Pietermaritzburg
KwaZulu-Natal
South Africa's most culturally layered province. Durban is the country's third-largest city and home to one of the largest Indian communities outside India, giving it a cuisine and street culture unlike anywhere else in Africa. Inland, the Drakensberg mountains rise into the clouds, riddled with San rock art and world-class hiking trails. Northern Zululand holds major conservation areas, while the battlefields of Isandlwana and Blood River lie quietly in the interior, making the province feel like several different journeys in one.
Zulu heartland, Indian Ocean coast
Highlights
- •Durban Golden Mile
- •Drakensberg mountains
- •iSimangaliso Wetland Park
- •Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park
- •Battlefields Route
- •Midlands Meander
- •uMhlanga and north coast
Best Time to Visit
April to September (warm, dry, less humid)
Current Weather in Pietermaritzburg
Temperature
28°C
Condition
Clear
Feels Like
30°C
Humidity
68%
Wind
4 km/h
Where to Eat in KwaZulu-Natal
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History in KwaZulu-Natal
1816
Shaka Founds the Zulu Kingdom
Shaka kaSenzangakhona rose to become king of the Zulu people and transformed a small chiefdom into the most powerful military force in southern Africa. Through radical military innovation — including ...
1838
Battle of Blood River
Voortrekker forces defeated a much larger Zulu army on the banks of the Ncome River in one of the foundational conflicts of settler mythology in southern Africa. The battle later became central to Afr...
1879
Battle of Isandlwana
Zulu forces defeated a British column at Isandlwana in one of the British Empire's most shocking military defeats against an African army. The battle demonstrated the strength, discipline and tactical...