Let the Valley of 1000 Hills take your breath away
If you are looking for some awesome local attractions, then the Valley of 1000 Hills is a must see.
THE amazing sights of Valley of a Thousand Hills is an exciting component of Durban and KwaZulu-Natal, the Kingdom of the Zulu.
According to 1000 Hills Tourism, the Valley of 1000 Hills is one of those few holiday destinations that has something for everyone. Unspoilt nature, wildlife, magnificent scenery, wining and dining, and warm country hospitality just a half an hour’s drive from the centre of Durban.
The area is named after the thousands of hills which tumble down to the mighty uMngeni River, which flows from the distant Drakensberg mountains to the warm Indian Ocean.
According to Durban’s website, the Valley of 1000 Hills is KwaZulu-Natal’s doorway, situated close to the beaches of the Indian Ocean as well as the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, further inland.
On the crest of the hills overlooking the valley are leafy suburbs and village centres, which have astonishing views and a year round holiday climate of warm summers and cool winters.
These villages offer all the creature comforts one would expect from a holiday destination, including spas, B&Bs, fine dining, sophisticated shopping centres, outdoor adventure and local arts and crafts unique to the area.
From the establishment of European settlers to the vibrant Zulu culture which gives the area its distinctive identity, the Valley of 1000 Hills has a rich heritage, said the website.
When Europeans arrived at the Port of Natal in 1825, the Valley of 1000 Hills was a remote and isolated area teeming with game. Skit Field was one of the first Europeans to settle in 1851, and leopards were said to occasionally spend the night on the veranda of the Field homestead in what is now Kloof (one of his many properties is where the Kloof and Highway SPCA is currently situated in Village Road, Kloof).
Within a few years a wagon route opened up between Durban and the interior, close to what is now the Old Main Road. The establishment of the railway line linking the goldfields with the port rapidly followed the discovery of gold in the Transvaal in the 1880s, and the rail and road traffic through the 1000 Hills increased.
Contact 031 777 1874 for tour details and more information. Also, download the visitor’s guide, directory and map here.
