Gauteng is known for its winter safari options, and Cape Town offers wonderful wine farms, which means KwaZulu-Natal is often neglected in the cooler months … but with 320 days of sunshine a year on average, KZN is actually a fantastic destination all year round! If you’re heading there this autumn, and wondering what on earth to do now that the beaches hold less of an appeal, consider the following attractions:
- uShaka Marine World
The incredible, great-for-all-ages, uShaka Marine World is a place that the whole family can enjoy, and your time on-site can be as adventurous, or romantic, as you choose. Have a below-deck meal and look in on the shark tank or enjoy a secluded cruise through the canals. Alternatively, wander through the aquarium and learn about fishy friends and just enjoy a day spent surrounded by marine beauty.
- Drakensberg National Park
Forming a spiky barrier across 4 provinces, the Drakensberg mountain range is as diverse as it is vast, and remains home to some incredible critters. From eagles to Dassies (rock hyraxes) and snakes, there’s plenty to see in the mountains of the Dragons, including some divine restaurants if you dare.
- Midlands Meander
With the cooler weather setting in, the grass and plains change from emerald to lime, with hints of yellow mixed in between, the KwaZulu-Natal autumn is the perfect time to picnic – as the cooler mornings and evenings offering a reprieve from the heat of the day. A horse ride will also have you falling in love with the quiet serenity and scenery, and there are plenty of family activities to enjoy year-round.
- Botanical Gardens
If horse riding isn’t quite your thing, then head to a botanical garden to enjoy nature in a slightly more tamed environment. Choose between the Durban Botanical Gardens (which are the oldest surviving botanical gardens in Africa), or the National Botanical Garden, found in Pietermaritzburg.
- Dine in Style
Nothing screams cosy like a warm fireplace and good food, paired with great company! Take your special someone out to dinner at The Oyster Box Hotel for a romantic rendezvous to remember.
- Visit the Surf Museum
Durban has the only surfing museum in South Africa, and even if you’re not planning to hit the water with a board any time soon it makes an educational and fun family trip.
- Bird watching
Autumn is a great time to catch the migratory birds flying by, and one of the best spots to go bird watching is in the lush forest of the Umdoni Bird Sanctuary. The Isimangaliso Wetland Park (formerly the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park), is a Unesco World Heritage site and wonderland for outdoor lovers – since it encompasses numerous biomes like grassland, coral reefs, wetlands, palm groves, and sand forests, that are home to many diverse bird species (while wildlife such as crocodiles, hippos and others thrive in the varied scenery). The Umgeni Valley Nature Reserve is another fantastic spot for twitching, since there are, on average, over 200 bird species within it at almost any given time.
- Rickshaw rides
If you’ve walked the Durban promenade then a trip along the Golden Mile in a rickshaw is definitely in order – since you’re unlikely to get the chance to ride a rickshaw anywhere else in the country.
- Battlefields
The historical Battlefields site is impressive for the sheer magnitude of lives lost, sacrifices made, and the bravery of the men who fought on both sides. You can almost feel the ghostly troops standing watch over the windswept fields.
BONUS:
South Africa’s fourth largest park, the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi game reserve, is a site of open woodlands, flowing rivers, Zulu history, and dense vegetation, which make it a stunning day trip for the whole family. It’s even more impressive when you consider that you’ll be walking the ground where royalty once trod, as Hluhluwe is where King Shaka Zulu and Dingiswayo once hunted. It is the oldest game reserve in Africa, and is home to numerous wildlife species such as hyena, zebra, wildebeest, lion, elephant, giraffe and cheetah.
What other great attractions and activities can you recommend?
Main image credited to The Oyster Box Hotel.
