The Oyster Box

Classic South Africa

Family Classic + 3 more + 3 more

A classic South African holiday, with a few lesser-visited surprises.

17 days

from £3,655 pp

A South African Fortnight

Classic Safari + 1 more + 2 more

A two-week classic adventure through the best of South Africa.

14 days

from £3,595 pp

Go Local in South Africa

Safari Wildlife & Nature + 3 more + 3 more

Real people. Real stories. Real South Africa.

19 days

from £6,690 pp

Bergs, Battlefields & Bush

Safari Adventure + 2 more + 3 more

Exploring the history & wildlife of KwaZulu-Natal.

13 days

from £4,750 pp

South Africa Safari Explorer

South Africa's wildlife at its best.

14 days

Safari Wildlife & Nature

from £5,850 pp

South Africa Family Holiday

Family Safari + 1 more + 2 more

The ultimate family adventure through South Africa's highlights.

15 days

from £3,495 pp

Quirky excursions

View all excursions in South Africa

Sharks rugby match

Next to the new FIFA World Cup stadium in Durban is the ABSA stadium, home of The Sharks, a team with a great heritage, if slightly inconsistent performance. Sharks games are great to watch – the crowd is boisterous and passionate, and the antics of the mascot Sharky are normally good for a laugh or two. The open area outside the ground is colonised by pick-up trucks with their tailgates lowered, the perfect platform for a barbeque (known as a braai in South Africa), supplemented with a few cans of cold beer – the classic Sharks post-match party. If you happen to be invited along or wandering through it all after a game, keep an eye out as the Sharks players very often wander out to join in the festivities.

Moses Madhida Stadium

Built for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the Moses Madhida Soccer Stadium is one of the icons of the Durban skyline, towered over by a huge arch, not dissimilar to Wembley. At the centre, the arch is 105 metres from the ground and there is a platform here offering amazing, if dizzying views, over the whole city and the Indian Ocean – you can reach this by a funicular crane, or walk through the arch itself, a more energetic option and not ideal for those without a head for heights! For the truly adventurous, there is even a swing, swinging you from the top of the arch in a 220 metre arc across the pitch.

Heritage Scene Tour

Durban’s townships played a critical role in the struggle against apartheid. It was here that Mahatma Ghandi developed his philosophy of passive resistance as a means to fight the regime; Albert Luthuli, the first African Nobel Laureate and one-time president of the ANC lived here, and it was here that Dr John Dube, the first president of the ANC lived and is buried. In a gesture acknowledging the importance of John Dube, Nelson Mandela chose to cast his vote in the first democratic elections in 1994 in the polling station by Dube’s grave in Durban. Visiting the homes and graves of these hugely significant figures is a wonderful way to learn more about how apartheid was eventually overcome. Durban’s history goes back further than this though, and part of your day will be spent exploring the Zulu legacy of great rulers like Shaka Zulu, and learning about the early European settlers and how Durban grew upon their arrival. Throughout the day you’ll be accompanied by your guide: a local person brimming with knowledge and enthusiasm, keen to teach you about their history and even keener to engage you in debate and discussion.

Durban city tour

Stroll through South Africa's oldest Botanical Gardens with a passionate horticulturalist discovering their unique collection of cycads, orchids and secret to invisibility. Unlock the trendy suburb of Glenwood on foot and track down the public portfolios of local street artists. Meet Mama Nkosi, otherwise known as the dancing curator of one of the largest collections of traditional art as she reveals indigenous beliefs and tribal culture. Tuck into lunch (own expense) and sample some of the popular flavours and taste sensations of Durban (ever tried a bunny chow?) With your energy levels restored, enter into the beating heart of the city – Victoria Street Market – accompanied by the social warriors from Asiye eTafuleni. Drive through the city centre as your guide brings it to life with historical anecdotes and an encyclopaedia of knowledge. Moses Mabhida Stadium isn’t just great to look at, it’s also terrific to jump off (for your own cost). Finish the day by exploring the creative hub that is the Station Drive Precinct.

Street Scene Tour

This tour is a mixture of driving and walking, all in the company of an enthusiastic, energetic and knowledgeable local, keen to show off their wonderful city to you. You begin with a drive up to the hill overlooking downtown Durban from where the city is laid out before – the perfect vantage point for your guide to introduce you to the city. Then you descend into the busiest part of the city, Warwick Triangle. This is a busy, bustling intersection where traditional markets offer their wares: from the (initially quite shocking) animal parts used in <>muti (traditional medicine), to stalls of bright, vibrant clothes, and the incredible din of the music market, where sellers of cassettes and CDs vie to see whose sound-system is loudest. More so than almost anywhere else in the country, when you walk around these markets you really feel you’re in Africa. Next stop is for lunch, indulging in Durban’s most famous dish: bunny chow. This is a nod to the city’s Indian heritage, as it’s a curry served in hollowed-out bread loaves, and it’s extremely tasty. You walk off lunch with a stroll around the colonial city centre – the ornate Victorian splendour of the City Hall and the peacefulness of the inner city gardens, before a final drive along the edge of Durban’s harbour.