South Africa Travels Blog

A winters highlight along the Kwazulu-Natal’s South Coast is a fishing phenomenon known as the “Sardine Run, which has fascinating an effect on human beings as it has impact on marine life.
Every year hugh shoals of pilchards set off from the cool Cape Waters in search of warm spawning grounds.
Moving with the north flowing offshore current, these diminutive fish remain out of reach of the shore along the Cape coast, but somewhere around Natal`s southern border, counter currents sweep them landwards, and this is where the excitement starts because there is always the chance that your spot of the beach will be the one playing host to tons of fish driven onshore by a permutation of wind, tide and predators.
Sea birds provide one of the clues to finding the fish. Where ever they are, wheeling, shrieking and diving into the waves, the sardine are sure to be.
The sardine swim in successive waves swinging out to sea again in the vicinity of Durban.
The migration is an annual one, with the first sighting towards the end of June and continuing for a month.

Pietermaritzburg is located in a deep valley in the natal Midlands, one hour northwest of the sprawling city of Durban. The town is deceptively large and as yet unspoiled by tourists hordes and uninspired modern architecture. The main reason to visit Pietermaritzburg, unless you are a student at one of the institutes of higher learning is the architecture.

Pietermaritzburg is one of the best preserved Victorian cities in the world. Its brick buildings and sedate, regal structures (including the largest brick building in the Southern Hemisphere) stand in stark contrast to the concrete slabs other cities built in the interests of efficiency and economy. The architecture helps to preserve Pietermaritzburg’s ambience. This feeling is supported by the narrow winding alleys that make their way in between the larger through-fares.

Pietermaritzburg today is a wonderful hybrid of big-city and small town influences. though it is known as “The City in the Country”, and agriculture is the backbone of the local economy.

Pietermaritzburg has enough good museums and galleries to stand up to any other city in South Africa. It is a wonderful town too often neglected by tourists.