Overview
Take a trip to Durban on your South Africa Vacation
Durban is found in the province of KwaZulu-Natal on the east coast of South Africa and is the country’s third largest city on a South Africa vacation. It is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa.
The region that makes up Durban has been inhabited since 100,000 BC, however, the modern history of the city did not begin until 1824. Under British Lieutenant F.G. Farewell, a crew of twenty-five men arrived from the Cape Colony and established a settlement on the northern shore of Port Natal. Henry Francis Flynn, an adventurer, was successful in befriending the Zulu King Shaka after helping him recover from a stab wound. In return, Shaka granted the men a 30-mile strip of coast. This area was named d’Urban after Sir Benjamin d’Urban, the governor of the Cape Colony. The sugar cane industry was introduced in the 1860s and with it came immigrant labourers from India.
Much of this Indian population remained and today, Durban hosts the largest Asian community in the African continent and the largest Indian population outside of India. Tourists are drawn to Durban for its year-round sunshine and for the Golden Mile, the city’s popular beachfront on a South African vacation.
Uhmlanga, a resort town just 16 km north of Durban is considered one of the most beautiful coastlines in the world. A favourite holiday destination for domestic and international tourists, Durban offers exciting dive options, whale watching, cruises, trendy eateries and a friendly and diverse atmosphere.
Uhmlanga, a resort town just 16 km north of Durban is considered one of the most beautiful coastlines in the world. A favourite holiday destination for domestic and international tourists, Durban offers exciting dive options, whale watching, cruises, trendy eateries and a friendly and diverse atmosphere.
At a Glance
Languages
Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans, EnglishCurrency
South African Rand (ZAR)What do the experts say?
Skip the more commercial wineries and visit artisanal producers—you’ll find sparkling wines and small-batch reds that are absolutely world-class.
Djembe drumming at GOLD in Cape Town is an immersive African experience through their 14-dish food safari and unique live entertainment.
The game viewing in Kruger and Eastern Cape always draws me back—it’s truly superb.
South Africans are famously warm—when you’re new in town, you're often invited to a braai, our way of welcoming people through food.
South Africa is a wonderful starting point for Africa. It's got some of the top cities in the world, stunning food and wine, and exceptional value for money.
Durban tours
Durban
Group of young people practice lifeguard traini...
The city skyline and beach are popular photo op...
Fishing on the beach in Durban is a popular pas...
Milky waves and rocky shore beach of Umhlanga n...
Most Popular Time to Travel
Know when to go.
Place
Conditions
Daily max temperatureMonthly rainfall
DurbanMostly Sunny
28°C / 82°F
11mm / 0.4"
Weather data is based on monthly averages.Popularity rating
-
Travel Stories
Get Inspired About Your Trip to South Africa
Unlock more by subscribing to our newsletter.
With our newsletter, you’ll get access to regular communications that inspire you and help you explore the world your way.Exclusive Savings
Insider Benefits
Trending Stories
ExcellentBased on 5,211 ReviewsWe enjoyed our trip very much. I was very pleased by the hotel, tours, and itinerary selections that Alice Teramoto made for us. It was all well organized and easy to follow.
Thank you very much for helping us have a great experience in Peru.INEverything was planned perfectly. The excursions were so small and personal. ClaireGoway planned a custom 2 week safari trip for my wife and I which was beyond perfect. Extremely satisfied with the entire process from planning, booking and follow up. Special thanks to my Travel Specialists, Brooke Theron and Angela DonnellyNeil RWorking with Allan is absolutely a dream. He is one of the most responsive people I’ve had the pleasure of working with and his attention to detail is unmatched. I truly wish I could just use him for every single trip I need to book.Liz PooreKimberly Brown from Goway Travel made my trip to Australia & New Zealand a very memorable and remarkable experience. Every step and detail was fantastic and I will never forget the trip of a lifetime and it was because of the experience of Kimberly. If you are thinking about taking a trip to New Zealand and Australia, I highly recommend contacting Kimberly from Goway travel. David KleinWe had a blast and felt covered by GoAway throughout. This was our first time using a travel agent and Melissa and her team made it easy. I also appreciated the quick communication while on our trip. I only wish that we got our official itinerary and tickets sooner as we did not receive them until a week prior. But it is busy season so I understand. Courtney McCarthyElise created a fantastic trip to South Africa. Our experience could not have been better. Thank You so Much!!Dave McVayOur trip to Japan was great. All our Goway arrangements preformed like clockwork and the guides for the tours were wonderful. Unfortunately, Mt. Fuji was in total fog but at least the lunch was very good and so was the drum solo, also our tour guide kept our spirits up ( she was the best).
Taryn picked hotels that were very convenient to the meeting point of our tours which was much appreciated and organized all aspects of our trip perfectly. So from our airport pickup to our last day in Tokyo everything ran very smoothly so we have used Goway before and will certainly use it again and reccommend Goway to others.JWWe had a great experience with Goaway travel our travel agent,FARNAZ. was very helpful and patient with us in planning our vacation to Greece. She was very thorough and professional and excellent with laying out our flights and our itinerary for our trip would highly recommend her very professional. Thank you again Franaz for your help and for me and my wife to have experienced a wonderful time in GreececustomerFarnaz booked Greece and Italy - she is fantastic! She listened to our needs and planned a beautiful itinerary that everyone enjoyed. All transfers went smoothly and I am looking to book more trips with her! Amy
Verified
Verified
Verified
Verified
Verified
Verified
Verified
Verified
Verified
Verified