Durban day safari – Tala game reserve and Zulu Cultural village tour 28th December 2014
On this Durban day tour I had 2 groups of clients. I met the first group in Durban who were visiting Durban and South Africa, this family had the origins in Ruwanda and now live in America.
The second couple I met off the ship Oceana Nautica in Durban and by 8am we were on the road to Tala game reserve near Pietermaritzburg.
We began our Durban day tour/safari covering some of the amazing History of Durban, KwaZulu Natal and South Africa before we reached Tala game reserve.
Tala game reserve has a really high density of animals but today we really out did ourselves as we spotted everything they had! Rhino, Giraffe, Zebra, Wildebeest, Ostrich, Kudu, Nyala, Impala, Hippo, monkeys, Eland and the list goes on…
We got some amazing photos of some of these animals as they really posed for us on our Durban day tour.
Zebra all in a line on our Durban Safari and Cultural tour
Zebra all in a line on our Durban Safari and Cultural tour
Close to this line of four Zebras was a male Wildebeest which is very common as the theory goes that the Zebras being bulk feeders eat the tops of the grass and the Wildebeest being ruminants enjoy the shorter more succulent shoots of grass. Not entirely true if you ask me but some truth to it.
Wildebeest at Tala game reserve during our Durban day safari tour
Wildebeest at Tala game reserve during our Durban day safari tour
The animals being so dense on this type of Durban day safari tour means that it is all out action and you just can’t drive anywhere with out seeing some animals. This always makes my job really easy but it is nice for a change to the big national parks. As we drove over the hill we spotted some Rhinos near a watering hole. Their has been issues of poaching of Rhinos even in this small game reserve that I noticed some kind of tracking device on the one Rhinos foot!
Rhinos on our Durban day safari tour
Rhinos on our Durban day safari tour
As we continued on we came across Ostriches, Nyala, more Zebra and Warthogs even Eland in the distance but I decided to return later to see if they got nearer the road. We visited the lodge for a rest room break and a look at the shop before heading out to find some Giraffe. We saw loads of Giraffe on this Durban day safari tour.
Giraffe seen on our Durban day safari tour
Giraffe seen on our Durban day safari tour
We continued on and spotted lots of Blessbok and at Hippo Hide a wooden cabin which looks over a dam we saw some Hippos resting in the water. At this point we made our way around back to the Eland but before we could get there we spotted some Blessbok with babies.
Blessbok seen on our Durban day safari tour
Blessbok seen on our Durban day safari tour
We continued with our Durban day safari tour and found the Eland very close to the road which was great. Eland have been for many years the San Bushmens totem animals containing super natural potency as their body is so fatty!
Eland seen on our Durban safari tour
Eland seen on our Durban safari tour
We now had completed our 3 hour safari at Tala game reserve and made our way out to the valley of 1000 Hills to the Zulu Cultural village and reptile park. They also have an amazing restaurant with a view over the rolling hills created many years ago. Previously home to the Debe people who became cannibals during King Shakas time!
It was in these hills we stopped for a great lunch and then began a tour of the reptile park viewing Crocodiles and snakes.
Crocodile on our Durban day safari tour
Crocodile on our Durban day safari tour
After enjoying this part of our Durban day safari tour we moved on to the Zulu Cultural village where we got to witness the proposal of marriage of a Zulu man and girl. It was here that we watched some heated traditional Zulu dancing learning more of this great culture!
Zulu dancing on our Durban day safari tour
Zulu dancing on our Durban day safari tour
Video of Zulu Dancing:
We also got to see how the Sangoma -fortune teller dresses and sees into the future of the young man who wanted to find out if he was making a wise choice in marrying this young lady! Durban safari tour be it a Day tour or overnight tour are always very interesting and a must if you are visiting Durban for business or pleasure!
Sangomas read a Zulu mans fortune
Sangomas read a Zulu mans fortune
We then moved on into some of the Zulu traditional beehive huts where we got to see how maize is ground up and beer is made, among other things which you will experience if you come on one of these Durban day tours with Tim Brown Tours.
We then had some time to look around the shop as the clouds rolled in and the rain began to fall on our way back to the city as it so often does! Zulu cultural is amazing and really special to learn more about.
We arrived back in Durban and then the Docks to meet the ship before I rushed home to prepare for the following days 2 day safari tour to Hluhluwe Imfolozi game reserve.
