Travel Answers

We are planning to visit Umfolozi and Hluhluwe National Parks and would appreciate comments on the Hilltop game lodge

Hi , may be you can help us, we are travelling next week to Durban and staying there for a couple of days and then hiring a game in Hluluwe for 3 days , on the next day we wanted to drive to the Drakensberg mountains to be able to see something different, beach - game - mountains.... do you know if we need to take the malaria pills? we only have this week and next week before the weekend so we the time is running out...

do you know also how long would it take us to drive from Hluluwe to the Drakensberg mountains and from there back to Durban ? as our plan was to drive back to Durban on the day we have to fly back to London.

Hope you are able to help us,

thank you very much!

A friend of mine is in Durban. Could you please give me some adresses of fishing geare shops in Durban?

I am travelling with my family from overseas and arriving at night. Is the taxi service to a hotel safe and reliable?

In July, I need to get from Maputo, Mozambique to a destination close to Hluhluwe. Then about a week later I'll need to get back to Maputo. What's the best way to do that? If that's too difficult, I can probably use Johannesburg as my portal instead of Maputo, in which case I still need advice about how to get to and from there. Thank you.

I'm so pleased to have found your site. My partner and I are fit 60 year olds who are visiting Durban on 7th January for a month long stay. For the first 2 weeks we will be with his family - son and daughter-in-law in their mid thirties with 4 boys, -10 month old twins, and 3 and 6 year olds. They moved there in July for his son's job. With our help they would like to take the family on a trip to the mountains before the children return to school on the 14th. We'll need a large property where we can self cater, maybe with a safari park nearby. We want the boys to experience what the country has to offer whilst they are living there. Also, my partner and I then plan to go off on our own and see more of the area including Zululand and maybe Rourkes Drift We would also like to drive to Cape Town where he was born and still has family. He left for the UK aged 17 in the apartheid era. I can see that we have a choice of routes and could maybe do one there and another back. What must see places can we visit en-route? I'm not sure if we can afford tol visit again and so really want to make the most of this trip. Linda

Hi fellow members. We are to visit Durban in January as my husband has business there lasting one day but we have the option of staying up to four days. We have visited SA many times but never ventured to this area. His business is in Pinetown and from research feel the best area to stay is Umhlanga, however this is 35 km away from Pinetown. Hubby would like to hire a car, ( we have driven from Joburg to Hoedspruit before) but not sure of hiring a car in the Durban area. Would it be very expensive to have a return taxi from Umhlanga to Pinetown? Also is there enough to see in 4 days or do you think we would be better cutting this time short. After Durban we go to Kruger through the crocodile gate (we thought we would fly here) as notice it is a very long drive. Would be grateful for any help info and thanks.

We would need to change the US$ we are carrying with us into South African Rand. We have sufficient Rand for the airport, taxi to get to our hotel, etc, etc. We would like to know good places to change our US$ into Rand (meaning, good rates). We are staying at the Southern Sun Elangeni on the Golden Mile. Are there decent places close by ?? Thanks very much in advance for any help offered.

We're going to the Battlefields Lodge Hotel in 2 weeks time in late September. Can anyone tell me what the weather is like at that time in Swaziland to Zululand? Is there any special clothing we need for the day time and what does anyone recommend for evening wear?

We will be staying at the Nedile Lodge Game Reserve in October. The lodge advertizes it is malaria free. After a few days there we will drive back to Johannesburg and fly to Cape Town. Should we still take medication for malaria prophylaxis?

How long should I allow to hike from the border post in SA to the chalets at the top. Reasonably fit and will stop to take pics

Hello, I'm heading to the UCI Masters Cycling Championships in Maritzburgh next week. Just wondering if there are some good road rides in the area ane if it's advisable to ride these alone. Thanks Jimi

Hi there, A friend and I are travelling to South Africa this summer and are thinking of visiting the Durban area. I was wondering if anyone had any tips on must sees or good places to stay (for cheap!). We are two female students 20 years old. Thanks for your help!

I am visiting Durban in Easter with my 3 daughters. The younger 2 are quite happy playing on the beach or in the pool but my 15 year old daughter is a lot harder to please! I have planned visits to the tourist attractions mentioned on the site, but wondered if there was anything suited more specifically for the eldest, perhaps where she could be left for a few hours? Or would that not be a good idea? It's been a long time since I last visited and I've had mixed reports about how safe it is for teenage kids. Any safe WiFi places she could hang out for a few hours? We will be based in Sunningdale, probably spending most time in Umhlanga and I do have transport. Many thanks!

I am planning a trip to Zulu Nyala near Richards Bay and would like to know when the best time to visit might be if you'd like to see new born animals? Any other help, tips or suggestions would be greatly appreciated...

I will be travelling to Scottburgh during February 2012.What is the cheapest public transport to Scottburgh from Durban Station?

I will be visiting Scottburgh during February.What is the cheapest public transport to Scottburgh from Durban station?

Hello I am planning to visit Durban in early March and would like to visit Kosi Bay. Finding a place to stay in Kosi is no problem but getting there is turning out to be a big problem. I am travelling alone and have been quoted from ZAR 2000.00 to 5588.00 for a shuttle which is steep. Does anyone know of somewhere where I can find other travellers who are going north and who would be interested in sharing the cost of a bus. I am going to Manguzi. Thank you

Can anyone tell me whether the Mynah buses are still running in and around Durban. I can't seem to find any up-to-date information on routes, timetables etc. Thanks very much! JJ

Hi Folks, I am looking at a number of other reserves after we leave Kruger. We will be staying in both St. Lucia and Durban. These reserves all request you send them emails for information. Does anyone know if you have to go on paid safaris, or if you can drive by car? If there are some, could you provide the names? Thanks for the help...

Folks, I don't even know where to begin putting together a trip meandering down the east coast. We will be starting at Kruger, and want to drive the east coast down to at least Cape Town. Taking about 7-10 days of stops to surf, and see the marine parks, can anyone give advice on cheap, cheap lodgings, in what cities, that would be good for this? We would probably stay 2 nights at each place if really good. Cheap meaning hostels or anything of that nature. Or, is there a good travel agent you can recommend? My friend's ability to go is dependent on very tight$'s, and if we need to compress the time and not even get as far as CT that too would be okay. Thanks so much for any detailed guidance.

Can i have reliable contacts for a tour guide? some one who can show us the City for an affordable prize. i need to know before the end of today please

Hi We're travelling into KZN in early January and would love to do a Battlefields tour if possible. We will be a mixed group of 6 adults (4 in their 70s plus 2 in their - just- 40s) and two children aged 5 and 8. Thus, I don't think that we'll be up for the Full Monty detailed military buff tour: ideally we're like someone who can customise the trip (since 8 is probably a full group), take us out to a couple of the sites and make them come alive for us. In my mind, I want to see a young Michael Caine in a scarlet jacket and white helmet looking stern jawed at the Zulu onslaught! Has anyone done one of these tours recently? If so, would you be happy to recommend your service provider? Regards Cathy

I'm traveling to Durban late November-early December for a conference at the ICC. My hostel is kind of far from the ICC and it's not near any Metro stops, so I was wondering what the best way would be to get around Durban... I can't find much information about buses or anything. Are cabs expensive there? I will be there for almost three weeks so I don't think I could afford taking a cab every day.

i'm interested in traveling around south africa,but can't affored with the money i have. my intentions are to save per month by joining any tour guide/traveling agency club if there ever is. any advice i would be gratefull as i'm new in traveling

My wife and are planning a safari near Hluhluwe in northern Natal. What is the best time of year for such a trip?

Hi All I'll be heading to my favourite African Airport King Shaka from Jo'burg next week and was planning to hire a car. But I just checked my flight times and I'll be arriving into Shaka at 6pm. I've never been in Durban in May - what time does it get dark and would it be safe enough to drive to Ballito from there? My scariest S.African experienced happened on the road from Umhlanga to Ballito at night so I don't want to be driving then. Alternative would be to take a taxi, which I will do if it will be dark.... Thanks Catherine

Hi, my name is Jon, I am a student from the UK, a couple mates and myself are studying in Durban for a couple months this summer. We are having a bit of difficulty finding somewhere to stay though. We have found a couple holiday lets but we dont really know where the good areas and bad areas are. I was looking on a lettings website and found a really nice looking appartment complex in "point" however, I have heard this is a bit of a dodgy area? There are a few websites that say it is undergoing a bit of a regeneration thought? has anyone been that can offer any advice. cheers Jon

Hi there, we will be travelling to Nibela Lodge in Hluhluwe December, and I was wondering what the water levels have been like this year? Would we also need malaria prevention meds?

We will be visiting Durban/Umhlanga during the last 2 weeks of April. Any chance that wild dolphins will be visible then and any tips on tour operators doing dolphin viewing boat tours? TIA John