Discover Umgungundlovu

Umgungundlovu combines impressive natural experiences with stories about Nelson Mandela, museums and regional traditions. One notable place is Howick: the town developed around a dangerous ford across the uMngeni River, above the 95-metre-high Howick Falls. The waterfall is known to the Zulu as kwaNogqaza – “Place of the Tall One”. When choosing a holiday rental, you can first consider whether waterfalls and scenery, history or local culture should be the focus of your trip.

Waterfall, Gorge and Nature Trails

Howick Falls is a prominent landmark in the landscape around Howick. The WESSA uMngeni Valley Nature Reserve offers views of the gorge below the waterfall. The 900-hectare reserve is 1 km from Howick. Zebras, giraffes, wildebeest, nyalas and bushbucks live there. The combination of gorge views and the animal species mentioned gives the nature experience a distinctive character, without requiring any particular type of outing.

There are other options for active days: the Falls2Falls hiking trail is a popular three-day slackpacking hike in uMngeni. The Karkloof Canopy Tour takes you through the indigenous Karkloof forest on a zipline adventure with 12 platforms and 10 slides. This gives you a choice between a multi-day hike and an experience among the forest and platforms. At Midmar Resort in Howick, day visitors can fish for trout, bass and carp. The KwaZulu-Natal National Botanical Garden showcases indigenous plants.

Mandela History and Museums

The Nelson Mandela Capture Site commemorates Mandela’s arrest outside Howick on 5 August 1962. The site includes a visitor centre and the Release sculpture, made up of 50 steel columns. The Long Walk to Freedom runs through a landscaped garden alongside a timeline of Mandela’s life. Guided and self-guided tours, as well as activities for school groups and conferences, round out the visitor experience.

Different museums offer further insights. The Howick uMngeni Museum shares stories about the town as well as accounts of settlement, life and change along the uMngeni River. The Rhode House Museum covers the founding history of Mooi River. At the KwaZulu-Natal Museum, historical and educational exhibits include a T-Rex alongside a recreated Victorian street scene. The museum opened on 30 November 1904 and houses significant South African cultural collections. Pietermaritzburg’s iconic City Hall is also part of the uMgungundlovu District.

Local Culture and Regional Discoveries

In Mpophomeni Township, the Zulu Mpophomeni Tourism Experience is an award-winning community-based initiative. It includes visits to the Nokulunga Gumede Memorial and authentic Shisanyama dining experiences. If you are particularly interested in local culture and food, this offers a different way to experience the region than hiking or wildlife watching. In the uMshwathi municipality, the municipality holds the annual Festival of Beads. The Albert Falls Amble is developing tourism routes and hubs within uMshwathi.

There are also links between sporting and cultural memorial sites: the annual Mandela Day Marathon connects Mandela-related places in Pietermaritzburg and Howick. It starts at Manaye Hall in Imbali Township and finishes at the Mandela Capture Site in Howick. When planning your holiday, you can therefore choose according to the themes that matter most to you, rather than treating nature, museums and local experiences as one and the same itinerary.

Places Within the Area

If you would like to explore pages for other places, you can find Wartburg, Nottingham Road, Hilton, Howick, Camperdown, Richmond and Impendle here. The different place names can help you tailor your search for a suitable holiday rental to the sights and experiences you have planned.

For the broader travel overview: Kwazulu-Natal.

More Destinations

More places in the same destination:

Uthungulu.