KwaZulu natal - South Africas Zulu Kingdom

Information about Kwazulu Natal

KwaZulu Natal includes the Drakensberg, East Griqualand, Elephant Coast, Pietermaritzburg and Midlands, Zululand, South Coast, North Coast (Dolphin Coast) and the Battlefields regions.

KwaZulu Natal has three different geographic areas: the lowland region along the Indian Ocean coast, plains in the central section, and two mountainous areas, the Drakensberg Mountains in the west and the Lebombo Mountains in the north. The Tugela River flows west to east across the center of KZN.

Average temperatures in KwaZulu Natal range from 17° to 28° C from October to April and from 11° to 25° C in the colder months. Annual rainfall is about 690 mm, falling throughout the year.

The KwaZulu Natal Coastline

The the KwaZulu Natal coastline is dotted with small towns, many of which serve as seasonal recreational hubs. North of Durban is locally referred to as "The North Coast", while south is "The South Coast". The Kwazulu-Natal Tourist board includes towns like Margate, Port Shepstone, Scottburgh and Port Edward in its definition of what constitutes the South Coast, while Ballito, Umhlanga and Salt Rock are quintessentially North Coast resort towns. Superb beaches of world-class quality are to be found along virtually every part of South Africas eastern seaboard, with some of the least developed gems found in the far southern and far northern ends of the provinces extents. The beach at Marina Beach (and its adjoining resort San Lameer) was recognized in 2002 as a Blue Flag beach.

An extraordinary natural phenomenon that is witnessed annually on the KwaZulu-Natal coast during late autumn or early winter is the "sardine run". Also referred to as "the greatest shoal on earth", the sardine run occurs when millions of sardines migrate from their spawning grounds south of the southern tip of Africa northwards along the Eastern Cape coastline towards KwaZulu-Natal following a path close inshore, often resulting in many fish washing up on beaches along the coast. The huge shoal of tiny fish can stretch for many kilometres and is followed and preyed upon by thousands of predators, including gamefish, sharks, dophins and sea birds. Usually the shoals break up and the fish disappear into deeper water around Durban. Many questions surrounding this exceptional event remain unanswered.

Links to regions in Kwazulu Natal

Drakensberg
Durban Metro & Durban
Midlands & Battlefields
North Coast
South Coast
Zululand
Maputuland

Accommodation in and around Durban