Pietermaritzburg Travel Guide

 
by CatherineReichardt
 
  •   Pietermaritzburg
    by CatherineReichardt
  • visit to Butterflies for Africa 2012
      visit to Butterflies for Africa 2012
    by Lizzystravels
  •   Things to Do
    by CatherineReichardt
  •   Things to Do
    by CatherineReichardt
  •   Things to Do
    by CatherineReichardt
 

Pro

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  Beautiful Views 


Con

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  crime rate on the rise 


In a nutshell

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  Beautiful place to vist 

 

Explore Pietermaritzburg

Things to Do  

The place where Gandhi's civil disobedience began

The place where Gandhi's civil disobedience began, Pietermaritzburg

 CatherineReichardt Says:  Unlikely though it might seem, Pietermaritzburg is the place where Mahatma Gandhi first flexed his political muscles and embarked on his lifelong struggle to stand up to social inequality and defend the rights of the oppressed using non violent methods.Gandhi came from India... 

Southern Hemisphere's largest red brick building!

Southern Hemisphere's largest red brick building!, Pietermaritzburg

 CatherineReichardt Says:  (work in progress)One thing's for certain: if you like red brick, then you're going to love Pietermaritzburg, and of all the red brick structures in town, the jawdropping City Hall is the hardest to ignore! The city was originally founded by the Voortrekkers in 1837,... 

The original and unexpectedly funky Natal Museum

The original and unexpectedly funky Natal Museum, Pietermaritzburg

 CatherineReichardt Says:  (work in progress)Fortuitously, the reason for me being in 'Maritzburg was to liaise with one of the Natal Museum staff on a work-related project, which gave me a legitimate excuse to spend a little time exploring the museum.The Natal Museum is a curiously endearing blend of... 

Following in the footsteps of Gandhi

Following in the footsteps of Gandhi, Pietermaritzburg

 CatherineReichardt Says:  (work in progress)Despite his diminutive stature, Mahatma Gandhi was a towering figure of 20th century history, and despite the multi Oscar winning biopic of his life, relatively few people realise how much of his adult life he spent in South Africa.Gandhi arrived from India... 

A structure of breathtakingly monumental ugliness

A structure of breathtakingly monumental ugliness, Pietermaritzburg

 CatherineReichardt Says:  (work in progress)Maritzburg is a city that has more than its fair share of beautiful buildings ... unfortunately this is not one of them!This hideous confection is hard to miss as it's right on Alan Paton Drive, which links the N3 highway to the Maritzburg CBD. To my mind,... 

Visit the On Air Raptor Centre - see birds of prey

Visit the On Air Raptor Centre - see birds of prey, Pietermaritzburg

 Eish Says:  The On Air Raptor Centre has a spectacular location on the top of a hill, on the Comrades route between Durban and Pietermaritzburg. They are concerned with the conservation and rehabilitation of Birds of Prey. I highly recommend their bird flying display - you could see an... 

Croc and Snake Park

Croc and Snake Park, Pietermaritzburg

 kentishgirl Says:  The snake and crocodile park was so much fun, you must take a guided tour during which the guide takes you around and gives you tons of information on the crocs!He then took us through to see all of the different snakes that call this home and Matt soon had a huge python... 

Scenic drive

Scenic drive, Pietermaritzburg

 kentishgirl Says:  The drive out here is just so beautiful, we stopped many times to breath in the fresh air and take hundreds of snaps of the area! 

Zulu Villages

Zulu Villages, Pietermaritzburg

 kentishgirl Says:  There are plenty of cultural villages located between Durban and Pietermaritzburg to visit.Of course we only felt the need to visit one, and as we had previously visited a Xhosa village when we were in Coffee Bay we did feel that this was touristy and was only here for the... 

Rob Roy Hotel

Rob Roy Hotel, Pietermaritzburg

 kentishgirl Says:  A stop at the Rob Roy hotel is a must. Not only to sit on the picnic benches and eat a delicious cream and jam scone, but to gaze out at the amazing views from here.You can visit even if you are not staying in this hotel, walk from the car park towards the back of the... 

Hotels  

Fordoun Spa Hotel Restaurant

 23 Opinions

Drakensberg Sun

 1 Review and 44 Opinions  DO NOT RECOMMEND. I advance paid at a very high rate and even tried to reconfirm. The Central... 

Restaurants  

The Studio Cafe: Great View

The Studio Cafe: Great View, Pietermaritzburg

 ashique Says:  THE STUDIO CAFE IS AN UPMARKET RESTAURANT SITUATED IN A SPECTACULAR SETTING.OVERLOOKING A QUARRY,THE RESTAURANT PROVIDES FOR UNIQUE AMBIENCE. THE DECK AREA IS POPULAR FOR LUNCH. 12PM-3PM DINING 6PM-10PM. 

Els Amics: Try the Duck, you'll love it!

Els Amics: Try the Duck, you'll love it!, Pietermaritzburg

 ashique Says:  Set in a victorian house with interleading rooms. Cosy atmosphere. Opened in 1976 and is still under the personal supervisi of owner / chef Roy Tabernor. Roy`s first restaurant after qualifying in Europe. Els Amics provides a full a la carte menu with a Spanish flavour which... 

Transportation  

An Interesting Airport

An Interesting Airport, Pietermaritzburg

 ardelean Says:  The runway has a slope, so planes can take off one way only, which can be a problem when the wind is in the wrong direction. If the tailwind is too high and the plane is full, be prepared to wait. If storms or clouds close in, then the plan diverts to Durban and you are in... 

Cheetah coach from Durban to PMB

Cheetah coach from Durban to PMB, Pietermaritzburg

 carteki Says:  Cheetah coaches offer a bus service between central Pietermaritzburg and central Durban and Durban airport. Depending on demand, there is a minimum of 1 bus per day. They haven't quite hit the 21st Century yet and the only way that you can book / contact them is by telephone... 

Warnings Or Dangers  

Vigilence required

Vigilence required, Pietermaritzburg

 LizelleSA Says:  Hi there. I am a newcomer to VT, but have taken note of he various responses to your e-mail. For simplicity sake I advise that, for now, you ignore the hot-headed males (politics in SA, as in America tends to encrouch on all areas of life - even religion - where it has no... 

What to Pack  

LAUNDRY!!

LAUNDRY!!, Pietermaritzburg

 MelanieBee Says:   You know what a pain in the neck laundry is when you are on holiday - who has time for it??Well, if you are staying in Pmburg there is a really great place to take your dirty washing... it's called the Orange Ring and you pay by weight - something like R15 per kilo for... 

Off The Beaten Path  

Darvill Nature Reserve

Darvill Nature Reserve, Pietermaritzburg

 CharleneP Says:  If you visit Pietermaritzburg in summer, go to Darvill Nature Reserve in the morning and watch the sun coming up it is WOW!! There is a lot of birds, particularly water birds. In Summer you can see the Warblers & the Cape Otter. An excellent hide has be been built over the... 

Sports & Outdoors  

Comrades marathon: mass lunacy on a national scale

Comrades marathon: mass lunacy on a national scale, Pietermaritzburg

 CatherineReichardt Says:  Maritzburg (along with Durban) co-hosts the world's largest - and arguably greatest - ultramarathon events - the legendary Comrades marathon.I first witnessed Comrades a couple of days after I arrived in South Africa in 1987, and my considered (armchair) opinion at the time... 

Take to the water for the Midmar Mile

Take to the water for the Midmar Mile, Pietermaritzburg

 CatherineReichardt Says:  It may sound like a horse race, but in fact the Midmar Mile is the largest open water swimming race in the world and, along with the Comrades marathon and the Cape Argus cycle race, is one of South Africa's Big Three ultra sports events.The Midmar takes place in February... 

The Dusi canoe marathon: mind those crocs!

The Dusi canoe marathon: mind those crocs!, Pietermaritzburg

 CatherineReichardt Says:  (work in progress)Unlikely though it might seem, sleepy Pietermaritzburg is the undisputed ultrasports capital of South Africa, hosting three of the country's major ultrasports events: the Comrades marathon, the Midmar Mile and the Dusi canoe marathon.The Dusi is a gruelling... 

The Place

Plan a Pietermaritzburg vacation with reviews, tips and photos posted by real travelers and Pietermaritzburg locals

Experience Pietermaritzburg
  •   30 Tips and Reviews
  •  51 Photos
  Share your Travels  
Map of Pietermaritzburg
 

The People

20 Members Live Here
 
Advice from the Locals
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 Pietermaritzburg - Pietermaritzburg had its beginnings in the colonial era and was originally settled by the Voortrekkers in 1838. The British re-imposed sovereignty over the Boers in 1842/3. However, both the Boers and... 

20 members live in Pietermaritzburg

 

Questions and Answers

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Q:  Hello! I am a female American student who will be studying abroad in Pietermaritzburg, UKZN next semester. I am very excited to... 

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A: Yes, unfortunately violent crime in South Africa is a sad fact that any visitor to the country will ignore at their own peril. You are correct in being proactive to... 

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Top Pietermaritzburg Writers

1

Pietermaritzburg

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 Pietermaritzburg had its beginnings in the colonial era and was originally settled by the Voortrekkers in 1838. The British re-imposed sovereignty over the Boers in 1842/3. However, both the Boers and... 

2

Human rights icons and ultramarathons

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 I've got some interesting experiences in Pietermaritzburg. I'd love to share with you the 8 tips I've written, the 8 photos uploaded, and 0 travelogues I've created. 

3

Valley of a thousand Hills

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  My Pietermaritzburg page will not be about this small and pretty city, instead you will find information here on the areas surrounding the city. I took a day trip to this area while I was staying in... 

4

CHARLENE'S PIETERMARITZBURG PAGE

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 Pietermaritzburg (the city) is full of Victorian and Edwardian Buildings. One landmark is the City Hall, a national Monument. Then another Victorian masterpiece is the railway station. Because of his... 

5

Pietermaritzburg - My South African hometown

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 Pietermaritzburg was the 'big' city that I moved to from Grahamstown when I was 11 years old. I left when I was 27 when I moved to the UK. My Mom, Dad and two sisters currently live in PMB and I... 

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