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Kloof The breathtaking Valley of a Thousand Hills is an awesome holiday destination that offers unspoilt nature, wildlife, magnificent scenery, wining and dining, and warm country hospitality just a half an hour's drive from the centre of Durban.It is named for the countless hills which tumble down to the mighty Umgeni River that flows from the distant Drakensberg Mountains to the temptingly warm Indian Ocean.Starting at Botha's Hill, the historic Valley of 1000 Hills stretches through to Drummond, Assegay & Shongweni. It is undoubtedly one of the most picturesque and scenic areas of KZN, offering lots of fun, entertainment and shopping.Dense forests, plunging waterfalls and vast pristine wilderness attract an abundance of birds and wildlife to the area. The Valley of 1000 Hills is one of the most beautiful scenic drives in the country and really shouldn't be missed on your trip to KZN.The arts, crafts, galleries, coffee shops, candle makers and antiques available along the route will ensure there's something for those who are born to shop!Nature Reserves in the 100 Hills area include Alverstone Conservancy, Clive Cheesman Nature Reserve, Crestholme Nature Reserve, Glenholme Nature Reserve, Inanda Resort Reserve, Krantzkloof Nature Reserve, Madwala Conservancy, Misty Mountain, Nagle Resource Reserve, Phezulu Safari Park, Shongweni Resource Reserve and Springside Nature Reserve.
Popular Attractions near Kloof
*Distances are shown as the crow flies and are not necessarily the actual travelling
distance.
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Bothas Hill (12.2 km from Kloof) The 1000 Hills Arts & Crafts Village is situated in the popular and incredibly scenic Valley of 1000 Hills. The Village offers restaurants with breathtaking views, a spa; children’s play area, animal farmyard, lovely little shops, a pub and more. It’s quite easy to spend the entire day here.
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Westcliff (Durban) (14.3 km from Kloof) Leave your shoes at the door and walk into a colourful Hindu sanctuary. The spacecraft-like exterior belies the opulent interior of marble tiles, gold-tinted windows, crystal chandeliers and lavish decorations. Ceiling frescoes and statuettes pay tribute to the divine couple, Radha and Krishna.
Entrance is free and people of all faiths are welcome to spend time here meditating, praying or just to soak up the contemplative atmosphere while wandering around the lush garden and peaceful environment.
Underneath the temple is a wonderful restaurant run by devotees serving scrumptious vegetarian fare to eat there or take away.
+27 (0) 31 403 3328
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Musgrave (20 km from Kloof) Situated on the eastern slopes of the Berea ridge, Durban Botanic Gardens is renowned for the rarest original specimen of a plant in the world – a cycad named Encephalartos woodii.
Initially the garden grew experimental tropical crops but today the extensive offerings include the herbarium, orchid house, cycad collection, a garden for the blind and a tea garden.
Along with an extensive collection of South African cycad species, a highlight is the Orchid House, best viewed during spring.
Guided tours are on offer but it’s essential to book well in advance. The charity tea garden is open from 09:30 – 16:15 daily.
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Stamford Hill (22.1 km from Kloof) Leap off the top of the Moses Mabhida Stadium for the most exhilarating ride of your life. The ‘Big Rush Big Swing’ is the only stadium swing and the largest swing of any kind on the planet.
Step into the void 106 meters above the stadium field and swing out under the famous arch. Ultra-friendly and qualified guides give ample instruction and assistance. All equipment is provided.
+27 (0) 31 312 9435
www.bigrush.co.za
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Umhlanga Rocks (27.1 km from Kloof) Visit a lighthouse on the Sugar Coast that once caused an un-nautical stir – draped in a condom!
The landlubber nonsense on Umhlanga's beach was all for a noble cause and brought a massive HIV-Aids awareness message on World Aids Day. The red and white 21-metre tall lighthouse was draped in fabric to resemble a giant condom and inscribed with the message 'Know your status'.
So what was the reason behind this controversial transformation? Iain Buchan from the Unlimited Child, an NGO working in the Valley of 1000 Hills, says they wanted to highlight the plight of Aids orphans.
“The feedback I've had so far from some of our people here has just been fantastic. We're getting people sending us SMSes, blogging, just saying it's incredible, the response and the awareness. And that's really what putting this condom on the lighthouse has done. It's kind of shaken people's awareness to say, 'ok this is different, and how can we get involved?'."
Now it’s business as usual for the Umhlanga Lighthouse, beaming out nightly signals visible to vessels as far as 24 nautical miles away. The fixed red light enables ships waiting to anchor in the outer anchorage to monitor their position. You will find this landmark near the end of Lighthouse Road in Umhlanga.
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Prestondale (27.7 km from Kloof) An integral part of protecting the vibrant tourism industry, the KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board has been protecting popular KZN beaches from shark incidents for over 40 years. KZNSB boats launch each morning to patrol the coast and clear the shark safety gear of any catches.
At least once a month each net is rotated ensuring that every net in the installation is removed and repaired before being placed back in the water. Marine growth as well as wear and tear can cause damage to the nets and it is only through the regular maintenance of equipment that an efficient and cost-effective service can be delivered to the local authorities.
The public are given a unique opportunity of being able to view firsthand the servicing of the nets off Durban’s Golden Mile from the KZNSB Tour Boat. These two hour trips leave Wilson’s Wharf at 06:30. After witnessing the meshing operations, there is the chance of opportunistic viewing of wildlife including seabirds. Trips are weather and sea conditions permitting. Bookings are essential – call 082 403 9206. Cost – R250 per person (as at August 2010).
The boat trip can be followed up by an excursion to the KZNSB Headquarters in Umhlanga at 1a Herrwood Drive. An audio-visual presentation is followed by a fascinating shark dissection on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 09:00 and 14:00. Sunday afternoon dissections take place at 14:00. Cost – adults R35, children or pensioners R20 (as at August 2010).
+27 (0) 31 566 0400
Tips for your safety at the beach from KZNSB:
Swim at protected beaches
Obey the lifeguards on duty
Avoid swimming in dirty water (river in flood)
Avoid swimming at night (between dusk and dawn)
Avoid swimming alone
Remember: Alcohol and seawater make a lethal cocktail – to be avoided at all times.
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Amanzimtoti (28.1 km from Kloof) Way more than an average shot in the dark, Glow Mini Golf offers your family a cool golfing experience well above par. Kids will love the spectacular undersea theme with animated props at every corner. Grab a glow-in-the-dark golf ball and take to the 9- or 18-hole miniature golf course for mega laughs and excitement at ever hole.
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Amanzimtoti (28.1 km from Kloof) Grab some retro shoes and bowling balls to strike it lucky at Super Bowls. On offer are an electronic scoring system, 8 to 10 lanes and funky glow-in-the-dark evening option. With balls available in all weights and sizes, pull up rails and ramps for kids, Super Bowls is a fantastic activity for the whole family.
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Amanzimtoti (28.1 km from Kloof) Situated in Galleria Shopping Mall in Amanzimtoti, Galleria Ice Rink incorporates the latest technologies and is renowned for having the best ice in KwaZulu-Natal.
Monday to Saturday 09:00 - 19:00
Sunday 09:00 - 17:00
Public Holidays 09:00 - 17:00
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Amanzimtoti (28.1 km from Kloof) Try your hand at racing, shooting, collecting, hitting and jumping to get the top score! Arcade Games offers an exciting variety of classic to new age games for kids and adults alike. State-of-the-art machines are operated on a Playcard system, offering players a seamless gaming experience. Up for grabs are a host of prizes.
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Amanzimtoti (28.1 km from Kloof) Fasten your safety belt for the ride of your life in Amanzimtoti. Spin Zone offers an exhilarating experience for all ages at the Galleria Mall. Traditional bumper cars are pimped to create more buzz and the addition of the "Spin Mode” increases the thrill factor. There’s also the attraction of easier controls for small kids to operate. When one car hits another car, the hit driver goes into an uncontrolled spin for a few seconds – it’s screamingly good fun!
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Amanzimtoti (28.1 km from Kloof) Dice, drag and zoom your way to smash the record on the track at Galleria Shopping Centre. Kids between the ages of 10 and 100 years can test their reflexes and compete with each other on lap times. Serious race junkies can test their driving skills without any speed limits.
Monday to Thursday 11:00 – 21:00
Friday 11:00 – 22:00
Saturday 09:00 – 22:00
Sunday 09:00 – 21:00
School holidays 09:00 – 00:00
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Amanzimtoti (28.2 km from Kloof) Strike it lucky at Galaxy Bingo Gaming and Entertainment in Amanzimtoti. Bingo is easy to play and you stand the chance of winning big cash prizes for a very small fee per game. Take a seat at one of the tables in the smoking or non-smoking area and have some fun with family and friends.
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Umhlanga Rocks (28.2 km from Kloof) Ocean Blue Scuba is an authorized PADI Dive Centre based in Umhlanga Rocks. All levels of divers are catered for, whether it is on a reef, a wreck, and deep or shallow, boat or shore entry. Courses are available from Open Water Diver through to Dive Masters.
If you're short on time, join them for a Discover Scuba Diving experience in uShaka Marine World's Tropical Reef Tank. Certified divers or anyone looking to do a refresher can also do some diving in the aquarium tanks.
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Mount Moreland (31.6 km from Kloof) By November every year, up to 3 million Barn Swallows can be seen flocking to Mount Moreland; South Africa's largest roost for migrating Barn Swallows.
Come set up at the lake before sundown, and you'll experience a remarkable spectacle half an hour before sunset. This attraction brings people from across the globe, and has been recognised as a natural and global wonder.
Visitors are welcome to visit the view site in the last week in October but the best viewing months are November and March.
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Illovo Glen (32.8 km from Kloof) Armani Day Spa and Wellness Clinic is situated in a lush garden in Winklespruit, 5 km south from Amanzimtoti. This boutique day spa offers a peaceful refuge where guests can indulge in luxurious signature treatments from professionally trained staff.
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Umdloti Beach (34 km from Kloof) Explore Umdloti's beaches and hills on horseback for a one-of-a-kind experience. This activity is suitable for beginners and advanced riders; tuition is also available.
Be sure to phone the equestrian center before arrival, as rides are only done on appointment. Pricing is available on request.
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Camperdown (36.9 km from Kloof) Enjoy an exhilarating flight with awesome views as you climb to altitude over Durban's golden beaches, the turquoise Indian Ocean and the Valley of a Thousand Hills.
Durban Skydive Centre will lift you up into the sky to jump at an altitude of 8 000 to 12 000 ft. You will be firmly attached to a qualified and experienced tandem instructor and free-fall for an unforgettable 45 seconds.
After the free-fall, you will have the opportunity to fly the canopy during the 6-minute parachute descent. The instructor will take over for the landing.
Need to know Everything is provided; all you need to bring is running shoes. Maximum weight limit is 110 kg. Open daily from January to December; bookings are every hour from 09:00 to 14:00.
072 214 6040
www.skydivedurban.co.za
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Umkomaas (46.5 km from Kloof) Aliwal Shoal is rated as part of the top 10 in the world, offering something special for divers and snorkellers alike each season. Oceanworx Dive Charters caters for non divers to experienced divers.
Facilities include ocean safaris, snorkeling trips, scuba diving courses, reef dives and wreck dives to the Aliwal Shoal, baited shark dives, equipment rental and servicing, Nitrox, swimming pool, changing facilities, hot showers, gear storage, credit cards welcome, and plenty of parking.
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Umkomaas (46.7 km from Kloof) Aliwal Shoal is regarded as one of the top diving spots in the world. Aliwal Dive Centre offers quality scuba and snorkel equipment for all ages and sizes. Daily charters to Aliwal Shoal and the two nearby wrecks 'Nebo' and 'Produce' are available at competitive rates.