A World in One Country
Thirteen nights from Johannesburg to Cape Town. The Panorama Route, Kruger, eSwatini, Zululand, the Garden Route and Hermanus, finishing under Table Mountain.
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Durban City and Markets
A Durban morning from the Golden Mile and the harbour to the spice and herb stalls of the Warwick markets, the Phansi Museum's beadwork, the Botanic Gardens and the stadium arch.
At a glanceOn land
How longOne morningOne morning of a Durban stay
How hardLightShort walks in markets, gardens and a museum, with a vehicle between them
SeasonYear-roundAny time of year; summer is hot and humid, winter warm and dry
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Durban is warm all year, faces the Indian Ocean, and has a character that Cape Town and Johannesburg do not: Zulu, Indian and colonial all at once, with the country’s busiest harbour at its heart. This morning is the quick way in, and it is best at the start of a stay.
It starts on the Golden Mile, the long promenade of beaches, surfers and joggers along the seafront, then down to the Point at the harbour mouth, where ships pass close in. Past the City Hall, an Edwardian wedding cake in the middle of town, and on to the yacht basin and the working port beyond it. From the university on the Berea ridge you see the whole thing laid out: harbour, city and sea.
Then the Warwick markets, where the city does its shopping. The spice stalls are heaped with masala blends, some with names designed to frighten you, and the traditional medicine market, where healers buy bark, roots and herbs, is a world of its own. It is busy, loud and completely absorbing, and you want your guide beside you.
The Phansi Museum is quieter: an old house in Glenwood filled with Southern African beadwork, carved headrests, pots and masks, a private collection shown with real knowledge. Take your time with the beadwork, which is a language as much as a decoration.
Then the Botanic Gardens, laid out in 1849, with old trees, an orchid house and a lake, before the last stop at Moses Mabhida Stadium, built for the 2010 World Cup, with its great arch over the pitch. A car climbs the arch to a platform high above the city, and on a clear day you can see the coast running away to the north and south.
You are back by lunch. Ask the guide where to eat a bunny chow and give the afternoon to the beach. For a bigger day out, the Midlands and the mountains beyond them are within reach.
Good to know
- The Phansi Museum keeps its own opening days. We plan the route around them.
- The markets are busy and crowded. Keep valuables out of sight and stay with your guide.
- Durban is humid for much of the year. Light clothes, water and sunscreen.
- The ride up the stadium arch is an extra, and runs in good weather. We confirm it with the rest of the day.
- Photograph traders and their stalls only when they are happy for you to.
Departs daily with pick-ups between 08:30 and 09:00 and back around 12:30; the Phansi Museum is closed at weekends and its entry is paid separately, as is the ride up the stadium arch. We confirm what applies to your dates in writing before you pay anything.
The spice stall smells of chilli and cardamom, and the man behind it will tell you what goes into a proper Durban curry.
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Questions we are actually asked
Are the markets safe to walk?
With your guide, yes. Warwick is a busy, crowded working market where the city does its own shopping, so keep valuables out of sight and stay close. A guide who knows the traders makes the difference between walking past the stalls and being welcomed at them.
What is the Phansi Museum?
A private collection of Southern African art and objects in an old house: beadwork, carved headrests, pots, masks and much more, shown by people who know what they are looking at. It is closed at weekends, so take this morning on a weekday if you can.
Can we go up the stadium arch?
Yes. A car runs up the arch to a viewing platform over the city and the sea. It is paid separately and depends on the weather, and we will tell you on the morning whether it is running.
Where do we find a bunny chow?
Ask the guide. It is a hollowed half-loaf filled with curry, invented in Durban and argued over ever since, and everyone has a favourite place. Lunch is not part of the morning, which leaves you free to try one.
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