Pietermaritzburg & Midlands
Heritage in Durban

KwaZulu-Natal or Zulu Kingdom Travel and tourist information. The Official Web Site of the KwaZulu-Natal Tourism Authority, Durban, South Africa.

The area boasts an abundance of bird life, game viewing enthusiasts have a choice of seeing nature on foot or from game viewing vehicles. Amongst the scenic views and cultural attractions popular family activities include water skiing, para-sailing, canoeing and fishing. Wartburg itself is named after the castle in Eisenach where Dr Martin Luther translated the bible into German and the village crest also depicts the immigrants arrival by sailing ship, the Luther Rose and the call to pray and work. Attractions in the area and neighbouring areas include the Natal Museum, The Pavilion shopping centre, the Golden Horse Casino, the Umngeni Steam railway, The Vernon Crookes Nature Reserve, the Umngeni River Bird Park, The Workshop and Tala Private Game Reserve. Howick is in the heart of the uMngeni Municipal region and hub of the Midlands. It is known as the place of many waterfalls for it is here that the uMngeni River and its tributaries tumble down gorges and over precipices on a journey to the Indian Ocean, some 95 km to the east. Mooi River is a Midlands farming town and also gateway to the wonderful central Drakensberg Mountain areas. An important village that is found in the close vicinity of Mooi River is Rosetta. Mpophomeni is a small 'township' community on the outskirts of Howick, which offers a memorable township tourism experience. Nottingham Road is known as the 'heart' of the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands Meander due to its second-to-none hospitality in truly beautiful surroundings, plus wide-ranging accommodation, function facilities, fascinating local calendar of events, invigorating outdoor recreation, adrenalin-pumping adventure sports, historic landmarks, wildlife conservation, shop-till-you-drop arts 'n crafts, Pie-eyed Possum and friends. Having crossed over the Drakensberg Mountain range into Zulu territory on their Great Trek from British dominion in the Cape Colony, Boer settlers earmarked this site as their capital-to-be, and in 1838 laid the foundation of a neat grid of streets and lanes of Pietermaritzburg. Rival British expansionists were a safe distance away at Port Natal-Durban and the surrounding tribes were predominantly scatterlings the result of King Shaka's empire-building exploits who posed no threat. Richmond has become an important seat of local government, in addition to serving the educational, business and transport needs of the surrounding community.