 
Cray said:
As Poly said, there is a lot to see. If you are doing a road trip down to KZN there are some great places to stop/pass through. If you have time, perhaps overnight in the berg... If you come down the escarpment via Oliviershoek Pass (R74), then would recommend overnighting somewhere near Royal National (amphitheater area) which is one of my favorite places in the berg. (Thendele camp is the Ezemvelo site there which is very cool)

From there, the Midlands and Nottingham Road, Midlands Meander is nice with lots of pubs and various other places of interest) After that it depends, Beach or Game viewing? Umhlanga town, beach and promenade are very nice but then so is Hluhluwe-Imfolozi game reserve and St Lucia up the North Coast.

Can also highly recommend the South Coast, Oribi Gorge/Lake Eland which has an amazing Zip Line tour if you are into that sort of thing. The Karfloof Zip line tour is also pretty epic if you don't end up going down the South Coast.
Click to expand...
We went to Giant's Castle via Nottingham Road where you meet up with it from the N3 over the Easter Weekend.

Sadly that road is potholes with little bits of tar to keep them together.
 
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