KwaZulu-Natal is a breathtaking province with so much to offer. If you’re planning a trip, here are some affordable weekend getaways near Durban.
From idyllic farm escapes to tranquil seaside spots, there’s something for every taste and budget. We’ve put together a list of our favourites.
1. Bushbaby Lodge and Camping, Hluhluwe
Price: From R520 a night for two guests
Travel time from Durban: 2 hours, 40 minutes
Just 20 minutes from the Hluhluwe Umfolozi Game Reserve, Bushbaby Lodge offers a variety of accommodation on its lush, tropical property. Bright orange chalets sit tucked beneath the umbrellas of big old indigenous trees. Seven have private bathrooms, while another seven make use of shared ablutions. Choose between traditional home-cooked fare, prepared for you on-site, or cook for yourself in the fully equipped communal kitchen area. 20 Campsites all have electrical points and water. If you’re worried about missing the rugby, there is a communal lounge area with DStv, as well as a swimming pool to cool off after the game.
2. Rocky Bay Resorts, Scottburgh
Price: From R477 per person sharing
Travel time from Durban: 40 minutes
Right on the seaside, Rocky Bay Resorts offers accommodation in log cabins and has 167 caravan/camping sites. The log cabins sleep up to 8 guests and all have private decks, off-street parking, private braai areas, fully equipped kitchens, and TVs with DStv. Private outside showers allow you to wash off after a day on the beach so you don’t drag sand into the cabin. Alternatively, avoid the sand altogether and swim in the resort’s freshwater swimming pool before returning to be lulled to sleep by the quiet clamour of crashing waves. Caravaners might find themselves in one of the many sites located literally steps away from the beach.
3. Bellevue Lodge, Ramsgate South
Price: From R400 per person, per night
Travel time from Durban: 1 hour, and 20 minutes
Bellevue Lodge offers a range of self-catering accommodations in 11 hectares of lush indigenous forest and gardens. The lodge offers free access to Bellevue Park, an indigenous botanical garden boasting play zones to keep the kids busy while you enjoy slow strolls, taking in the beauty of the Natural Heritage Site in which the lodge is situated. Keep an eye out for various bird species, as well as fauna like blue duiker, bushbuck, and genets. Take a short drive to pristine Blue Flag beaches, horse riding trails, a crocodile farm, and nature reserves; or simply hang out at the lodge for a dip in the pool or a game by the same name.
4. Le Paradis Lodge, Widenham
Price: From R375 per person, per night
Travel time from Durban: 40 minutes
With 180-degree ocean views and just 200m from the beach, this might be the ideal spot for a saltwater and fun weekend away. Sleep in one of Le Paradis Lodge‘s nine self-catering units with garden access and wake up to breakfast in the dining room (served on request). Spend your days in the water – Widenham Beach is a great sport for swimming and surfing, or snorkeling when the swell is pap. The lodge can also arrange slightly more gusto marine adventures such as deep-sea fishing, and scuba diving at the Aliwal Shoal reef. If saltwater isn’t your thing, cool off in one of the swimming pools, or play a game of table tennis.
5. Korongo Valley Guest Farm, Ixopo
Price: From R1 500 for three persons per night
Travel time from Durban: 1 hour, 35 minutes
Korongo Valley Guest Farm is conveniently situated just outside the historical town of Ixopo, en route to the Wild Coast and 143km from Durban. Experience wonderful views and fresh country air which creates the ideal atmosphere to relax and unwind. Accommodation is offered in self-catering cottages and log cabins and includes linen and towels, TV with M-Net, heaters, and complimentary tea and coffee-making facilities. Bird-watchers, walkers, and cyclists will feel right at home at Korongo Valley. There are over 120 recorded bird species on the farm, including the endangered blue swallow. Guests can also spend their days lazing at the poolside or visit the farm animals where children can see the rabbits, goats, ducks, geese, and ‘Mr. Pig’. The Crane and Assagai Country Pub is a great place to enjoy a pub lunch in Durban. The pub offers a variety of things to do in Durban, including a daily pub lunch. The pub lunch is served on the deck overlooking the gardens. The pub also offers a variety of things to do in Durban, including a daily pub quiz.
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6. Figtree Lane Lodge, Richards Bay
Price: From R1140 a night for a cottage
Travel time from Durban: 1 hour, and 50 minutes
The Figtree Lane Lodge is a 171-kilometer drive from Durban in the booming Richards bay, conveniently placed between Durban and KwaZulu-Natal’s game reserves and with one of the largest harbours in South Africa. This executive guest house is situated within walking distance of the main beach and is located amongst various prestigious hotels, restaurants, and shops. The cottages accommodate two to six people and both cottages and rooms have en suite double rooms with balconies and private entrances. In Richards Bay, there are facilities for all types of yachting, dinghy racing, boating, and all water-born sports such as canoeing, jet-skiing, and kite-surfing, all within a three-kilometre radius. The main swimming beach, Alkantstrand, is within walking distance of the lodge and has a lookout point with a 270-degree view of the ocean and harbour.
7. Midlands Inverness Cottages, Balgowan
Price: From R600 per person sharing
Travel time from Durban: 1 hour, 20 minutes
Midlands Inverness Cottages is centrally situated in the heart of the popular Midlands Meander route, within easy reach of the finest restaurants, schools, spas, galleries, and wedding venues in the country and only 122km from Durban. There are three luxurious self-catering cottages that are beautifully appointed each with its own private garden, entrance, and parking. The cottages have queen-size or king-size beds and extra mattresses or sleeper couches can be opened up for children upon request. All the cottages have access to braai facilities and firewood is supplied. Wander in the fields amongst the resident’s horses, meet the calves, or get acquainted with the special free-range pigs and chickens. Make sure that you don’t miss out on the Howick Falls or the Marutswa Forest.
8. Coco De Mer Boutique Hotel, Ballito
Price: From R1 650 per person sharing
Travel time from Durban: 40 minutes
Coco de Mer Boutique Hotel, 50km from Durban, towers gracefully over Ballito’s Compensation Beach Road. The hotel overlooks the beach and manages to retain a certain amount of rural charm as it is situated against a backdrop of thick coastal forest vegetation. The hotel is designed in a modern Bali style and is the epitome of boutique hotel elegance. Meticulous detail has gone into the finishes of this sixteen-bedroom establishment. Each suite includes an array of features from wine racks to mini-bars and the bedrooms are either facing the sea or the forest. This private hotel is located in between Ballito’s most happening spots and will ensure a memorable beach getaway set in a tropical coastal forest. Bottlenose dolphins are common on all the beaches (therefore known as the dolphin coast), enjoy fishing or a game of golf at the Zimbali or Umhlali Golf Courses or take a day trip to the Harold Johnson Nature Reserve situated just north of Ballito.
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