Valley of a Thousand Hills

Between Durban and Pietermaritzburg the Umgeni River has cut down through the landscape and left a country of ridges folding away into haze - not a thousand hills exactly, but enough that the name has stuck since the nineteenth century. The old road along the northern rim is lined with viewpoints, craft stalls, tea gardens and small museums, and driving it is the standard way to see the valley without descending into it. Rural Zulu homesteads are scattered through the valley itself, and several cultural villages along the route offer dancing and craft demonstrations - these vary widely in how staged they are. The Comrades Marathon between the two cities passes along the ridge, and the annual Dusi canoe marathon runs the river below. Winter gives the clearest views; summer haze and afternoon thunderstorms often close the distance in.

What you actually see

• The folded ridges - green hills receding into haze above the Umgeni gorge.
• The rim road - viewpoints, tea gardens and craft stops along the old route.
• The homesteads - rural settlement scattered across the valley floor.
• The race routes - Comrades along the ridge, Dusi canoes on the river below.

When to go

April to September for clear air. Half a day driving with stops.

Honest expectations

Summer haze often hides the view entirely. Cultural villages range from genuine community projects to staged shows - ask before paying. Craft stalls repeat the same stock. The valley floor is rural and not set up for casual visitors.

Nearby

Durban is downhill; the Midlands Meander starts beyond Pietermaritzburg.