- Holy handbasket, what a find! The Pietermaritzburg Farmers' Market offers a Saturday morning smorgasbord, fresh from the dirt. We found great prices on an excellent selection of fresh goodness.
Support local farmers, meet great people, and eat from the garden! You'll find at least 60 stalls, live music, ready-to-eat ethnic foods, cut flowers, seedlings, cheeses, eggs, handicrafts, baked goods, vegetables and fruits galore! There's enough visual stimulation for any toddler, and snacks are built into the trip. Read Barbara Kingsolver's Animal Vegetable Miracle for motivation, and get munching!
Best of all, it's free, but get there early as 6.30am to 8am is your prime window. It's held every Saturday at Alexandria Park, behind the Harry Gwala Football Stadium, off Alexandria Road.
Contact Mike Paulton at 033-345-4656.
- Experts will love the KwaZulu-Natal National Botanical Garden for the variety bright flowers and huge trees.
Paths and trails snake among the grounds, with a pond that is home to ducks, Egyptian geese, and cormorants.
Sit a while at the tasteful café for some fine coffee, or let the little ones romp on a natural playground of logs and boulders.
Children can also stroll down a path prepared for them, where smelling and touching is encouraged. Expansive lawns invite you to toss out a blanket and picnic, making a day of it or unfold a picnic basket at one of the many tables and benches.
On a Saturday, you can usually find a new bride and groom smooching for photos or a birthday party.
Two hours might be enough here but why not budget for a full day? The cost is R10 (adults), R5 (six-12 years old), under 6 free. Or buy a yearly membership to the Botanical Society of South Africa by calling 021-797-2090, and get free entrance into all nine national gardens.
- Open 8am to 6pm (November to April) and 8am to 5.30pm (May to October), daily, the gardens are northwest of the city centre on Swartskop Street. Phone 033-344-3585.
- While not exactly in Maritzburg, the Midmar Nature Reserve (KZN Wildlife park) is just a 20-minute drive north on the N3, near Howick. The exit is signposted for the Reserve.
Have you ever heard of kitesurfing? It's incredible! We were amazed to see 10 guys skimming fast across the water with boards strapped to their feet, tied to big kites. They then launched themselves 10m into the air, travelling 50m across the surface of the water before splashing down again. Bring a normal kite along for the children to play with in the gales.
Kitesurfing's not the only game in town. In just one Saturday afternoon, we also saw camping, sailing, fishing, boating, swimming - though cold in the spring - and braaiing. This is still South Africa.
There are many kilometres of shore to explore.
- R17 a person per day. Visit
www.kznwildlife.com or telephone 033-845-1000.