Let Avis Van Rental take you on a Zululand adventure

There is something very special about travelling through Zululand, which stretches from the mighty Tugela River right up to the border with Mozambigue.  From bush to beach, there are many destinations to choose from within the area.

Lush green sub tropical vegetation makes for spectacular scenery and wildlife here is abundant.  Visitors – and residents alike – are often treated to close encounters with vervet monkeys, hippos, crocodiles, duikers and even hyenas.  And that’s outside of the game parks & reserves that the area is well known for.

Inland the vegetation becomes more savannah like and this area is home to the likes of the Tembe Elephant Reserve, Thula Thula, Phinda & the Hluhluwe Umfolozi Game Reserve. The Isimangaliso Wetlands Park, and Sodwana & Kosi Bay Nature Reserves are famous coastal destinations with great camping and deep sea diving facilities, while further south of these destinations, there is Cape Vidal & St.Lucia, enjoyed by the fishing fraternity. This is in addition to the great Jozini dam, nestling below the imposing Lebombo mountains, famous for it’s Tiger game fish, bound to offer a challenging fight. The birdlife is spectacular, with regular sightings of falcons, fish eagles and kingfishers.

Smaller game reserves in the area include the Umlalazi Game Reserve in the picturesque coastal town of Mtunzini, while further north, there is the Mapelane Nature Reserve, as well as the Mkuze Game Reserve and the Ithala Game Reserve. In Eshowe, there is the breath taking Aerial Tree Top Reserve offering visitors another unique perspective of nature.

For the historians, there are the grave sites of the famous Zulu King Cestshwayo, Dingaan’s Kraal, Shaka’s Kraal, to name just a few, as well as several famous British Forts.

Zululand has so much to see and do, but many of our region’s gems are accessible only via an off-road vehicle.

Here are some of Zululand’s favourite 4×4 destinations:

These three are what I regard the best reasons to rent a 4×4 if you don’t own one. Says Hilton Wheeler of Avis Van Rental Richards Bay

iSimangaliso Wetland Park

To discover the 10 jewels inside iSimangaliso, like the shores of Lake Sibaya, you will need a 4×4 because this World Heritage Site is truly just bush, beach and beauty.

Tembe Elephant Park

Tembe is one SA’s most remote and picturesque national parks and you will definitely need a 4×4 to explore its myriad of sandy tracks.

Sani Pass

Outside of Zululand, Hilton suggests a visit to the top of Sani Pass, which is currently a dirt road, some would say track, and soon to be tarred. The rewards are not just the challenge of negotiating your way to the top, but also the amazing views along the way and of course at the top of the pass itself. Remember to take your passports along with you and Avis Van Rental will provide the cross border documentation in order for you to get the vehicle through the Customs control.

Every SA traveler should have Sani Pass on their bucket list and renting a 4×4 makes going up this legendary track possible to those who don’t own a suitable vehicle.

Avis Van Rental to the rescue

Don’t have a 4×4?

No problem – hire one from Avis!

Avis Van Rental Richards Bay offers 4×4 vehicles in both single cab and double cab formats.

Their bakkies and vans are new, late model, low mileage vehicles (maximum 2 years / 100 000 km), which are regularly maintained per manufacturers’ specifications and all have valid roadworthy certificates.

Do you feel the call for the African bushveld or our riveting seas, maybe our breath-taking mountain passes? You can experience all this and more with a rental 4×4 vehicle from Avis Van Rental.

Share your best Zululand 4×4 experience

Tell us about your favourite 4×4 trail in Zululand, so that we may add it to our list.

Email the details to online@zob.co.za with the subject line ‘Best 4×4 in Zululand’.