Tag: Durban South Africa

Where in the World Are We?

We are in Durban, South Africa.

DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA
The Surf City

What is it about South Africa’s third most popular city that draws people so much? Is it the vibrant waterfront, complete with street performers and sand artists? Is it the melting pot of ethnicity, with all cultures from Zulu to Indian finding a home here? Is it the laid-back lifestyle that has locals calling it simply “Durbs”? Is it the sweeping landscape? The clement climate? One visit to Durban will quickly make you see that the reason people love it so much is a combination of all of the above.

Durban has always been a beach city but it was the massive investment for the 2010 World Cup that really put it on the map. A huge revamp of the promenade has brought with it some fantastic eateries that serve all kinds of “chow,” from traditional bunny chow to bobotie (a sweet, spiced mince dish with an egg topping). Expect Asian influences wherever you go, too. Durban has the largest Indian population outside of India.

Although there is little evidence, it is known that the city of eThekwini – Durban in Zulu – was inhabited by hunter-gatherers thousands of years ago. It was first sighted by Vasco de Gama in 1497, but it was not until 1824 that the British settlers raised the Union Jack. This was after King Shaka gifted “a 25-mile strip of coast a hundred miles in depth” to Henry Francis Fynn after Fynn helped him recover from a stab wound. It remained part of the British Commonwealth until 1960, when it became part of the Republic of South Africa. The city’s Euro-African heritage remains to this day.

SIGHTS
• Durban Beach Front
• Durban Botanic Gardens
• Durban City Hall
• Durban Natural Science Museum
• Hollywoodbets Kings
• Park Stadium
• Kwa Muhle Museum
• Mitchell Park Zoo
• Moses Mabhida Stadium
• Phansi Museum
• PheZulu Safari Park
• Sri Sri Radha Radhanath Temple
• Ushaka Beach

SHOPPING AND CUISINE
Gateway Theatre of Shopping is the ultimate shopping, leisure, and entertainment haven! Gateway is the largest retail
destination in the city, offering an uNrivaled experience that caters to all ages and interests.

The Victoria Street Market, where the scents of spices and the vibrancy of local crafts create an unforgettable experience.

The bunny chow – the Durban specialty – is unique to the city and consists of a quarter loaf of bread hollowed out and filled with a curry of your choice. The dish is also called a ‘kota’ in many parts of the country. The original bunny chows were made only with vegetarian fillings and were known as a bean bunny.

Today’s Excursion – Tala Private Game Reserve.

Located in the KwaZulu-Natal hills is the wildlife conservancy of Tala Private Game Reserve, an area of indigenous acacia thornveld, open grassland, and sensitive wetland that provides an exceptional environment for game viewing and birdwatching.

Tala Private Game Reserve
Tala provides visitors with superb game viewing experiences in open game vehicles with highly knowledgeable and
experienced rangers and a tracker who will not fail to impress you with his bush skills. At Tala, the aim is to bring you closer to nature, to interact with the environment and animals, and to experience the sights, sounds, and smells of the African bush. The reserve, which spans nearly 7,500 acres (3,000 hectares) and encompasses diverse natural environments, features well over 300 bird species, as well as big game such as rhino, kudu, hippo, giraffe, and the rare sable antelope.

Several distinctive and remarkable plant species are also found on Tala. The fiery aloe in full bloom, the imposing euphorbia, and the smell of the fragrant wild sage on a dewy morning make for wonderful, vivid memories.

Upon your arrival at the Tala Game Reserve Lodge, enjoy refreshments followed by your exciting two-hour open vehicle game drive. Have your camera ready for this exhilarating look at Tala’s wildlife.

Dinner was in The Atlantide Restaurant.