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Valley of a Thousand Hills

Valley of a Thousand Hills: Our most recommended tours and activities

From Durban: Safari & PheZulu Village Day Tour

1. From Durban: Safari & PheZulu Village Day Tour

Start your day-long safari with a visit to the Natal Lion Park, home to lions, African and Asian elephants as well as rhinos. Then, visit the wildlife conservancy of Tala Private Game Reserve in the hills. Make your final stop at the Valley of a Thousand Hills and the Reptile Park. Be driven around Natal Lion Park by your guide in search of elephants before entering the lion’s enclosure to marvel at the pride of lions. Enjoy the excitement of being so close to the king of the beasts and admire their size and beauty. Next, head to Tala Private Game Reserve that hosts a diverse selection of wildlife over 3000 hectares of land. This sanctuary is home to over 370 bird species and wildlife such as rhinos, giraffes, hippos, and elands, to name a few of the bigger mammals. Drive around the park in a closed vehicle to observe the wildlife. Listen as your guide sheds light on the wildlife ecosystem and shares interesting facts about the animals at the Tala Private Game Reserve. Then, make a stop at the Valley of a Thousand Hills to enjoy a glimpse of local Zulu culture and dancing at Phezulu Cultural Village. To conclude the tour, visit the Reptile Park where qualified park guides will intrigue you with interesting facts about the resident crocodiles and snakes.

Durban: Phezulu Cultural Village & Reptile Park Tour

2. Durban: Phezulu Cultural Village & Reptile Park Tour

The tour leaves Durban and travels to the Valley of 1000 Hills, home of PheZulu Cultural and Safari Park. Visitors are taken into traditional beehive shaped thatched huts, where the various artifacts, beliefs and rituals of the Zulu people are explained, giving visitors an insight into the fascinating Zulu culture. The 50-minute Zulu dancing show is impressive with the dancers in their traditional garb, showing off their skills with grace, agility and humor. PheZulu also has a Crocodile and Snake park where guests will be taken on a guided tour by a knowledgeable local guide. They will learn interesting facts about crocodiles and snakes and have a hands-on experience with Cleo the Burmese python who weighs in at 42 kilograms.

Durban: City & PheZulu Cultural Village Tour

3. Durban: City & PheZulu Cultural Village Tour

The tour starts off in Durban where you will visit various attractions of the city including the famous Moses Mabhida Stadium, one of Africa's beautiful stadiums, the Golden Mile to see Durban's famous beaches, Victoria Street Market to see Durban's cuisines and exotic spices, Durban City Hall and more.   The tour leaves Durban and travels to the Valley of 1000 Hills, home of PheZulu Cultural and Safari Park. Visitors are taken into traditional beehive shaped thatched huts, where the various artifacts, beliefs and rituals of the Zulu people are explained, giving visitors an insight into the fascinating Zulu culture. The 50-minute Zulu dance show is impressive, with the dancers in their traditional garb, showing off their skills with grace, agility and humor. PheZulu also has a crocodile and snake park where guests will be taken on a guided tour by a knowledgeable local guide. You will learn interesting facts about crocodiles and snakes and have a hands-on experience with Cleo the Burmese python who weighs in at 42 kilograms. 

PheZulu Cultural Village & Oracle Consultation Tour

4. PheZulu Cultural Village & Oracle Consultation Tour

Take a half-day tour to experience authentic Zulu culture and see reptiles up close. Start with a visit to the picturesque area of Molweni. There you will have the opportunity to consult with the local inyanga/sangoma and have a traditional Zulu experience. The consultation lasts about 45 minutes where traditional methods like throwing the bones to connect with your ancestors will be done. The tour also travels to the Valley of 1000 Hills, home to the PheZulu Cultural and Safari Park. You will be taken into traditional beehive shaped thatched huts, where the various artefacts, beliefs and rituals of the Zulu people are explained, giving you an insight into the fascinating Zulu culture. The Zulu dancing show (50 minutes) is impressive with the dancers in their traditional garb, showing off their skills with grace, agility and humor. PheZulu also has a Reptile park where you will be taken on a tour by a knowledgeable local guide. Learn interesting facts about crocodiles and snakes and have a hands-on experience with Cleo the Burmese python who weighs 42kg.

Durban: Mandela Capture Site & Howick Falls Day Trip

5. Durban: Mandela Capture Site & Howick Falls Day Trip

Start your tour at Pietermaritzburg, the capital of KwaZulu-Natal. Move on to the Mandela Capture Site, where Nelson Mandela was captured and sent into his incarceration. Head to Howick Falls, otherwise known as the place of the tall one. The waterfall is a 95 meter cascade into a broiling restless pool that the locals believe to be the place of the spirits of ancestor. To end the tour, visit the Valley of a Thousand Hills to experience and be mesmerized by the Zulu Culture and Zulu dancing at Phezulu Cultural Village and Reptile Park. Venture into traditional Zulu beehive–shaped thatched huts and learn about various artefacts, beliefs and rituals. Finish your tour with a visit to the Reptile Park where a qualified park guide will intrigue you with interesting facts about the resident crocodiles and snakes.

Other Sightseeing Options in Valley of a Thousand Hills

Want to discover all there is to do in Valley of a Thousand Hills? Click here for a full list.

What people are saying about Valley of a Thousand Hills

Overall rating

4.6 / 5

based on 32 reviews

We were traveling with Benson. Benson told us a lot and was very nice and open. First we were in the Löwen Park, where you could watch the animals up close. Then we were with the elephants, which we were allowed to touch and put their trunks in our car. Next we went to a bird park where there was an interesting bird show. Then we were in a big park where we could see giraffes, zebras, little monkeys and wild boars, buffalos, birds and rhinos. Most recently we were in the PheZulu Valley. There we got a tour from a local and were able to get to know their culture. From there you had a beautiful view over the 1000 hills valley. In this valley was another reptile park, where we got another tour. There you could touch snakes and small crocodiles and pick them up. Overall it was an incredible day. Between the parks one could marvel at the beautiful landscapes.

Splendid tour! Sortiris is a very experienced guide with a lot of knowledge! We spend a perfect full day tour even though the weather was not quite nice. Zhulu traditions are a must such as Tala Game Reserve