KwaZulu-Natal meetings

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The magificent Ukhahlamba Drakensberg Park

© South African Tourism

KwaZulu-Natal is is known for its particularly good weather (320 days of sunshine per year) and combines a long coastline with rolling midlands and incredible wild places that boast the Big 5. Its varied cultural heritage makes it an interesting place to meet, offering experiences that won't be found elsewhere.

Once home to the legendary King Shaka and the Kingdom of the Zulus, it has one of the largest Indian communities outside India and a strong British colonial heritage. You'll see evidence of this mixed heritage on the streets of Durban and Pietermaritzburg, 2 major hubs of the province and primary destinations for KwaZulu-Natal meetings.

Durban offers a diverse choice of meeting venues totaling more than 19 000 cinema-style seats. Its award-winning International Convention Centre Durban (ICC Durban) is conveniently and centrally located, and adjoins the Durban Exhibition Centre, which together can cater for up to 15 000 delegates. 

There is also a range of business hotels, boutique establishments, and guest houses that offer meeting facilities as well as a good selection of stand-alone conference venues. Hotels like the Hilton Durban, located near the ICC Durban, offer first-rate meeting venues, as do the Sibaya Casino & Entertaiment World, the Suncoast Conference Centre, and Makaranga Garden Lodge & Conference Centre -  just a few of hundreds of meeting venues located in and around the city.

Heading away from the bright city lights of Durban and up the North Coast you'll find the Big 5 game reserves and the wonders of the iSimangaliso Wetlands Park (a UNESCO World Heritage Site). The meeting venues tucked away in bush lodges, country estates and country hotels offer some unusual meeting options.

For KwaZulu-Natal meetings further afield, you'll find the Ukhahlamba Drakensberg Park (another UNESCO World Heritage Site) to the east of Durban. It boasts the highest mountain range in South Africa. Here there are several country hotels and resorts that are offer quality meeting venues. The Drakenberg Sun, a recent winner of 2 2011 Umvelo Responsible Tourism awards for its environmental initiatives, is surrounded by breathtaking scenery and offers meeting facilities for up to 250 people. 

No visit to KwaZulu-Natal would be complete without taking time to explore its natural attractions and adventure activities, many of which are great for team building. A visit to a Zulu cultural village is a must. Here you can learn about the customs and traditions of the Zulu nation, hear Zulu folklore tales, savour typical African cuisine, and learn Zulu dancing. Among the KwaZulu-Natal adventures on offer are 4x4 tours, abseiling, canoeing, scuba diving, quad biking, ziplining, boat trips, deep sea fishing, paragliding, horse-riding, kayaking, river rafting and more.