BEAUTIFUL SOUTH AFRICA |
See what this beautiful country has to offer ...
Click here view
|
CURRENCY CONVERTER |
Need to convert from one currency to another ...
... click here
|
WEATHER FORECAST |
Looking for today's weather or a five day forecast ...
... click here
|
|  |
12-day Durban's Dolphin Coast - Jewel of the Zulu Kingdom - Durban South Coast, the Wild Coast plus a wildlife safari
Magical encounters with our planet's most endearing sea-creatures, the bottle-nosed dolphins, a walk in the footsteps of Africa's mightiest historic king, Shaka, gourmet delights overlooking a warm, moonlit Indian Ocean ... Welcome to the idyllic lifestyle in the sub-tropical, natural splendour of the Dolphin Coast. The Dolphin Coast shoreline remains a perfect combination of golden beaches and sheltered coves for the watersport enthusiast's ultimate indulgence - or to simply soak up the rays! To this add Durban's beautiful South Coast & the ruggedly magnificent Wild Coast.
Top it all with a Wildlife Safari at Hluhluwe Game Reserve, the oldest game reserve in Africa where Zulu kings such as Dingiswayo and Shaka hunted, where today the "big five" of African legend stalk the verdant savannah. This tour begins & ends in Durban you enjoy 7 unforgettable rounds of golf.
Suggested day-by-day itinerary.
Day 1
Arrive at Durban International Airport where you will be met and assisted with your rental car. You will be given a comprehensive orientation, receive vouchers, plus full directions and directed to Selborne Hotel & Spa. This sub-tropical retreat on the edge of the warm Indian Ocean is only 30 minutes south of Durban International Airport. A temperate climate and lush country setting ensure exceptional leisure. The Selborne Hotel, Spa & Golf Estate is also famous for its large stately manor house and beautiful subtropical gardens that stretch to a private beach club that is only a few sandy footsteps to the beach. Woven around the natural rock and verdant indigenous coastal forest, the estate itself is home to duiker, mongoose, bushbuck and over 160 bird species and offers unequalled natural beauty and tranquillity.
Day 2
Take up the challenge of one of the most spectacular golf courses in southern Africa as you play the Selbourne Park course today. Wild coastal forest frames a superbly manicured course where the only disturbance may be one of nature's many creatures. Numerous water features demand accuracy but with the reward of breathtaking beauty at every turn. Mr Denis Barker, a well known local sugar farmer and dairy farmer purchased Selborne Park in 1979, which was used as his family home and to run his pedigree Jersey cattle herd. In 1985, following a visit to the United States and Canada, Denis decided to build a golf course on the property. Together with a handful of local friends who offered support and advice, Denis designed and built the beautiful 18 hole golf course with his younger son, Gary and Selborne duly became South Africa's first golf estate. In many ways, the privately owned and built Selborne golf course, which was voted 7th best in SA in its 3rd year, was the catalyst for what has become a booming "golf estate industry" with over 30 resorts now in the Southern African region.
After golf you could spend the afternoon at the nearby Beach resort or indulge yourself at the Spa.
Day 3
Today you play the top course in the area, The Durban Country Club. The Durban Country Club came into existence on 9th December 1922. The decision to build it grew largely from the misfortunes of the Royal Durban, South Africa's oldest club which was host to the 1919 national golf championships: the course became so waterlogged that the winner took 320 squelching strokes to finish. There was no guarantee that the low lying course would not flood again and so Durban was in danger of losing its place on the national tournament circuit. The re-designed course opened in 1922 and two years later Durban Country Club staged the first of many South African Opens. Much of the history of the game in South Africa has been enacted here, and most of the great players have made their pilgrimage to it. Sid Brews, Bobby Locke and Gary Player have has some of their greatest moments at the Country Club. The course saw Gary Player's first South African Open success in 1956 with 286. He returned in 1969 (having won the title another five times in the interim) to score a 273, which included a then record round of 64. In 1998 Ernie Els won his third South African Open at the club.
The course, overlooking the Blue Lagoon estuary and the Indian Ocean has hosted 16 SA Opens in total, more than any other club in South Africa. Overlooking the course is the classic Cape Dutch style Club House, its timeless grace making the name Durban Country Club synonymous with relaxed elegance. Over the years, the Club has played host to celebrities, royalty and golfing greats. Photos, antiques and memorabilia in the club house bear testimony to its fine traditions
Following golf you could take a tour of Durban before returning to Selbourne.
Day 4
After breakfast check out of Selbourne and take a leisurely drive down the lush South Coast passing through beautiful seaside resorts on your way to your next hotel. You will be spending the next 3 nights at the 4-star Mondazur Hotel at San Lameer. The Mondazur Hotel has just undergone a spectacular multi-million rand renovation to enhance its reputation as one of the most desired holiday destinations in South Africa.
This afternoon you tee off at the San Lameer Golf Club. San Lameer is a conservation haven with 195 different bird species, abundant wildlife - including impala, red, gray and blue duiker, reedbuck and bushbuck - and indigenous fauna and flora. Add to this a subtropical climate, the Indian Ocean and, of course, the championship golf course and you have a golfer's paradise where Eagles and Birdies of all kind abound. Set in the heart of this unique natural environment, San Lameer offers you everything you would include in a dream course. Eighteen memorable holes that weave a natural challenge through the open glades, forest and wetlands with the relaxed roar of the Indian Ocean cheering you on. The 18 hole championship golf course was designed by Peter Matkovich and Dale Hayes. The course itself is sculptured around one of the last remaining wetland forests on the South Coast of Kwa-Zulu Natal. It was designed to avoid areas of sensitive vegetation and utilises the indigenous plants and shrubs in the natural features of the course. The club house is recognised as one of the most attractive in South Africa with spectacular views from the spacious terraces surrounding it.
Day 5
Today you are playing at the Southbroom Golf Club, which boasts one of the most popular golf courses on the lower South Coast of KwaZulu-Natal. As an integral part of the Southbroom village, the course is a rare South African layout and if it wasn't for all the palm trees and tropical foliage, you'd think you were in Britain or Ireland. Only a stone's throw from the Indian Ocean, Southbroom Golf Club affords golfers impressive views of pristine beaches and the sea; the tranquility of playing alongside the lush indigenous vegetation of the Frederika Nature Reserve; and an opportunity to feel the pride of the Southbroom village as the course meanders past elegant coastal residences. Each of the 18-holes has its own unique feature and ability to test the skill of even the most accomplished golfer.
Water, in the form of both dams and river flowing to the sea, quietly but surely come into play and golfers need a careful game plan to negotiate this charming course. Established in 1938, the Southbroom golf course has consistently been improved and upgraded over the years and always has a neat, manicured look about it. The Southbroom Pro Shop, run by Derek & Sheena James, has an old-fashioned feel about it with every nook and cranny crammed with interesting goodies and lots of the latest golf gear. It's a place where you're assured of a warm welcome with everyone going out of their way to help you. The clubhouse commands impressive views of the course and the Indian Ocean, affording opportunities for frequent whale and dolphin spotting. Compleat Golfer magazine features Southbroom Golf Club as its "Course of the Month" - August 2006. "Short but very sweet: Southbroom is something of an institution. One of the most popular 'holiday' courses on KwaZulu-Natal's South Coast, it is visited by thousands of local and foreign tourists each year and the course continues to garner new devotees."
After golf why not spend the afternoon relaxing at the beach?
Day 6
Following breakfast drive the short distance to Port Edward where you will be playing The Wild Coast Sun Country Club, a rugged beauty of a course. Carts are compulsory but this does not detract from the competitive challenge. The course may be a daunting challenge for professionals and amateurs alike but its wide fairways and huge greens, attract golfers of all levels. A first glance at the score card might suggest that this course is a bit of a push-over - less than 6 000 metres in length with six par threes.
On face value this might seem so but in reality the Wild Coast Sun Country Club is one of South Africa's most testing layouts. Indeed renowned American golf course architect, Robert Trent Jones Jnr has created a dramatic golfing experience overlooking the Ocean. Possibly the greatest challenge is to conquer the prevailing winds which add an entirely new dimension to the course. Some of South Africa's finest and certainly most dramatic golf holes can be found here. The thirteenth, a par 3 played across a waterfall is generally regarded the best short hole in the country. And for drama nothing can match the outstanding par 5, twelfth. Here the drive is hit from a high elevated tee to a fairway far below that snakes its way through a valley flanked by a dam and stream on the left with a natural hillock on the right. The more of the river you take on with your drive the easier the approach to the green - an excellent example of a risk and reward par 5.
After your golf, perhaps spend the day at the Wild Coast Sun Resort, one of the Sun International Group's resorts that offers a casino and a variety of water sports like water-skiing, jet skiing and parasailing. The Wild Coast Sun also provides tennis, squash, and horse riding too.
Day 7
Check out of Mondazur and head north along the coast, past Durban, along the Dolphin Coast to Zimbali Lodge, a five star Boutique Hotel and one of Southern Africa's most exclusive hideaways, set within the serene confines of a coastal forest reserve. Zimbali Coastal Resort is a breathtaking 700-hectare Coastal Resort situated on a pristine stretch of KwaZulu-Natal's Dolphin Coast. It is a place of expansive beauty, endowed with lush vegetation and an abundance of indigenous wildlife.
Appropriately, its Zulu name means 'valley of flowers'. Featuring inspired architecture that displays an Indonesian influence, the majestic estate offers residents and guests an exceptional quality of life within a pristine natural environment. Located 28 miles north of Durban and within close proximity to all modern amenities, Zimbali is perfectly positioned to experience the unmatched magnificence of the KwaZulu-Natal province. You will be staying at the 5 star Zimbali Lodge and Country Club for the next 3 nights.
Day 8
The coastal area of Natal, as well as being home to the exclusive Zimbali Country Club, is home to some of the best golf courses in South Africa. Zimbali Golf course will be your round today. Truly the ideal venue for the discerning golfer who would like to, not only test his/her abilities on one of the finest golf courses in South Africa, but who would also like to do so in style. Tom Weiskopf - former British & South African Open Golf Champion - designed Zimbali, a golf course which will challenge players of all handicaps in the most delightful surroundings. This afternoon could be spent at the health and beauty spa, playing tennis or relaxing at the pool.
After golf, consider relaxing at the health and beauty spa, or take a walk among the sub tropical forest or just relax at the poolside.
Day 9
Today is our last round and is at Prince's Grant. Since opening in 1994 the Prince's Grant golf course has flourished just as the design team intended. With large greens and impressive fairways, it creates a completely unique and challenging experience for any golfer. The course is a links / parklands layout, designed and constructed by Peter Matkovich.
The rest of the afternoon could be spent at the Prince's Grant Lodge with a walk on the secluded beach or return to Zimbali. Perhaps a short drive to Sibaya Casino & Entertainment Kingdom, the ideal getaway for those seeking all the thrills and spills, laughs and luxury KwaZulu-Natal has to offer. With over 1000 slot and 24 touch-bet roulette machines, the action never stops with winnings all day long. Our touch-screen technology is years ahead of anything else experienced in South Africa, so come and spend some time with Lady Luck.
Day 10
Have your final breakfast at beautiful Zimbali, check out and drive north along the coast road to the Hluhluwe Game Reserve to embark on your Hilltop Camp Wildlife Safari. Set in the heart of Zululand, Hluhluwe is the oldest game reserve in Africa where Zulu kings such as Dingiswayo and Shaka hunted and put in place the first conservation laws, where today the "big five" of African legend stalk the verdant savannah. Established in 1895, game viewing is the prime attraction. Viewing hides overlook waterholes enabling visitors to see animals at close range. As the home of Operation Rhino in the 1950s and 60s, the Park became world renowned for its white rhino conservation. Other areas of focus for which Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park is famed include wilderness trails which originated in Imfolozi in the 1950s and its renowned Game Capture unit recently upgraded into the Centenary Capture Centre, a bench mark for animal capture and sustainable utilization throughout Africa.
The Park covers some 96 000 ha and contains an immense diversity of fauna and flora. Apart from game-viewing drives, there are two self-guided auto trails which provide information on both the management and natural history of the reserve. Guided walks are also available, particularly rewarding in the early morning and late afternoon. You will be staying for the next 2 nights at the Hilltop Camp, winner of the British Airways Tourism For Tomorrow Award'. This award-winning Hilltop Camp is on the summit of a forested hill, offering fine views of the surrounding countryside. There is an a la carte restaurant, an attractive pub and lounge decorated with photographs and memorabilia of the history of Hluhluwe, as well as a gift shop and convenience store. A forest trail is available to guests at Hilltop. Hlaza Hide has been developed at the site of the old summerhouse in Hilltop Camp and it will shortly incorporate a waterhole with soft lighting at night to aid game viewing.
Take some time to relax at your lodge before embarking on a guided Game Viewing drive with an experienced ranger in search of the famous African "Big Five".
Day 11
Enjoy the majesty of the African Bush as you experience morning and evening Game Drives in open vehicles. Learn about Africa from your skilled Ranger guide who will share his/her knowledge of African Bushcraft in this exciting wildlife experience.
Day 12
Your choice this morning, perhaps an early morning Game Drive before breakfast or simply relax. Check out and drive along the Coast Road back to Durban International Airport where you will return your rental car in time for your flight home.
Thank you for booking your Golf Tour with Pinnacle Golf Tours. We sincerely hope we have exceeded your expectations & look forward to seeing you again. Bon Voyage!
|
|
|
