Leaving Durban and moving westwards, you start to leave behind some of the humidity. As you travel you climb steadily and as the altitude increases, the air becomes fresher.
This is the Upper Highway referring to the highway that links Durban with the interior of KwaZulu Natal.
This is the start of dramatic gorges and wonderful views. At around 700 meters above sea level and Durban, the heat is now dry and this is the start of the mist zone. The soil is rich and dark and azaleas flourish here helping to make spring gardens stunning. It is a beautiful area full of mature trees.
There are small villages plus Hillcrest, now a fast growing little town swelled by those moving out of Durban and down from Gauteng. In 30 years it has changed from a one robot (set of traffic lights) town to a nine robot town but there is somehow, still a village feel.
You are spoiled for choice of restaurants here and we recommend some special ones.
The choice of art and craft ranges from some known across the world: a sculptor, a glass blower and a ceramicist, to wonderful handmade crafts from the women in the Valley of 1000 Hills. The Saunter gives you the opportunity to visit studios to watch the creative process and meet the artists and crafters themselves.
The Shongweni Farmers’ Market is a well-loved Saturday market filled with artisan food stalls and crafts.
Perhaps the most important thing: this is pony territory including pleasure riding, polo, and horse and jockey training. One of the things we will suggest… get an early start and have breakfast watching a thunder of training thoroughbreds appear out of the mist and gallop past.
Another suggestion is to take a ride in a beautifully restored steam train.
There are many more options including some excellent antique and interior decor stores and fun activities for children. You are spoiled for choice!
Part of the area is along the challenging Comrades Marathon Route: the ultra-marathon which links Durban and Pietermaritzburg. We follow a large chunk of the route and you will see the wall of plaques to those who managed it 10 times or more.
The views get more dramatic as you wind up towards Monteseel with one of South Africa’s most famous rock climbing cliffs. Stretching out into the distance is the stunning Valley of 1000 Hills and KwaZulu-Natal’s Table Mountain forms a backdrop to unspoilt bush further along.
This is the start of protected places for wildlife. There are bush lodges and game reserves and it is all malaria free. We pass and visit the historic iNchanga Station and Museum with its ghosts of young English soldiers, dreaming of victory against the Boers as they tumble from trains into ox wagons and return with the tatters of shredded dreams and bodies.
An outstanding Community project is on this route. The crafters’ and artists’ studios along the Valley of 1000 Hills include a ceramicist making small wildlife pieces, a puzzle maker, a painter of landscapes and more. Each is so different and all make this a very pleasant area to go sauntering.
For those seeking some physical action: you can bum slide into a river in a beautiful picnic spot, zipline or learn archery and there are wonderful walks. Visit a rural community to experience rural life or, simply settle down to watch the wildlife, exercise your right arm in lifting a drink and get pampered by a Spa team.
To help you to explore, we have 4 routes in this area. Look under Itineraries at the top of the Home Page.
