So you’ve been sent to the coastal city of Durban in South Africa to do some work or attend a conference, or perhaps you’re in Durban to attend a wedding or maybe even you though it looked like a great place to spend your vacation. Since you’re in town, you may be looking for some Durban Sightseeing tours; here are our options.
Here’s the Quick List
- Durban city highlights tour (half day)
- Durban city full day tour
- Durban township and Freedom trail tour
- iSithumba and PheZulu Cultural tour
Durban Sightseeing Tours Detailed List
Durban is unlike any other city in South Africa; it’s laid-back surfer-culture lifestyle blended with the hustle and bustle of a modern growing city with dollops of traditional Zulu culture and traditions and Indian influences makes for an interesting and unique experience.
I have put together the following tours that I think captures the very spirit of Durban, not only focusing on history and current affairs, but also on food and drink and music and the markets, all of which make up Durban.
1. Durban City Highlights Tour
This is the perfect tour for those that are short on time. Pickup is at 9:00am and you’re done by 12:30pm. Included on the tour is all the main Durban city highlights as well as a stop at the famed Victoria spice market.


Along the way we’ll stop for delicious koeksisters (not on a Monday though) and biltong and of course, play some local Zulu music.
At the market you’ll have a bit of time to do a walk around, buy some traditional spices, clothing or anything else that captures your eye.
The Durban city highlights tour takes around 4 hours and we’ll pick up and drop off; check out the tour page for more information and costs.
2. Durban Full Day City Tour
Easily our most popular sightseeing tour and one that I love to host. Pickup is at 9am and typically you are done by around 3pm.


You will do everything in the highlights package but in this tour you’ll get to walk though the traditional Zulu and Indian markets as well as enjoy a guided tour of the oldest surviving botanical gardens in Africa where you can see the “loneliest” tree in the world!
On this tour you’ll get to taste some Durban snacks like vetkork, koeksisters, biltong and enjoy a hearty lunch of everyone’s favourite fast food, a “bunny chow” lunch.
The Durban full day city tour is a far more in-depth tour that covers not only a bit of history, but help you experience a bit of everything without overwhelming you!
3. Durban Township and Freedom Trail Day Tour
South Africa is synonymous with “townships” and here just 20 min north of Durban lies the grand-daddy of them all, KwaMashu township.


It’s here that Mahatma Gandhi spent 11 years while in South Africa, and it’s also here where John Langalibalele Dube began his journey to being the first president of the SANNC which would later become the ANC. It also the place where Nelson Mandela chose to cast the first free and fair election vote in South Africa.
The tour starts off at 9am and typically you are done by around 2:30pm. On this tour you’ll get to visit KwaMashu township where you’ll learn about the history of townships i South Africa and discover what life is like for people living in townships today.
Like our other tours you’ll get an opportunity to try local foods and discover the traditional music of the Zulu people as well as the “struggle songs” of the anti-apartheid activists.
This Durban Township and Freedom Trail tour is an engaging tour that will leave you with an appreciation for warm and friendly people you meet along the way.
4. iSithumba and PheZulu Cultural Tour
Here’s another of those tours that I personally love to run! On this tour you’ll head into the beautiful Valley of a 1000 Hills where you’ll descend into the traditional community of KwaQimba fetching up at iSithumba.


Pickup is at 9am and you’ll be at iSithumba by 10am where you’ll be guided around this traditional working village by Amimi, a passionate resident of iSithumba who loves nothing more than showing off his village to visitors from around the world.
After a pleasant walk through the village you’ll be taken through to a local haunt for a spot of lunch (you have to try the “bunny chow”) and then you’ll be treated to an amazing Zulu dance depicting the traditional courtship of the Zulu.
This iSithumba and PheZulu Cultural tour is a popular one because you get away from the hustle and bustle of the city and learn so much more about the Zulu people on a deeper level.
Durban Safaris and Tours
I are all about showing you very best of Durban on all of my tours, I live here and am very proud of the city. Now you may have heard a few negative things about Durban, like there is a lot of crime and that the city is dirty.
Fact is in 14 years of walking guests like yourself through the city of Durban, never once was I, nor any of my guests, victims of crime. That’s not to say I’m not careful, I am, but you simply should not believe everything you hear.
Even if you don’t book a tour with me, you are welcome to contact me for advice on travelling to and around Durban and I’ll gladly hand out advice.



