Transport in KwaZulu Natal

Transport within KwaZulu Natal is uncomplicated; the main areas of interest are connected by either the N2 or the N3. The N2 runs along most of the coast from Port Shepstone in the south, through to Durban, Zululand and Maputaland in the north, before heading inland north to Mpumalanga, past Swaziland.

The N3 heads inland from Durban towards Pietermaritzburg, skirting the Battlefield Route to the east and the uKhahlamba- Drakensberg National Park in the west, eventually reaching Gauteng. The Baz Bus is convenient for exploring the province as it runs all the way along the coast as far as Mkuzi before heading inland to Swaziland.

A second service runs from Durban towards Gauteng through the Drakensberg. All the main centres are linked by mainline bus services, so KwaZulu Natal can quite feasibly be visited by local transport, though you may want to consider a hire car for some of the national parks and game reserves. To the north, the roads in Maputaland are gradually being surfaced but there are still vast tracts of wilderness which are best explored in a 4WD. The most accessible reserve is Sodwana Bay where the colourful tropical reefs have become South Africa's most popular diving destination. The battlefield sites in the centre of the province are isolated and best experienced on a guided historical tour.

Tourist information

Tourism KwaZulu-Natal, www.zulu.org.za, also known as the Kingdom of the Zulu, is the regional tourist office and is based at Tourist Junction in Durban.This is an excellent office with a huge range of information on the province, as well as an attractive curio shop.


KZN Wildlife, www.kznwildlife.com, is the central reservations office for all the accommodation within the various nature reserves and conservation areas throughout the KwaZulu Natal. This includes many of the Drakensberg resorts, as well as excellent wildlife reserves such as Ithala and Hluhluwe-Imfolozi. Reservations can be made six months in advance and some of the popular camps are fully booked during the local school holidays.

Credit card and online bookings are accepted. Note that accommodation in huts must be booked through KZN Wildlife, whereas campsites are booked directly through the campsite manager or reception by phone. (Do not confuse KZN Wildlife with SANParks, SANParks is responsible for parks such as Kruger, Tsitsikamma and Addo Elephant National Park.)