KwaZulu/Natal is known as the home of the Zulu's. It is steeped in history and renowned for its vast wildlife areas. situated on the eastern seaboard, KwaZulu/Natal has a wide variety of habitats from the beautiful beaches on the Indian Ocean to the majestic Drakensberg Mountains. Visit the traditional Zulu villages, the battle fields where armies from the advancing groups of settlers - British, Boers and Zulu's clashed at various times and of course the great game reserves in the northern portion of Zululand. The cities here are modern, as are most of the infrastructure such as roads, airports and medical facilities.

Day 1:

Arrive in Durban where we will meet you at the Durban airport and shuttle you to a traditional Zulu village. The first night will be spent in the village and visitors will be entertained with Zulu song and dance. You will be taught some of the traditions of the Zulu people through various stories. Accommodations are extremely comfortable and you will enjoy first class catering at the village.

Day 2:

Awake early to experience the life in the village. Visitors are shown the Zulu's work with cattle, the women working to prepare food for the village and will enjoy watching them at their craftsmanship. You will be able to purchase craft items at the village. Visitors will also see a traditional healer at work. After breakfast, mid to late morning, we will travel to the battlefields and learn about the rich history. We will also stop at a curio outlet for people that want more than was offered at the Zulu village. The afternoon is spent relaxing or horse riding at the Battle Field's Country Lodge, where we will spend the second evening.

Day 3:

Today we will travel to the famous Isandlawana and Rorkes Drift battle fields. It was here at Isandlawna where the British army was defeated by the Zulu army. At Rorkes Drift, a small contingent of British soldiers held off a whole Zulu battalion. More Victoria crosses were presented for this battle than any other in the history of the British Empire. A professional battle field's guide accompanies us on this day and takes us through the rich history of the great battles. The whole day is spent on this tour and we spend our third night at the Battle Fields Country Lodge.

Day 4:

Today we will travel to northern Zululand towards the game reserves. We will travel via the Blood River Battlefield, Monuments and Museums. This area is famous for the clash between Zulu's and Boers. A very small group of settlers defeated a large contingent of the Zulu army.

In the game areas we make use of the following accommodations:

• Leopard Mountain Lodge (Luxury)
• Banghoek Lodge (Very Nice)
• Ghost Mountain Inn (Quaint Country Hotel)

The fourth night is spent at one of these establishments. At Leopard Mountain a night drive can be done with prior arrangement. There will be an incremental fee for the first two lodges.

Days 5-6:

We spend the next two days viewing game in Mkuzi Game Reserve. This reserve is renowned for the general game viewing. There are also good populations of both Black and White rhino. Elephants have been reintroduced and there is a chance that they may be seen. The main attraction in this game reserve are the world famous game viewing hides, where water is pumped into two waterholes and visitors can view animals from very close quarters. Fantastic photographic opportunities exist here for both animals and bird life on the lakes and wetlands. During the day we supply picnic baskets for clients, as there are no restaurants in the reserve. Nights 5 and 6 will be spend in one of the lodges mentioned above. These lodges are outside the game erserve and there is a short trip into the reserve each day.

Days 7-8:

The next two days will be spent in Umfolozi/Hluhluwe Park. At one time these parks were separate but have now been joined together. Well known for their White Rhino populations, there are also elephants, buffalo, lions and leopards found here. Two days will be spent at this very large park and there will be a fair amount of traveling. We will try to cover as much country as possible to expose you to the many game viewing opportunities. Walks can be arranged for the more adventurous. Night drives can also be undertaken. Meals are either at the restaurant in the Hluhluwe area or we can again supply picnic baskets. We will stay at one of the either Gasebo Safari Lodge or Bona Manzi Game Lodge. A visit to the Lala Weavers is also well worth the time. Throughout this area one fines numerous craft sites where visitors can buy locally made articles and curios.

Days 5-6 or 7-8:

You will have the options here to change out either Days 5-6 or Days 7-8 for a visit to the Tembe Elephant Park and the Ndumu Game Reserve. If elephants are your favorite, you may want to opt for this excursion as the Tembe Elephant Reserve is well know for its elephant herds. It is possible here to still see 100lb per each tusk elephant bulls. There are also buffalo, lion, leopard and rhino in this reserve. The general game viewing is also excellent. The Ndumu game reserve is noted for its bird life along with general game viewing. While in this area, visitors will stay in a traditional tented safari camp.

Day 9:

Today we will visit the St. Lucia Wetland Park. If the water levels are high enough, we will take a power boat ride on the lake to see hippo, crocodiles and awesome birdlife in the form of flocks of pelicans and greater flamingos. Other marsh dwelling species and waterfowl are also seen in numbers.

Day 10:

Today we will travel back to Durban. We will stop at some curio shops along the way where you can make some last minute purchases of local treasures for yourself and your friends at home. Lastly, we will bid you farewell as you are returned safely to the Durban airport for your flight back home.

When visiting this region in the spring and summer is suggested that anti malaria medication be taken.

Port of arrival and departure: Durban, South Africa