One of the prettiest parts of the country is the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, an area of gently rolling hills through which you will pass after leaving Pietermaritzburg and heading north on the N3.  The green, well-watered farmlands, lovely rivers and streams, and the indigenous and commercial forests have been a haven for rural and creative people since the early 1800s.  The climate is markedly different from that of the coastal region - during the crispy cold autumns the leaves and greasslands turn burnt orange and yellow, and in spring and summer the hillsides are covered in carpets of green dotted with wild flowers.

The Midlands area is known for its small country inns nestled among dairy farms or against the backdrop of large pine plantations.  It is here that you will also find some of the most spectacular waterfalls in the province, excellent fly-fishing waters, and a staggering variety of craft shops and home industries along a route known as the Midlands Meander.  Residents from the bigger urban centres often enjoy a Sunday drive through the countryside, stopping off at a restaurant or coffee shop along the way.

Accommodation in and around Midlands Meander