We are very lucky to be based in Durban as the harbour brings in these huge ships like the Ocean Princess for a few months each year. This always give us a chance to show off our beautiful province of KwaZulu-Natal and Durban to our clients. The main Safari Tours you can do from Durban harbour in a Day are a Durban Day Safari Tours to the Valley of 1000 Hills, Phezulu, Zulu Cultural village and reptile park, Tala Private game reserve and of course the City of Durban.
Ocean Princess Cruise ship docks in Durban Harbour for our Durban Day Safari Tour to Tala private game reserve
Ocean Princess Cruise ship docks in Durban Harbour for our Durban Day Safari Tour to Tala private game reserve
After this Ocean Princess got settled into the Durban harbour the slow process of port control took place and then eventually I met my clients and we began our Durban Day Safari Tour to Tala private game reserve, Durban City and Valley of 1000 Hills craft shops. The clients were all Spanish speaking but came from Mexico, Venezuela and America.
On Route I tried to cover bits of the History of the area of Durban but really it is very rushed but I hope the clients felt like they got enough to return again for a longer Durban Safari Tour.
After about 45 Minutes we were in Tala private game reserve and we had a very easy time of it as the density of animals is so high that it makes my job very easy. This I actually told the clients. We were meant to spend a full day at Tala private game reserve but once you’ve seen everything twice there is not much else to do there. Fortunately the curio shop kept the clients happy for an hour as they haggled the prices down eventually all parties were happy and we continued on.
Our first sighting in Tala Private game reserve on this Durban Day Safari Tour was Rhino, Blessbok, Impala, Wildebeest and Zebra all together…
Female White Rhino on our Durban Day Safari Tour to Tala private game reserve
Female White Rhino on our Durban Day Safari Tour to Tala private game reserve
We edged on and kept seeing loads of animals on our Durban Day Safari Tour. Next was this dazzle of Plains Zebra!
Zebra mother and foal on our Durban Day Safari Tour to Tala private game reserve
Again edging on we found more animals including this interesting situation where a Male Blessbok was sniffing a female to test to see if she was in season. It is now basically our mating season. Most animals have what is called a vermosal glad on the upper pallet of there mouths. When they sniff a female this will usually stimulate her to urinate. The male then tastes the urine and the Vermosal gland translates to him whether see is ready for mating or not! You see Durban Day Tours are not so boring after all!
Blessbok Male test a female to see if she is in Season on our Durban Day Safari Tour to Tala private game reserve
Blessbok Male test a female to see if she is in Season on our Durban Day Safari Tour to Tala private game reserve
We continued on from her for a rest room break and the curio shop got attacked buy my clients. Im sure they were very pleased for the business. After we had done here an our later we went off to find the Giraffe which I had spotted from the reception near the picnic site. When we arrived there there was a lovely male giraffe in the picnic site. This was an idea opportunity to walk on foot to a large animal. We got within 15 meters and got some great photos before some idiot wandered closer chasing the giraffe away! I was mad but with clients you cant really show it. lol. Durban Day Safaris Tours always keep you on your toes.
Male Giraffe on our Durban Day Safari Tour to Tala private game reserve
Male Giraffe on our Durban Day Safari Tour to Tala private game reserve
After this giraffe we visited the Hippo Hide a hut which overlooks the dam where you can enjoy the birdlife and the Hippos playing in the water. This is a great place to be on a Durban Day Tour!
Hippos play in the water on our Durban Day Safari Tour to Tala private game reserve
Hippos play in the water on our Durban Day Safari Tour to Tala private game reserve
We left the Hippos to play in the water and drove around to the other side of the dam were we came across a very unusual sighting of female Ostriches cooling off in the water. Ive seen this before but it was like a ladies tea party where all the ladies no male made there way down to dam at that moment! It was really cool to see on our Durban day Safari.
Ostriches cool off in the Water on our Durban Day Safari Tour to Tala private game reserve
Ostriches cool off in the Water on our Durban Day Safari Tour to Tala private game reserve
We decided to depart from Tala private game reserve and make our way into the valley of 1000 hills to a couple of craft markets. We stopped by HillBilly’s and Pot and Kettle to look there and 30 min later we went to Phezulu to look at there shop as well. There was still time before the clients needed to be back on the ship so we did a bit of a Durban City Tour aswell which the clients commented “You have a beautiful City” That is another big thumbs up for Durban City and the Tourism guys! Well done!
The end was coming on the Durban Day Tour and we made our way to the dock to get the clients back on the Ocean Princess cruise ship.
It was a great Durban Day Safari.
