Durban walking tour & city guide

The Golden Mile

The Golden Mile is a long beachfront promenade lined with hotels and surf spots. uShaka Marine World has an aquarium and water park. The Moses Mabhida Stadium has a sky car and a giant swing over its arch.

Markets and culture

The Victoria Street Market is full of spices and crafts. Durban is the gateway to the Zulu kingdom and the game reserves of KwaZulu-Natal.

A day in Durban

Walk or cycle the Golden Mile, the long beachfront promenade, past surfers, piers and the Moses Mabhida Stadium, where a SkyCar rides up the arch for views. Visit uShaka Marine World, one of the largest aquariums in Africa.

In the afternoon, explore the Victoria Street Market for spices, and try bunny chow, a hollowed-out loaf filled with curry, invented in Durban's Indian community.

Good to know

Durban has a warm, subtropical climate and warm Indian Ocean water. It has the largest Indian community outside India.

Day trips go to the Valley of a Thousand Hills and game reserves like Hluhluwe-iMfolozi.

Why people love it

Durban is South Africa's beach city, with warm water, a laid-back atmosphere and a mix of Zulu, Indian and colonial cultures. The Juma Masjid mosque and the Hindu temples are among the largest in the southern hemisphere, and the Durban Botanic Gardens are the oldest surviving botanical gardens in Africa. Surfing is excellent all year, especially around North Beach. Inland, KwaZulu-Natal offers the Drakensberg mountains and historic battlefields.