Zululand – Wild and Untamed Beauty
Early travelers setting out on foot from Port Natal to visit the Royal Zulu kraal first had to cross the mighty Thukela River, which was infested with dangerous crocodiles and hippos, and frequently turned into a raging flood by thunderstorms in the Drakensberg catchment. The surrounding bush was teeming with wild animals like lions, leopards and elephant, and the going was tough and dangerous. Nowadays, a journey to the Zulu heartland is simply a matter of cruising along the comfortable N2 highway over the Thukela River Bridge, or flying in at the harbor town of Richards Bay or the traditional Zulu headquarters at Ulundi.
However, Zululand still has that feeling of wild, untamed beauty, and it is still the center of Zulu
culture. In the deep rural areas the people live by the traditional Zulu customs that have remained
unchanged for centuries. There are fascinating museums, cultural centers and traditional Zulu
villages to visit. You can marvel at the Zulu dancers who perform on all important social occasions,
listen to the tales of the sangomas as they communicate with the ancestors through elaborate rituals,
and sample traditional cuisine.
The Zulu people are excellent crafters and their clay pots, weaving, straw baskets and intricate
beadwork make wonderful gifts. But Zululand has many more wonderful attractions to offer, from
beaches to bush and everything in between – and the Kingdom’s premier game reserve,
the Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Park, is right on your doorstep.