Kingdom of adventure

TRAVEL

Words: Sam Bradley | Photos: Various photographers

KINGDOM OF ADVENTURE THE KINGDOM OF KWAZULU-NATAL HAS LONG BEEN KNOWN AS SOUTH AFRICA’S HOLIDAY CITY. WE DECIDED TO PUT THAT CLAIM TO THE TEST BY TRYING OUT THE ADVENTURE ACTIVITIES ON OFFER.

16 July 2015 | DO IT NOW Magazine • 1

JUST CHILLING

THE OCEANOGRAPHER JACQUES YVES COUSTEAU ONCE SAID, “FROM BIRTH, MAN CARRIES THE WEIGHT OF GRAVITY ON HIS SHOULDERS. HE IS BOLTED TO EARTH. BUT MAN HAS ONLY TO SINK BENEATH THE SURFACE AND HE IS FREE.” There are not too many places in the world better to sink beneath the surface than off the coast of KwaZulu-Natal. The warm Mozambiquan current means the conditions are good for diving, spearfishing and swimming all-year round, and there are plenty of reefs teeming with fish and wildlife.

Probably the most well-known reef is Sodwana Bay, about a three-hour drive up the north coast from Durban. The bay consists of four dive sites, imaginatively named 2 Mile Reef, 5 Mile Reef, 7 Mile Reef and 9 Mile Reef, to indicate their distance from the launch site (Jesser Point). The reefs host many year-round animals, such as dolphins and sharks, as well as seasonal visitors such as manta rays and humpback whales.

Photo credit: Sodwana Bay Lodge Scuba Centre

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Photo credit: Sodwana Bay Lodge Scuba Centre

Photo credit: Oceanworx

On the south coast lies Aliwal Shoal and Protea Banks. Aliwal Shoal is a beautiful reef off the coast of the town of Umkomaas. Just being underwater and hearing the crackling noise of the reef, tasting the salty water and feeling the strong current carry you along, all while seeing a completely different world is an adventure enough.

However, Aliwal Shoal offers so much more than that.

It’s a large reef with many different dives on offer, with the main attraction being a dive to Raggie’s Cave (so named because of the many ragged-tooth

Photo credit: Sodwana Bay Lodge Scuba Centre

sharks that are found in this particular spot). Encountering sharks on a dive is a lot less scary than it sounds because underwater the sharks are calm and could even be described as graceful creatures.

Dolphins are also plentiful in the area, along with eels, rays and the occasional turtle.

PROTEA BANKS IS FURTHER TO THE SOUTH (CLOSE TO MARGATE) AND OFFERS GOOD DIVING CONDITIONS WITH A HIGH POSSIBILITY OF SEEING BULL SHARKS AND TIGER SHARKS.

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KINGDOM OF ADVENTURE

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Big Rush Big Swing at Moses Mabhida Stadium.

Photo credit: Big Swing

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GETTING HIGH IN THE CITY DURBAN IS ONE OF THE COUNTRY’S REVITALISED CITIES AFTER HOSTING THE 2010 WORLD CUP AND THERE ARE NOW PLENTY OF TOURIST ATTRACTIONS ON OFFER. ONE OF THESE IS MOSES MABHIDA STADIUM, A SOCCER STADIUM THAT IS NOW A MULTIPURPOSE SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE. THE SKYCAR, A CABIN THAT RUNS UP THE ARCH OF THE STADIUM TO THE VIEWING PLATFORM AT THE TOP, IS A HIT WITH VISITORS TO THE CITY. FROM 106 METRES UP IN THE SKY, GUESTS HAVE GREAT VIEWS OF THE CITY IN ONE DIRECTION AND THE OCEAN IN THE OTHER. The adventurous way to enjoy the view is by doing the Big Rush Big Swing. Guests walk up the arch on the south side of the stadium (with safety ropes attached to the stairs) before getting onto a platform at the top. From there it’s an 80-metre freefall swing into the bowl of the stadium, with most people screaming their way through the 220-metre arc before being safely lifted back onto the platform.

From the stadium there’s a stunning promenade running all along the beachfront, and when the weather is good it is full of runners, cyclists, rollerbladers and skateboarders of all ages whizzing by.

Orlando bungee jump.

Photo credit: Orlando Towers

At the south end of the promenade lies uShaka Marine World, the largest aquarium in the southern hemisphere. The park is a favourite for young families, and once again there’s a chance for those with a head for heights to get their adrenaline pumping at the Wet ‘n Wild waterpark, which boasts the highest slide in Africa.

Other activities on offer are the dolphin and seal shows, as well as penguin and shark feeding times. The park has 32 tanks holding sharks, rays, morays and many large fish species, such as potato bass and kingfish. Once the viewing is done there is also a restaurant, called the Cargo Hold, with views of the marine life. Shark cage diving and snorkelling in the lagoon (with about 1,500 fish) are also popular activities.

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Photo credit: ECR

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DON’T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF ENDURANCE ATHLETES ARE A SPECIAL TYPE OF SPECIES. TOUGHER THAN MIKE TYSON IN HIS PRIME, THESE CHARACTERS HAVE PUSHED THROUGH THE PAIN BARRIER SO OFTEN THEY’VE FORGOTTEN THE MEANING OF THE WORD. AND THERE’S NOWHERE IN THE COUNTRY MORE POPULAR FOR LONG-DISTANCE ATHLETES TO GET THEIR KICKS THAN KWAZULU-NATAL. RUNNERS FLOCK TO THE PROVINCE ANNUALLY FOR THE GRUELLING COMRADES MARATHON, A 90 KM TREK BETWEEN PIETERMARITZBURG AND DURBAN. This race is the world’s oldest and largest ultramarathon (it began in 1921 with just 34 runners) and is now capped at 23,000 runners per year. The race route alternates each year, with the ‘up run’ from Durban to Pietermaritzburg seen as tougher race than the ‘down run’ (which is the same route except in reverse). Cyclists can enjoy the Amashova Durban Classic, a 106 km bike race that follows a similar route to Comrades, while Tour Durban offers a road race and mountain bike race though and around the city of Durban.

Water enthusiasts will be attracted to the annual Dusi Canoe Marathon, a prestigious and popular race, which runs about 120 km along the Msunduzi and Mgeni Rivers before finishing at the Blue Lagoon in Durban. The first race was held in 1951 and had a non-stop format. Paddlers had to carry all their supplies with them, and it was Ian Player who won that first race in a time of just under seven days. Due to the dangers involved in night paddling, the race is now held over three days, with each stage having a set start and finish point.

Rounding off the endurance sports is the Midmar Mile, the world’s largest open-water swimming event.

Originally started by three friends and attracting about 150 swimmers, the race now draws over 35,000 eager swimmers per year to Midmar Dam. This event is held over a weekend with eight separate race categories.

For the very fit, swimming with the 8 Mile Club group and competing in all eight races over the weekend is also an option.

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WHERE THE AIR IS THIN HUMANS MIGHT NOT HAVE FEATHERS OR SUPER-LIGHT BONE DENSITY, BUT THAT DOESN’T MEAN WE ARE UNABLE TO FLY. KWAZULU-NATAL OFFERS VARIOUS WAYS TO GET UP INTO THE CLEAR BLUE SKY AND ALL OF THEM WILL GET YOUR HEART BEATING AT A CONSIDERABLY QUICKER PACE. Paragliding is available both on the coast and inland. Pilots and wannabe pilots can fly as well as complete their training looking out over the ocean at Bluff Beach, while the town of Bulwer in the Drakensberg is known for its reliable wind conditions and is a good place to learn to fly. For people new to the sport, a tandem flight with a qualified pilot is a great way to try it out and see if it’s something they would like to pursue further.

Microlighting, which differs from paragliding in that it has an engine, can be done through the Ballito Microlight School. Guests can choose to do either the 10-, 20- or 30-minute flight, and all flights boast beautiful views of rolling sugar cane fields and the big blue ocean (aptly named the Dolphin Coast, so keep your eyes peeled for these magnificent creatures playing in the waves).

Another peaceful way to take in the beauty is in a hot air balloon, the oldest form of manned flight. Sunrise flights are available through Sky Adventures, and there are various options available, such as flights overlooking the Drakensberg Mountains or above Tala Game Reserve.

Tandem jumps from a light aircraft involve a 20-minute flight and then a 45-second freefall followed by a 6-minute parachute descent. A static line jump means that guests jump out of the plane solo, with the parachute automatically opening after a brief freefall. For the very committed, the Accelerated Free Fall course is a full course consisting of 11 jumps, after which participants are qualified independent skydivers.

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TAKE A HIKE GETTING OUT INTO NATURE IS ALWAYS A GOOD WAY TO TRULY RELAX. STRETCHING ALL THE WAY INLAND ARE THE DRAKENSBERG MOUNTAINS, A FEARSOME MOUNTAIN RANGE WITH PLENTY OF HIKING ROUTES AND NATURE RESERVES TO BE EXPLORED. DERIVED FROM THE AFRIKAANS NAME MEANING ‘DRAGON MOUNTAINS’, THE DRAKENSBERG MOUNTAINS ARE A SIGHT TO BEHOLD (THE ZULU NAME, UKHAHLAMBA, MEANING ‘BARRIER OF SPEARS’ IS EQUALLY DESCRIPTIVE).

In the heart of the Drakensberg is Sani Pass, a winding gravel road leading into Lesotho and popular with 4x4 off-road enthusiasts and motorcyclists. The mountainous topography is breathtaking and there are many nature reserves nearby with plentiful hiking routes. The parks close to the town of Underberg are Cobham Nature Reserve and Lotheni Nature Reserve, both ideal for those with a love of the outdoors. Cobham Nature Reserve, situated in the southern Maloti-Drakensberg Park, offers unforgettable scenery and great hiking trails.

Accommodation options are rustic, with options including a campsite and a cave that can fit up to 12 people on overnight hikes. Lotheni Nature Reserve is just as beautiful and has the distinction of being South Africa’s first cultural and environmental World Heritage Site. Attractions include a settler’s homestead museum and many rock shelters and caves, which contain a large collection of historic rock art preserved from the San people.

The Royal Natal National Park is on the northern side of the Drakensberg and home to the spectacular Amphitheatre. This mountain feature is over five kilometres long and has breathtaking cliffs all along its length, with some over 1,200 metres in height. Climbing to the top of the Amphitheatre is a challenge in itself. The climb takes five hours there and back, and involves some steep sections and two chain ladders to get to the summit. Another hike leaving from the same park is the Tugela Falls hike, a seven-kilometre route that will have hikers trekking through beautiful indigenous forests before being rewarded with a stunning view of the falls at the top.

THE LAST WORD TRYING TO SUM UP ALL THE ADVENTURE ACTIVITIES IN A LARGE REGION IS AN IMPOSSIBLE TASK, AND NO DOUBT THERE WILL BE MANY READERS WHO HAVE A FEW ACTIVITIES TO ADD TO THE LIST (FOR EXAMPLE WE HAVEN’T EVEN TOUCHED ON THE GAME RESERVES THAT ARE SCATTERED THROUGHOUT THE PROVINCE).

Hopefully, however, these ideas will spur many a reader into a more adventurous lifestyle and result in a new appreciation for everything our country has to offer. After all, if you’re not living on the edge then you’re taking up too much space! •

Photo credit: Skydive Durban

Photo credit: Skydive Durban

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