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Cultural Tours from Durban

Durban is probably one of the best cities in South Africa to enjoy a cultural tour. From walks through the largest outdoor pharmacy in South Africa to Indian heritage tours, there is something for everyone.

Most people consider Cape Town to be an Europeans city in South Africa, and Johannesburg to be the financial powerhouse of the county. Durban has always been considered to the fun city with it’s great weather, the beaches, the outdoor lifestyle etc. But Durban also has culture, a lot of it.

We offer a few cultural tours that will help give you a little insight into what makes Durban such a rich city to visit. You’ll get to learn a little of the history, taste a new food, visit some unique spots and by the end of the tour, will be a little more in love with Durban!

Please note that all tours start and finish in Durban, minimum 2 persons required per tour. Prices correct at the date of publishing, please contact us to confirm up to date pricing.

Cultural Tours from Durban


Durban City Tour

This is honestly such a popular tour. Not only do you get to learn about the history of Durban (and the clash of 4 distinct cultural groups) but you’ll get to visit some unique spots.

First off is the Victoria Street Market. Built where the original Indian traders sold their garden market goods, the Victoria Street Market has been a city anchor for over 100 years.

On the Durban city tour you’ll get to learn a great deal more about the history in the Indian people and the struggle they faced in colonial Durban.

Right across the street is the Zulu Markets, made up of the Muthi (medicine) Market, the Early Morning Market, the Station Market, Bead Market and Cows Head Market.

On the Durban city tour you’ll get to walk these markets for your elf and learn so much more about the Zulu history and traditions as well as their way of life in contemporary Durban.

During the course of the Durban city tour you’ll get an opportunity to enjoy a firm Durban favourite for lunch, a “bunny chow”. Introduced by the Durban Indians as a way to transport meals, the bunny chow fast became Durban’s go-to-meal anytime of the day.

  • Cost of the tour: R950 per person
  • Start time: 8:30am
  • Tour length: 6 hours

KwaMashu Freedom Trail

Anyone who knows anything about South Africa at all, will be familiar with Apartheid, where a minority people subjugated a majority.

On this KwaMashu Freedom Train tour you’ll get to learn more about the history of the Zulu people and discover more about the roots of apartheid.

You’ll get to visit KwaMashu Township, a thriving and bustling Apartheid-era town that was home to Mahatma Gandhi, John Langalibalela Dube (founder of the ANC), and other black South Africa historic figures.

On this tour you’ll get to visit the homes of Gandhi and Dube, learn more about what life is like in the townships including a 30 min walking township tour. You’ll also get to visit the KwaMuhle museum to learn about Zulu life in the city during Apathed.

Finally on this half day tour, you’ll also get to enjoy the king of meals, the bunny chow!

  • Cost of the tour: R1250 per person
  • Start time: 8:30am
  • Tour length: 6 hours

Durban Indian Heritage Day Tour

In 1860 the first of the indentured Indian labourers arrived aboard the Truro, bound for the sugar cane fields and coal mines in Natal, the Indians quickly gained a reputation for being hard working and industrious people, which brought them in direct conflict with both black and white residents of Durban.

On this day tour you’ll get to visit some of the most unique sites of Durban including the Victoria Market, the Juma Musjid (Grey Street) Mosque, the Temple of Understanding and the 1860 Heritage Museum.

You will also get to walk through the historic Indian quarters made famous by local Indian writes such as Aziz Hassim and others.

  • Cost of the tour: R1050 per person
  • Start time: 8:30am
  • Tour length: 6 hours

Zulu Village Walk and Township Experience

About 35min west of Durban lies the picturesque Valley of a 1000 Hills; so named for the views that include rolling hills all the way to the Indian Ocean. It’s here among the hills that the Debe people of the Zulu nation live, and where you can experience a walking tour through the little rural village of iSithumbe.

Surrounded by rolling hills, the sounds of bird life coming from the natural bushveld all around, the curious cows that roam about unfettered and of course, the ever present goats and chickens, you’ll get to experience a part of Durban that not even many locals get to experience.

On this tour you’ll get to learn about Zulu culture and tradition, both for contemporary Zulu people and the Zulu people of old. There’ll be an opportunity to meet the local Sangoma (spritiual healer) as well as the chief of the village. As part of the experience you’ll also be taught how to weave a traditional Zulu friendship/love bracelet from grass.

After the rural village walk, you’ll get to drive from the rural sleepiness of iSithumba and through the more modern township of KwaNyswa on the way to your lunchtime venue.

After lunch you’ll get taken to PheZulu Safari Park of a fantastic dance show depicting the traditional courtship between a Zulu warrior and a Zulu maiden.

  • Cost of the tour: R1650 per person
  • Start time: 8:30am
  • Tour length: 6 hours

Bushman Paintings Day Tour

Want to try something totally different? How about a day out exploring the historical art of the original inhabitants of Southern Africa, the Bushman People.

There are not very many true descendants of the Bushmen people about these day, even fewer who can speak the language; you can see the written language on the South Africa coat of arms, but the evidence of their lives are recorded on many rocks walls in the mountains and other sites.

Two sites in South Africa are exceptionally well preserved and are protected by law, the Main Caves at Giants Castle and the Rock Art at Kamberg. There are others, but these are the two we offer tours too.

The Main Caves are pretty easy to get to, roughly a 2,5 hour drive from Durban followed by a 40min light walk along a trail in the Drakensberg Mountains. Once at the caves themselves, a local guide will walk you through the scenes depicted in the rock art and chat about the people themselves.

The rock art at Kamberg is considered to be the Rosetta Stone of Bushman paintings. This site gets quite a few visits from academics but is a lot more difficult to get to. Still a 2.5 to 3 hour drive from Durban, but the walk is a good two hours to the caves and it’s pretty much straight up.

One of the most fascinating aspects of the art is the stylised drawings of British and Boer soldiers!

  • Cost of the tour: R1890 per person
  • Start time: 8:00am
  • Tour length: 6 hours

Booking a Durban Cultural Tour

As you an see, Durban has great opportunities for you to get to grips with different people and cultures. From Zulu and Indian heritage, to Boer and British, to even Bushman culture, there is an plenty of choice when visiting Durban.

If you would like to book one of our tours, then simply get in touch using any of the convenient options below; we can’t wait to show off our city if Durban!

    Gallery of Tour Images