Richards Bay, South Africa

THE COASTAL GATEWAY TO ZULULAND AND VAST SAVANNAHS

Perched on the lagoon of the Mhlatuze River, Richards Bay is one of the largest and deepest natural harbors in South Africa. It’s also one of the main gateways to KwaZulu-Natal province and Zululand, the much larger inland region popular for its mountains, diverse wildlife, and vast surrounding savannah ecosystems.

While the town’s size is modest, the inland region is anything but. A day trip or safari excursion is a must as hundreds of thousands of hectares of wilderness, rolling hills, and exotic wildlife await. No South Africa cruise to Richards Bay is complete without touring a game reserve to explore rolling hills, open Savannah grasslands, and incredible wildlife, including black and white rhinos, lions and giraffes.

The most popular park is Hluhluwe–iMfolozi, about an hour outside of Richards Bay—it’s the oldest proclaimed nature reserve in Africa and home to the 'big five': the rhino, elephant, buffalo, lion and leopard.

If you prefer staying in town, explore a wide variety of dining and retail therapy options at the Boardwalk Mall, Zululand’s premier shopping venue, with nearly 200 stores. After shopping, retreat to one of many coastal or in-harbor beaches for a braai (Afrikaans for “grill”), and savor some local meats.