Day1
Arrival in East London → Chintsa
Fly in to East London, pick up your car and drive the short way to Chintsa, where the Wild Coast begins. A long empty beach, dune forest and a first sundowner over the Indian Ocean.
Nature · Eastern Cape & KwaZulu-Natal
Wild Coast & KwaZulu-Natal
South Africa off the beaten track: the empty cliffs and green hills of the Wild Coast, the Oribi Gorge, and the bush and turtle beaches of Zululand at Hluhluwe and iSimangaliso. For nature and big open spaces.
Duration
10 days
Distance
~1,300 km
Best season
Apr – Oct
Ideal for
Nature lovers
Overview
The road less travelled along South Africa’s east coast: the empty cliffs and green hills of the Wild Coast, a forested gorge, and the bush and wetlands of Zululand. This is the country at its wildest and least built-up, a trip for nature and big open spaces.
It begins on the Wild Coast, the old Transkei, where the land rolls down to the sea in waves of grassland dotted with Xhosa homesteads. From Chintsa you drive in to Coffee Bay and the Hole in the Wall, with days to walk the cliffs, meet the families who live along the coast, and have the long beaches almost to yourself. Few parts of the country feel this far from the crowds.
Crossing into KwaZulu-Natal, the route takes in the deep Oribi Gorge and the warm city of Durban before turning north into Zululand. There you’ll find St Lucia and the iSimangaliso wetlands, with their hippos, crocodiles and turtle beaches, and Hluhluwe-iMfolozi, the oldest reserve in Africa and the home of the rhino. A self-drive trip from end to end, and every stage can be shortened, extended or paired with the Drakensberg.
Day by day
The full itinerary
Ten days, from the empty cliffs of the Wild Coast to the wetlands of Zululand.
Day2
Chintsa → Coffee Bay & Hole in the Wall
Head deeper into the old Transkei on rolling roads dotted with Xhosa homesteads. Coffee Bay is the heart of the Wild Coast, and the famous Hole in the Wall sea arch is a short way down the coast.
Hole in the WallCoffee BayCliffs
Day3
The Wild Coast on foot
A day to walk the cliffs: coastal trails to viewpoints and waterfalls, a guided village walk to meet the Xhosa families who live here, and time on the wide, near-empty beaches. The Wild Coast at its best.
Cliff walksXhosa villagesBeaches
Day4
Coffee Bay → Oribi Gorge
Cross into KwaZulu-Natal and the South Coast, to the deep, forested Oribi Gorge. Lookouts over the river far below, forest trails and, for the brave, the gorge swing and a suspension bridge.
Oribi GorgeForestLookouts
Day5
Oribi Gorge → Durban
Down to Durban, the warm-water city. An afternoon on the Golden Mile, the Botanic Gardens or the harbour, and the warmest city sea in the country for a swim before dinner.
DurbanGolden MileWarm sea
Day6
Durban → St Lucia (iSimangaliso)
Head north into Zululand to St Lucia, gateway to the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, a World Heritage Site where the bush runs down to the sea. Hippos walk the village streets after dark.
iSimangalisoEstuaryHippos
Day7
iSimangaliso, estuary & shore
An estuary boat cruise among hippos and crocodiles, then the wild beaches at Cape Vidal, where whales pass offshore in season and loggerhead turtles nest in summer. A full day of water and wildlife.
Boat cruiseCape VidalTurtles
Day8
Hluhluwe-iMfolozi safari
The oldest game reserve in Africa, and the place that saved the white rhino from extinction. A full day of game drives for the Big Five, in the green hills of Zululand rather than the open lowveld.
HluhluweRhinoBig Five
Day9
Hluhluwe → Durban
An optional dawn drive, then back down to Durban along the coast. A last evening by the warm sea, with time to look back over cliffs, gorge, wetland and bush.
Dawn driveCoast
Day10
Departure
Drop the car at King Shaka International and fly home via Johannesburg — or extend the trip into the Drakensberg, an easy add-on from this corner of the country.
The route
From the Wild Coast to Zululand
Plan & book
How to book each step
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Flights
Compare flights into East London and home from Durban (King Shaka).
Search on Skyscanner →Stays
Lodges and guesthouses handpicked from the Wild Coast to Zululand.
Find a stay →Car hire
One-way rental: pick up in East London, drop off in Durban.
Compare cars →Safaris & tours
Wild Coast walks, the iSimangaliso boats and the Hluhluwe safari.
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Other journeys
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Plan & book
Book the experiences along the way
From Wild Coast walks to the iSimangaliso boats and the Hluhluwe safari, book the activities of this trip through GetYourGuide and our trusted partners — the same price as booking direct.
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