It is important to be clear about what this is and is not. Durban has not been awarded the Games. It has been named the city South Africa will take into the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) dialogue process, competing against strong international interest. Even so, the decision matters now: for tourism in KwaZulu-Natal, for investment in Durban, and for every business that welcomes visitors to this province.

What was announced

• Preferred city: Durban, selected ahead of Johannesburg and Cape Town after an independent evaluation panel reviewed proposals, presentations and venue visits.
• Government support: The national Cabinet has approved the bid.
• Model: A multi-city bid anchored in Durban, with some events likely staged in Johannesburg and Cape Town. SASCOC says Durban could accommodate around 65% of sports and venues in a compact area, and is envisaged as home to the Olympic Village and the opening and closing ceremonies.
• Approach: Heavy reliance on existing infrastructure, in line with the IOC’s emphasis on affordable, sustainable Games.
• Competition: Several countries have expressed interest in 2036, reportedly including India, Qatar, South Korea, Germany, Hungary and Turkey.

The road to 2036/40: the process step by step

The IOC no longer runs the old-style public bidding race. It uses a staged dialogue with interested countries before inviting a preferred candidate to a formal election. Based on SASCOC’s published timeline, the path looks like this:

1. Preferred city named (29 October 2026). Durban confirmed as South Africa’s “interested party” city and communicated to the IOC ahead of the 31 October deadline.
2. Presentation to the IOC Future Host Commission (November 2026). SASCOC presents the Durban concept: venues, Games vision, legacy and government support.
3. Feasibility review (to March 2027). The IOC assesses the concept and decides which interested parties move to the next, more detailed stage of dialogue.
4. Targeted dialogue (2027 to 2029). If South Africa progresses, the detailed work begins: a full venue master plan, independently costed budgets, financial and security guarantees from all three spheres of government, environmental and human-rights assessments, and public-support evidence.
5. Host election (expected 2029). The IOC Session elects the 2036 host; 2040 would follow its own later decision.
6. Delivery (2029 to 2036, or to 2040). An organising committee is established, venues are upgraded or built, transport and accommodation are scaled up, and test events are staged in the years before the Games.

The finances: what it would cost and who pays

Reports at the launch attached an estimated exploratory value of R500 billion to the multi-city bid. That figure should be read as an early, high-level estimate of the overall programme, not a final Games budget, and it will be tested hard during the feasibility stage. For context, South Africa invested in the region of R50 billion in infrastructure around the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Olympic finances are normally split into two very different budgets:

• The operating budget (running the Games): largely funded by IOC contributions from broadcast and global sponsorship revenue, domestic sponsorship, ticketing, licensing and hospitality sales.
• The capital budget (venues, village, transport, utilities): funded by national, provincial and municipal government, often with private partners for the athletes’ village, hotels and commercial developments that are sold or leased after the Games.

The single most important financial lesson for Durban is recent. The city won the right to host the 2022 Commonwealth Games, but the Commonwealth Games Federation withdrew those rights in 2017 after required financial and other guarantees were not met. An Olympic bid will only be credible if National Treasury, the KwaZulu-Natal provincial government and eThekwini Municipality commit to binding guarantees early, and if the budget is independently audited and published.

Practical funding options

1. Ring-fenced national funding through National Treasury, phased over the decade so that spending is tied to milestones.
2. Public-private partnerships for the Olympic Village (converted to housing or student residences afterwards), hotels and the beachfront and harbour precincts.
3. Development finance from institutions such as the DBSA for transport, water and energy projects that the city needs regardless of the Games.
4. Commercial revenue: naming rights, domestic sponsorship tiers, ticketing and hospitality packages.
5. Legacy-first budgeting: only build new permanent venues with a confirmed post-Games owner and use; use temporary or existing venues for everything else.

Most likely facilities

No official venue plan has been released yet. The list below reflects what SASCOC has said publicly and the venue plan prepared for Durban’s 2022 Commonwealth Games bid, so it should be read as an informed outlook rather than confirmed allocations.

The impact on tourism in South Africa

• A decade of global exposure. From the IOC presentation onwards, South Africa would be marketed to a global audience for years before a single event is held. That visibility is often the biggest tourism dividend of all.
• Sport tourism growth. South Africa would gain a stronger foothold in the global sport tourism market, attracting qualifying events, training camps and international federations long before and after the Games.
• Jobs. Construction, hospitality, transport, security, events and creative services would all benefit. The 2010 World Cup programme was associated with an estimated 130,000 jobs.
• A continental moment. As the first Olympics on African soil, the Games would carry an “Africa first” story that attracts visitors from across the continent and the diaspora.
• Risks to manage. Cost overruns, under-used venues and pressure on public budgets are real concerns. The tourism benefit depends on disciplined planning and genuine legacy use.

The impact on Durban and KwaZulu-Natal

• Accommodation demand. Hotels, guesthouses and self-catering properties across Durban, Umhlanga, the South Coast and the Midlands would see sustained demand during test events and the Games themselves. Recent events show the scale: a single Springbok Test at Kings Park was linked to a direct economic impact of about R183.6 million.
• Infrastructure that outlasts the Games. Public transport, airport capacity at King Shaka International, beachfront upgrades and utilities would benefit residents and visitors for decades.
• Repositioning Durban. Durban would move from a well-loved domestic holiday city to a recognised international events capital.
• Province-wide spread. Visitors who come for the Games are natural customers for the Drakensberg, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, Zululand game reserves, the Battlefields and the South Coast before or after their event days.

What Durban needs now

1. Binding financial guarantees from national, provincial and municipal government, so that the 2017 Commonwealth Games outcome is not repeated.
2. Stable bid governance, including a credible, independent bid company and clear leadership at SASCOC.
3. Reliable water, sanitation and electricity, including consistent beach water quality, which is essential for open-water and beach events and for tourism generally.
4. Integrated public transport linking King Shaka International Airport, the beachfront, the Kings Park precinct and the city centre.
5. More international air routes into King Shaka International, so visitors can fly directly to Durban.
6. Accommodation planning: a realistic audit of hotel and guesthouse capacity, plus legacy-friendly options such as student residences and cruise-ship hotels.
7. Safety and urban management: visible policing, clean public spaces and well-managed precincts.
8. Skills development in hospitality, guiding, events, security and languages, starting now so local people fill the jobs.
9. Public and community support: transparent communication and a clear explanation of how residents benefit.
10. A proven events track record: bidding for world championships and qualifying events in Olympic sports over the next few years to show readiness.

What this means for travellers

For now, nothing changes for your holiday plans, but the direction is clear. Durban and KwaZulu-Natal are preparing for a bigger international stage, and the next few years are likely to bring more major events, upgraded attractions and new air routes. It is an excellent time to discover the province before the world arrives.

Profound Travel and Tours will keep following the bid as it moves through the IOC process. If you are planning a trip to Durban, a sports weekend, or a group tour around KwaZulu-Natal, Ask a Question and our team will help you plan it.

Sources: SASCOC announcement as reported by TimesLIVE, Reuters via CNBC Africa, Daily Maverick, IOL, Al Jazeera, SABC Sport and eThekwini Municipality. Venue outlook based on public statements and Durban’s 2022 Commonwealth Games bid plan; no official Olympic venue plan has been published yet.

The post Durban Named South Africa’s Preferred City for the 2036/40 Olympic Bid: What It Means for Tourism first appeared on Profound Travels.

SAWS has issued heatwave warnings for several regions this spring, and forecasters expect a hotter, drier end to 2026. Summer remains one of the best times to explore the country, from the beaches of KwaZulu-Natal to the bushveld and the Drakensberg, but it is also the season of heatwaves, high UV levels and elevated fire danger. Profound Travel and Tours supports the call and shares the official guidance below. #ResponsibleTraveller #WeDoTourism

What Authorities Advise Visitors

• Check the forecast daily. Visitors are advised to follow SAWS warnings on weathersa.co.za or the SAWS app before setting out, and to adjust plans when a heatwave or fire-danger warning is in place.
• Plan around the hottest hours. Hikes, game drives and city walks are best scheduled for early morning or late afternoon, with rest indoors or in the shade between roughly 11:00 and 15:00.
• Drink water before feeling thirsty. Travellers should carry a refillable bottle, sip regularly and limit alcohol and very sugary drinks, which speed up dehydration.
• Protect against the sun. Broad-spectrum sunscreen (SPF 30 or higher), reapplied every two hours, together with a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses and light, loose clothing, is recommended.
• Swim safely. On the coast, swim only at beaches where lifeguards are on duty and between the flags.
• Never leave anyone in a parked vehicle. Temperatures inside a closed car rise to dangerous levels within minutes, even with the windows slightly open. This applies to children, older travellers and pets.
• Look out for one another. Young children, older adults and people with chronic illnesses are most at risk, so travel companions should check in on each other often.

Know the warning signs

Heat exhaustion may cause heavy sweating, dizziness, headache, nausea and muscle cramps. The person should move to a cool place, loosen clothing and sip water. Heatstroke is a medical emergency: signs include confusion, slurred speech, hot skin, fainting or seizures. Call for help immediately on 10177 (ambulance) or 112 from any mobile phone, and cool the person with water and shade while waiting.

What Authorities Advise Tourism Businesses

• Adapt itineraries. Move strenuous activities to cooler parts of the day and build in shaded rest stops.
• Keep water within reach. Provide drinking water on vehicles, at reception and at activity points.
• Brief guests. Share heat safety tips at check-in and before departures, including what to do if someone feels unwell.
• Look after staff. Guides, drivers, porters and outdoor staff work in the heat for long hours. Rotate duties, schedule regular breaks in the shade and train staff to recognise heat illness.
• Check vehicles and cooling. Service air-conditioning in tour vehicles and guest rooms ahead of peak season.
• Respect fire danger warnings. Avoid open fires and braais when warnings are in place, and make sure guests know the rules.
• Use water wisely. Heatwaves strain local supplies. Encourage guests to save water so surrounding communities are not left short.

Stay Informed: Weather Pages to Follow

Travellers are also advised to follow trusted weather pages on social media for timely updates while on the road:

• South African Weather Service (SAWS): the official source of forecasts, heatwave and fire-danger warnings, at weathersa.co.za and on its verified social media accounts.
• The Weather Hooligan: a popular South African weather page with regular forecasts and severe-weather updates, on Facebook.
• Storm chaser and severe-weather communities: groups such as the Severe Weather and Information Centre SA (SWAICSA) share real-time reports, photos and storm sightings from across the country.

Community pages are a useful early alert, but official SAWS warnings should always guide travel decisions.

Responsible Travel Is Shared Travel

Being a responsible traveller means caring for more than one’s own trip. It means protecting the people who make tourism possible and the communities and environments being visited. By planning ahead, staying informed and looking out for one another, everyone can keep enjoying South Africa safely, whatever the temperature.

Planning a summer getaway? The Profound Travel and Tours team can help you choose the right times, routes and activities for a comfortable trip. Ask a Question at info@profoundtravel.co.za or call 081 725 2388.

Hero image: Durban Tourism (visitdurban.travel).

The post Travelling Through the Heat: Staying Safe During South Africa’s Heatwaves first appeared on Profound Travels.

Whether you are travelling for business, connecting with family or looking for your next coastal escape, Richards Bay offers more opportunities to connect, explore and discover.

The Route at a Glance

• Route: Johannesburg (O.R. Tambo International Airport) to Richards Bay Airport
• First flights: 1 November 2026
• Frequency: twice daily, except Saturdays (one flight)
• Bookings: open now via cemair.co.za, the CemAir Contact Centre, accredited travel agents and CemAir’s interline and codeshare partners

Richards Bay in Numbers

Gauteng to Northern Zululand: Closing a 600 km Gap

Gauteng is South Africa’s most populous province, home to about 15 million people according to Statistics South Africa’s 2022 Census, and it is the country’s economic heartland. That makes it the most important source market for domestic travel into KwaZulu-Natal. Yet most Gauteng holidaymakers heading to the coast stop in Durban or on the South and North Coasts, because the extra distance to northern Zululand makes a short break hard to justify.

Why this matters for tourism: Statistics South Africa’s Domestic Tourism Survey found that KwaZulu-Natal is the second most popular province for overnight stays by Gauteng residents, after Limpopo, and that visiting friends and relatives is the main reason people take overnight trips to KwaZulu-Natal. A direct flight turns both groups into potential northern Zululand visitors:

• Gauteng families with roots in Zululand can visit relatives more often, then add a day trip to St Lucia or a game reserve while they are there.
• Weekend travellers who would never drive 13 to 14 hours return for two nights away can now reach the iSimangaliso coast after work on a Friday.
• Business travellers heading to the port, mines and smelters can extend their stay into a leisure weekend, a trend known as “bleisure” travel.
• Tour operators and schools can plan shorter, tighter itineraries, including educational tours to the port, the wetlands and Zulu heritage sites.

In simple terms, cutting a full day of travel down to a short flight lowers the “cost in time” of visiting northern Zululand. Tourism researchers call this reducing the friction of distance, and it is one of the main reasons new air routes tend to bring new visitors to the places they serve.

How the Route Boosts Tourism in Northern KwaZulu-Natal

1. A short flight replaces a long drive. The roughly 600 km road trip from Gauteng to Richards Bay takes six and a half to seven hours. A direct flight of about an hour and a quarter turns it into a morning, making long weekends and short breaks on the Zululand coast realistic for Gauteng travellers for the first time in a while.

2. A gateway to Zululand’s headline attractions. Richards Bay is the natural arrival point for Zululand and the Elephant Coast: the iSimangaliso Wetland Park and St Lucia, Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park, Sodwana Bay’s reefs, Mtunzini and the heritage sites of the Zulu Kingdom. Easier access means more visitors reaching these destinations, and staying longer once they arrive.

3. Business trips that become leisure trips. The Port of Richards Bay is South Africa’s largest port by cargo volume, drawing steady business traffic from the mining, logistics and manufacturing sectors. Reliable flights encourage those travellers to add a game drive, a beach day or a weekend with family to their stay.

4. More spend in the local economy. Every additional visitor supports guesthouses, lodges, tour guides, restaurants, transport operators and craft markets across the region, helping tourism create jobs well beyond the city itself.

5. Perfect timing for the festive season. With flights resuming in November, the route is in place ahead of the December holidays, when the KwaZulu-Natal coast is at its busiest and demand for family travel peaks.

St Lucia and the iSimangaliso Wetland Park: About an Hour Away

For many leisure travellers, the biggest reason to fly into Richards Bay is what lies just up the coast. The town of St Lucia, roughly an hour’s drive north, is the main gateway to the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, South Africa’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site.

• Estuary boat cruises past pods of hippos and Nile crocodiles on Lake St Lucia
• Beaches and coastal forest at Cape Vidal, with snorkelling in calm rock pools
• Turtle-nesting season from November to March, when loggerhead and leatherback turtles come ashore on the park’s northern beaches
• Birdlife and game viewing on the Eastern and Western Shores, including self-drive routes

New flights arriving in November line up neatly with the start of turtle season. Our St Lucia & iSimangaliso Escape package covers the highlights, and Malkoha Lake St. Lucia offers a comfortable base close to the estuary.

Part of KwaZulu-Natal’s Wider Tourism Picture

Richards Bay does not stand alone. Better air access to the north of the province strengthens a tourism network that stretches from the Zululand coast to the mountains and back to the city, and makes multi-stop KwaZulu-Natal itineraries far easier to plan:

• Zululand: Big Five safaris and Zulu culture, as in our Zululand Big Five & Culture trip
• Elephant Coast: iSimangaliso, Sodwana Bay and the far-north wilderness
• North Coast: Ballito, Salt Rock and the Dolphin Coast, an easy drive south of Richards Bay
• Battlefields: Isandlwana, Rorke’s Drift and the Battlefields Heritage Trail, reachable inland from Zululand
• Durban Metro, the South Coast, the Midlands and the Ukhahlamba Drakensberg to round off a longer trip

Explore all of the province’s areas on our KwaZulu-Natal Regions page, browse ready-made KZN Travel Packages, or check the KZN Events Calendar to time your visit around what’s on.

Plan Your Richards Bay Trip With Profound Travel

Flying in? Profound Travel and Tours can arrange your airport transfers, accommodation and guided tours across Zululand, from Big Five safaris in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi to boat cruises on the St Lucia estuary. Ask a Question or WhatsApp us on 081 725 2388, and we will help you build the trip around your flights.

Richards Bay awaits.

From Fishing Village to Port City: A Short History of Richards Bay

Richards Bay’s role as a gateway is not new. The town’s story has always been tied to transport, from a wartime landing beach to one of the busiest bulk ports in the Southern Hemisphere.

• 1879: During the Anglo-Zulu War, a makeshift harbour is set up on the lagoon to land troops and supplies. The bay is later named after Rear-Admiral Sir Frederick Richards, who landed troops on the Zululand coast that year.
• 1935: The Richards Bay Game Sanctuary is created to protect the lagoon’s birdlife and estuary ecology, which survives today as a conservation area around the Mhlathuze estuary.
• 1954: A small holiday and fishing settlement is laid out on the shores of the lagoon.
• 1969: Richards Bay is officially proclaimed a town as government plans for a deep-water harbour take shape.
• 1 April 1976: The deep-water port opens, linked to Gauteng by a dedicated railway line, and the Richards Bay Coal Terminal begins exporting coal to the world.
• Today: Aluminium smelters, mineral-sands mining and fertiliser production sit alongside beaches, the estuary and easy access to Zululand’s game reserves, giving the city its unusual mix of industry and nature.

The return of direct flights adds a new chapter. For almost 150 years Richards Bay has connected the interior to the sea; it now connects Gauteng travellers to the Zululand coast in little more than an hour.

Sources and Further Reading

• CemAir (2026) CemAir Returns Johannesburg to Richards Bay Service from 1 November 2026. Media release, 17 July 2026. Read via ATTA
• Statistics South Africa (2023) Census 2022: Statistical Release. statssa.gov.za
• Statistics South Africa (2023) Domestic Tourism Survey 2022. statssa.gov.za
• iSimangaliso Wetland Park Authority. About iSimangaliso. isimangaliso.com
• UNESCO World Heritage Centre. iSimangaliso Wetland Park. whc.unesco.org
• South African History Online. Richards Bay. sahistory.org.za
• Transnet National Ports Authority. Port of Richards Bay. transnetnationalportsauthority.net

Source: CemAir. Flight schedules and fares are set by CemAir and may change; confirm details at cemair.co.za before booking.

The post Richards Bay Is Back on the CemAir Network first appeared on Profound Travels.

It is a record 10th MTN8 final for the Durban venue, and the city is ready. More than 50,000 supporters and visitors are expected, and eThekwini is inviting every one of them to make a weekend of it.

A final with history on the line

Orlando Pirates, the defending champions and current league champions, are chasing a fifth consecutive MTN8 title. They reached the final with a commanding 4-0 aggregate win over Sekhukhune United.

Mamelodi Sundowns arrive as African champions, playing in their first MTN8 final since they lifted the trophy in 2021. They edged Golden Arrows 4-3 on aggregate in a thrilling semi-final.

This rivalry has lit up Durban before. Pirates beat Sundowns on penalties in the 2023 MTN8 final at this very stadium, and won their 2024 Nedbank Cup final meeting 2-1. Sundowns will be determined to rewrite that story.

The stadium itself returns refreshed. Moses Mabhida has undergone a R284 million upgrade, including pitch rehabilitation, and the PSL has given the playing surface the green light.

The numbers behind the celebration

Big finals mean big business for Durban. eThekwini Municipality’s own estimates from recent showpieces at Moses Mabhida tell the story:

That money flows well beyond the turnstiles. Mayor Cyril Xaba has named local traders, SMMEs, hospitality establishments, transport operators and creative practitioners among those set to benefit. He has also urged visitors to extend their stay and explore the city’s beaches, restaurants and attractions.

Why does Durban keep winning these finals? The Mayor puts it simply: “People just love Durban because of the electric atmosphere they find here.”

What business owners say

Durban’s hospitality sector has felt the difference first-hand. Ahead of the 2025 Nedbank Cup final, the story from the city’s hotels was the same: no rooms left.

Mohamed Saib, who manages reservations at the Coastlands Hotel in Musgrave, confirmed the property was sold out for the Friday and Saturday. “Our 100-room hotel is fully booked,” he said.

At the Southern Sun Elangeni & Maharani on the beachfront, with more than 700 rooms, the reservations team reported a full house for match day, adding that guests were thrilled about the football.

Brett Tungay of the Federated Hospitality Association of South Africa (Fedhasa) described accommodation sales around the beachfront and stadium as strong, and said finals like these underline how important sport and events tourism is to Durban.

Make it a family day out

With an 18:00 kick-off, the whole day is yours. Spend the morning on the Golden Mile, let the children loose at uShaka Marine World, enjoy lunch along the promenade, then stroll to the stadium in your team colours as the sun sets over the bay.

At R150 a ticket, a family of four can watch two of Africa’s biggest clubs for R600. Here is what you need to know:

A few tips for a smooth day:

• Buy early. Recent Durban finals have sold out fast.
• Buy only through Open Tickets. Avoid third-party sellers.
• Arrive early, agree on a family meeting point, and keep little ones close in the crowds.
• Stay the night. Book accommodation now, as beachfront hotels fill quickly on final weekends.

Be part of it

Five in a row for the Buccaneers, or a long-awaited return to glory for the Brazilians? Either way, history will be made in Durban on 10 October, and the best seat is in the stands.

Gather the family, pull on your jersey, and come feel that famous Moses Mabhida atmosphere. Every ticket you buy, every meal you share and every night you stay helps keep Durban the home of big-match football.

See you at the stadium.

Sources

• IOL: 50,000 fans, millions at stake: What the MTN8 final means for Durban
• IOL: Get ready for the Nedbank Cup Soweto Derby final
• TimesLive: Xaba says the city does not pay to host finals
• Kickoff: PSL announce venue for MTN8 final
• ECR: Moses Mabhida to host MTN8 final
• IOL: MTN8 final tickets, everything fans need to know

The post Durban, Get Ready: The MTN8 Final Is Coming Home to Moses Mabhida first appeared on Profound Travels.

A Tourism Month Programme Rooted In Faith

On 20 September 2026, KZN MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs Rev. Musa Zondi, KZN Tourism and Film Authority Chairperson Dr Sibusiso Ndebele and Bishop Nkosinathi Myaka of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa (ELCSA) led a day of Tourism Month activities celebrating the area’s religious and cultural legacy.

The programme moved between two of the community’s most significant sites. It began with a wreath-laying at the Ntombazane Nsele memorial and continued at the historic sandstone Appelsbosch Lutheran Church, where a plaque was unveiled recognising Appelsbosch as a religious tourism precinct. The day also marked a milestone few rural communities can claim: 100 years of Appelsbosch Hospital.

The Story Of Ntombazane

Few monuments in KwaZulu-Natal carry a story as moving as this one. According to its inscription, the memorial honours a young woman who was killed in the caves at Ozwathini by her own father because of her religious beliefs. Her real name was never recorded; she was remembered only as the daughter of Qanana Nsele.

The Lutheran youth of Ozwathini gave her the name Ntombazane, meaning “little girl”, drawn from the Gospel of Mark (5:41). The memorial was erected by the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government and unveiled by then-Premier T.W. Mchunu and Bishop P.P. Buthelezi of the ELCSA South-Eastern Diocese. Its twin granite panels, one in English and one in isiZulu, make it a quiet, powerful stop for anyone interested in the province’s faith history.

A Century Of Healing, And A Bond With Sweden

Appelsbosch’s story is inseparable from the Church of Sweden mission. The KZN Department of Health’s own history of the site records that Swedish missionaries came to bring the Gospel, schooling and healthcare, and credits Reverend J. Jungquist as the founder of Appelsbosch around 1883. A building from 1886 served as both church and classroom.

Appelsbosch Hospital followed in 1926, starting as a single ward that handled everything from outpatients to maternity cases. A century later, it remains a working district hospital on the R614 Wartburg Road at Ozwathini. For art lovers, there is another layer: in the early 1960s, celebrated Zulu sculptor Michael Zondi designed and built the hospital’s chapel, carving its pews, font and a life-size blackwood crucifix himself.

Faith, education and healthcare, all delivered from one hillside, over more than a century. That is the heritage Tourism Month set out to honour.

Why Monuments And Heritage Sites Matter For Tourism

Places like Appelsbosch show why heritage sites are far more than historical markers. They give travellers a reason to leave the main routes, spend a day in a rural town, eat at local kitchens, buy local crafts and hire local guides. Every visitor rand spent in a community like uMshwathi supports people who would otherwise see little of the province’s tourism economy.

The momentum here is already building. uMshwathi Municipality hosted a hiking event in Appelsbosch and Ozwathini in July 2026, and a cable car development for the area has been proposed, though it remains at proposal stage and must still pass feasibility, environmental and funding processes. Combined with the church, the memorial and the hospital, these ideas point towards a rural tourism route that could keep visitors in the area for a full weekend rather than a quick stop.

Preserving Culture Through Visiting

Tourism and preservation go hand in hand. When a heritage site draws visitors, it earns recognition, funding and community pride, and those are exactly what keep old sandstone churches maintained and oral histories like Ntombazane’s alive for the next generation. A memorial that is visited is a memorial that is remembered.

Appelsbosch is also a reminder that KwaZulu-Natal’s cultural story is layered. Zulu tradition, Christian mission history and international friendship sit side by side here, and the community carries all three with ease. That blend is precisely what makes it unique, and it is something visitors cannot experience anywhere else.

Religious Tourism: KwaZulu-Natal’s Quiet Strength

Religious tourism is one of the fastest ways to understand a place, and KwaZulu-Natal is rich in sites for pilgrims, history enthusiasts and curious travellers alike. Appelsbosch now joins a remarkable list:

• Mariannhill Monastery, west of Durban, founded by Trappist monks in 1882, with its striking mission architecture and museum.
• The Inanda Heritage Route, north of Durban, linking Ekuphakameni, the home of the Nazareth Baptist Church, with Ohlange Institute and the Phoenix Settlement.
• Rorke’s Drift, where the story of the Swedish mission continues alongside the famous battlefield and the ELC Art and Craft Centre.
• Hermannsburg, near Greytown, one of the province’s historic Lutheran mission settlements.

Together, these sites form a faith and heritage circuit that could easily anchor a multi-day journey through the province’s Midlands, battlefields and coast.

Plan Your Visit

Appelsbosch makes an easy day trip from Durban or Pietermaritzburg, with rolling uMshwathi countryside along the way. Visitors are welcome to view the church exterior and the Ntombazane memorial respectfully; for interior access, service times or group visits, we recommend arranging in advance through the local congregation. Please remember that Appelsbosch Hospital is an operating health facility, not a tourist attraction.

Interested in a guided religious and heritage tour of KwaZulu-Natal, including Appelsbosch? Our team can put together a tailored itinerary for individuals, church groups and school tours. Ask a Question or chat to us on WhatsApp to start planning.

Appelsbosch. Kus’ Eswidi La!

#TourismMonth #ReligiousTourism #VisitKZN

Read More

• IOL: Route development can unlock KZN’s next tourism economies
• KZN Department of Health: Appelsbosch Hospital history
• Artefacts: Appelsbosch Mission Hospital Chapel

The post Kus’ Eswidi La! A Journey Through Appelsbosch’s Living Heritage first appeared on Profound Travels.

A New Daily Route Into Africa and Beyond

The new service, announced jointly by Ethiopian Airlines and Tourism KwaZulu-Natal, will operate as daily non-stop flights linking Durban directly with Addis Ababa. From there, Ethiopian’s hub connects onward to more than 60 destinations across Africa, along with routes into Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the Americas, effectively placing KwaZulu-Natal a single connection away from most of the world.

A Boost for Tourism, Trade and Air Freight

The route is expected to deliver benefits well beyond the arrivals hall. Tourism KwaZulu-Natal has described it as a major boost for the province, opening up greater opportunities for inbound tourism, trade and investment, and making it markedly easier for visitors from across Africa and further afield to reach the province directly. The daily frequency also improves air freight capacity through King Shaka International Airport, supporting exporters and businesses that rely on fast, reliable connections to international markets.

So Much More in KZN

As Tourism KwaZulu-Natal and Ethiopian Airlines put it: more routes, more visitors, more opportunities. With daily flights bringing the province closer to Addis Ababa and the wider Ethiopian network from 11 December 2026, KwaZulu-Natal continues to build the international access that underpins its tourism growth, backing the province’s message to the world that there truly is so much more in KZN.

Source: Tourism KwaZulu-Natal and Ethiopian Airlines.

The post Ethiopian Airlines to Launch Daily Durban–Addis Ababa Flights, Opening KwaZulu-Natal to the World first appeared on Profound Travels.

The awards are one of the most closely watched moments on Africa’s tourism calendar. They exist to shine a light on the operators, destinations and organisations proving that tourism can do more than move people from one place to another, it can genuinely benefit the communities, wildlife and landscapes it depends on.

Six Categories, One Underlying Question

This year’s entries are being called for across six categories, each built around a different way tourism can be done responsibly:

• Local Economic Benefit – tourism that keeps value in the communities that host it
• Disability – accessible, inclusive experiences and employment
• All Inclusive – proving all-inclusive properties can still be responsible ones
• Overtourism – rebalancing visitor numbers with the needs of residents
• Nature Positive – tourism that actively benefits conservation, not just avoids harming it
• Climate Change – measurable action on emissions and climate impact

Between them, the categories cover most of the questions any tourism business in KwaZulu-Natal should already be asking itself, whether that’s a lodge bordering a game reserve, a tour operator working with township or rural communities, or a shuttle service quietly cutting its emissions.

Where And When The Winners Will Be Announced

Winners will be revealed at the awards ceremony on 7 April 2027 at 15:00, on the Inspire Stage at WTM Africa, held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC). Gold winners don’t stop there: they advance directly to the global Responsible Tourism Awards in London later in the year, putting African entrants on the same stage as the rest of the world’s tourism industry.

WTM Africa itself runs from 7 to 9 April 2027 in Cape Town, with ILTM Africa, the show’s luxury travel counterpart, taking place in the same window from 4 to 6 April 2027.

Why This Matters For KwaZulu-Natal Tourism

KwaZulu-Natal has no shortage of stories that fit these categories, from community-owned reserves in Zululand to accessible beachfront stays on the Dolphin Coast. Awards like this one are a chance for the province’s tourism operators to have that work recognised on a continental stage, not just a local one. For visitors, it’s a useful signal too: a past finalist or winner is generally a safe bet for anyone who wants their trip to leave a place better than they found it.

At Profound Travel and Tours, responsible tourism isn’t a category we’re chasing for the first time, it’s the standard we try to hold every KwaZulu-Natal itinerary to, from the community partners we work with to the operators we recommend.

How To Enter

Entries are free and close on 31 December 2026. Applications are submitted through the Responsible Tourism Awards portal, with a nomination form to complete for each relevant category.

Read More

• WTM Africa – Responsible Tourism Awards 2027
• Responsible Tourism Awards – entry portal

The post Entries Open For The Responsible Tourism Awards 2027 At WTM Africa first appeared on Profound Travels.

For a reserve built on almost 21,000 hectares of rewilded Zululand wilderness, that is not a small change. It shortens the distance between “I’ve landed” and “I’m in the bush,” and it says something about where KwaZulu-Natal’s private reserves are heading: toward the kind of fly-in convenience that used to be reserved for the country’s largest, longest-established safari brands.

The safari vehicle meets the aircraft: Babanango’s new Eagle’s View Airstrip in Zululand.

A Shorter Road To The Wild

Eagle’s View Aerodrome sits inside the reserve itself, on runway 14/32, reference BRM, and now holds full Type A Aerodrome approval, granted by the CAA on 24 August 2026. Guests can fly in on scheduled or chartered aircraft and land within the reserve boundary, instead of facing the drive up from Durban or Richards Bay.

That trade-off, road time for air time, is one every remote reserve has to think carefully about. Cut the transfer and you risk cutting the sense of isolation that makes the destination worth visiting in the first place. Babanango’s bet is that Eagle’s View lets it do both: guests arrive faster, without the reserve feeling any less wild once they touch down.

“Ease of access is an important part of the safari experience,” says Darryl Erasmus, Chief Commercial Officer at Babanango Game Reserve. “Our new airstrip brings guests closer to the reserve from the moment they arrive. It opens exciting possibilities for fly-in safaris, private charters and more seamless itineraries for both domestic and international travellers.”

What This Signals For KwaZulu-Natal Tourism

An approved aerodrome is not a modest undertaking. It takes CAA certification, real infrastructure spend and a long-term bet on a specific kind of traveller. That a mid-sized, conservation-led reserve in Zululand has cleared that bar says something about the confidence building around KwaZulu-Natal as a serious, well-resourced safari destination in its own right, not a stop tacked onto a Kruger or Cape Town itinerary.

It also points to where the demand is coming from. Fly-in access speaks directly to international visitors with limited time, to private groups who want discretion and efficiency, and to corporate and incentive travel programmes that run on tight, predictable schedules. A scenic road transfer is a hard sell to a traveller with three days in the country who wants every one of them in the bush.

Madwaleni River Lodge, Babanango’s flagship ultra-luxury camp.

What It Means For Visitors

For guests booking a trip, the practical upside is straightforward: less time on the road, more time in the reserve, and the option to combine Babanango with other destinations across the region without losing a day to logistics. It also makes private, spontaneous travel easier, a charter built around a traveller’s own schedule rather than the reverse.

It doesn’t change what’s waiting once guests land. Babanango’s appeal has always rested on its lodge portfolio, and that range is exactly why the reserve suits such a broad mix of travellers: the flagship ultra-luxury Madwaleni River Lodge, the romantic Zulu Rock Lodge, the family-friendly Babanango Valley Lodge, the self-catering Matatane Camp, and the immersive walking safaris of Ogomeni Trails Camp. Eagle’s View is designed to get guests to that range faster, not to replace any part of it.

Zulu Rock Lodge, overlooking the reserve’s rolling Zululand valleys.

What It Means For The Reserve Itself

For Babanango, the airstrip is a competitive repositioning as much as a convenience. It strengthens the reserve’s case as an easily accessible Big Five destination at a moment when ease of access increasingly decides where international operators and agents choose to sell. It also broadens Babanango’s booking base, opening the door to corporate and incentive groups, special-interest travel, and bespoke programmes that depend on tight scheduling.

In a sector where remoteness is a selling point right up until it becomes a barrier to booking, Eagle’s View Airstrip lets Babanango keep the wilderness while removing the friction of reaching it, another step in making the reserve more accessible while retaining the sense of remoteness that defines the Babanango experience.

Babanango Valley Lodge, the reserve’s family-friendly base.

Eagle’s View Aerodrome: Quick Reference

Read More

• Babanango Game Reserve – official site
• South African Civil Aviation Authority

The post Babanango Game Reserve Opens A New Gateway To The Wild With Approved Eagle’s View Airstrip first appeared on Profound Travels.

Ahead of the second Test of Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry between the Springboks and the All Blacks, an Embraer E190 in green Springbok livery and an Embraer E195 in black All Blacks colours swept low over the 55,000-seat stadium in tight formation, clearing the roof by what Flightradar24’s tracking data put at somewhere between 12 and 14 metres. It lasted only a few seconds. It has not stopped being talked about since.

▶ Watch the actual flypast footage (Airlink’s official post)

Planning. Precision. Performance.

That was Airlink’s own three-word summary of the manoeuvre, posted to X/Twitter alongside footage of the flypast — and, safety debate aside, the facts back up the “precision” part. Each aircraft was flown by a crew of three senior captains sharing commander, co-pilot and safety/technical officer duties. Airlink says the flight was “carefully planned and rehearsed,” conducted at roughly 150 knots, and performed with full approval from the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) and Air Traffic Navigation Services (ATNS). Flightradar24’s own barometric analysis of the ADS-B data broadly supports Airlink’s account of the altitude and speed the aircraft were cleared to fly at.

It also, inevitably, revived memories of the moment South African Airways sent a Boeing 747 low over Ellis Park during the 1995 Rugby World Cup final — a piece of sporting-aviation folklore that an entire generation of South Africans still gets misty-eyed about. Airlink’s flypast was smaller in scale but, thanks to the smartphone era, immeasurably bigger in reach.

A Few Seconds, A Global Audience

Within twelve hours the footage had become what one commentator called “a global talking point.” It was picked up by Fox News affiliates across the United States (Chicago, Atlanta, Phoenix), by the New York Post, by Sky Sports in the UK, by aviation trade press including Simple Flying, Aviation24.be and the Flightradar24 blog, and by outlets as varied as Mediaite, The Daily Caller and OutKick. Coverage split roughly along predictable lines — international aviation commentators raised safety questions, while millions of ordinary viewers were simply thrilled — but split coverage is still coverage, and at this scale it is coverage money cannot easily buy.

As one social media observer put it: “Whatever they paid as a sponsor, they got 100 times worth with all the publicity this has received worldwide.” That is, in essence, the entire logic of sport tourism in a single sentence — a logic South Africa is still only partly exploiting.

The Peak Of South African Aviation, Earned The Hard Way

It’s worth pausing on what this moment represents, because South African aviation has not had an easy run of it. In the space of a few years the country lost, in quick succession, some of the airlines an entire generation grew up flying. Mango, the state-owned budget carrier, was grounded in 2021 and never truly recovered — after a failed acquisition, a court-invalidated rescue plan and a withdrawn investor, its business rescue practitioners moved in August 2025 to wind the airline down for good. Comair, the operator behind Kulula and the British Airways franchise in South Africa, was placed in provisional liquidation in June 2022 after 75 years in the sky, taking down two household travel brands in a single court order. Kulula’s name and slot pool were eventually revived under new ownership, with flights resuming in late 2024 once Comair’s air operator’s certificate was restored — but the original carrier that South Africans grew up flying was gone.

Set against that backdrop, a moment like the DHL Stadium flypast reads differently. It’s a domestic carrier confident enough, resourced enough and skilled enough to pull off a globally-covered aviation stunt with senior captains at the controls and regulators signing off in advance. Airlink has spent the years since those collapses quietly absorbing routes, growing its regional network and picking up passengers left behind by carriers that didn’t survive. This flypast, whatever one makes of the safety debate, is a visible marker of an airline — and an industry — that has come through a genuinely difficult period and is now flying with some swagger again. In many ways, this is South African aviation at its peak: proud, precise, and back in the global conversation.

Sport Tourism: South Africa’s Most Under-Sold Asset

South Africa is the only country to have hosted all three men’s World Cups — rugby, cricket and football — and yet the tourism industry still tends to measure sporting events by ticket sales rather than by what actually moves the economy: flights booked, hotel beds filled, rental cars hired, and multi-day itineraries built around a single match.

The numbers make the case on their own. South Africa’s Tourism Growth Partnership Plan for 2026 estimates that every 13 additional tourists supports one permanent job in the country. A single sporting event drawing 6,000 visitors is enough to sustain roughly 462 jobs. When India’s cricket team toured in the 2024/25 season, the visit generated an estimated R218 million in total economic impact, R75 million of that in direct spend, supporting around 405 full-time-equivalent jobs — from a single tour.

A Springbok–All Blacks Test match, watched live by 55,000 people in the stadium and by millions more around the world because of a 90-second flypast, is exactly the kind of event that should be converted into flight bookings, hotel nights and add-on travel — not just a ticket stub. That conversion is the part of sport tourism South Africa still leaves mostly on the table.

The Runway We Haven’t Used Yet: Domestic Routes

Here is the connection that matters for KwaZulu-Natal: none of this works without the aircraft to move people around once they’ve landed. South Africa’s domestic network is still heavily built around the Johannesburg–Cape Town–Durban “golden triangle,” while regional airports and secondary routes — the ones that would actually get a rugby-mad visitor from an international match in Cape Town onward to the Drakensberg, the Zulu Kingdom coast, or a Big Five safari in Zululand — remain thin, seasonal, or simply absent. Aviation analysts have flagged this gap repeatedly: some of the country’s most promising domestic and regional routes carry no scheduled flights at all, even though the demand case exists on paper.

That is the opportunity hiding inside a moment like the DHL Stadium flypast. Every international headline about Airlink is also, indirectly, a headline about South African aviation being capable, ambitious and worth flying. The airlines that survived the turbulence of the last few years — Airlink chief among them — are the ones best placed to open up exactly the kind of underserved domestic routes that would let sport tourism spending actually reach provinces like KwaZulu-Natal, rather than stopping at the host city.

Where This Leaves KwaZulu-Natal

A viral flypast over Cape Town won’t sell a single Drakensberg hiking package on its own. But it is a reminder of two things at once: that South African aviation still has the skill and confidence to put on a world-class show, and that the country’s sport tourism potential is still mostly untapped, waiting on the domestic connections that would carry a global audience further than the host stadium. For a KwaZulu-Natal travel business, that’s not a footnote — it’s the whole opportunity.

Read More

• Airlink’s low flypast over Rugby match in Cape Town — Flightradar24 Blog
• Within 50 Feet: 2 Airlink E-Jets Only Just Clear Cape Town Stadium In Viral Flyover — Simple Flying
• Airlink’s “Wild” Cape Town Flyover Goes Viral Around the World — Good Things Guy
• Major sporting events: SA’s high-yield tourism investment — Tourvest Destination Management
• Why Some Of Africa’s Most Promising Routes Still Have No Flights — Southern Africa Tourism Alliance

The post The Airlink Flyover That Stopped The World: What It Means For South African Aviation And Untapped Sport Tourism first appeared on Profound Travels.

Photo: Pustam.EGR / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0) — the Langtang Khola near Syapru Besi, Rasuwa district, close to where the flood struck.

What Happened In Nepal

Scientists from the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development believe a large volume of ice and rock broke away from a glacier and plunged into the Lende Khola, a tributary of the Bhote Koshi River, generating a sudden surge of water, sediment and boulders that raced downstream. The Trishuli River at Galchhi rose nine metres in thirty minutes. At Malekhu, it rose seven metres in a similar span. Villages, roads, bridges and an estimated 430 megawatts of hydropower and solar generating capacity were damaged or destroyed in Rasuwa and neighbouring Nuwakot district, roughly 100km north of Kathmandu near the border with Tibet.

At least eight people were confirmed dead in the first hours, a toll that continued to climb as search efforts widened. More than 380 people were reported missing, among them hundreds of foreign nationals: Indian, American, British, Malaysian, South Korean, Dutch, Australian and, notably for our own readers, South African travellers. Many were pilgrims making their way toward Mount Kailash in Tibet, a route that passes directly through the affected valleys. Nepal’s Prime Minister, Balen Shah, convened emergency response meetings and deployed army helicopters and rescue teams, while India and China both sent assistance across the border. Officials urged everyone living near the rivers in Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Dhading to move to higher ground immediately, warning that debris blocking the river could give way and send a second surge downstream.

Advice For South Africans Travelling Abroad

A disaster like this is a sharp reminder that a holiday itinerary should never be built on hope alone. Before booking travel to any mountainous, river-valley or monsoon-prone destination, check your destination’s official advisories as well as South Africa’s own DIRCO travel guidance, and keep checking them after you’ve paid, not just before. Conditions in remote regions can change in the time it takes to board a connecting flight.

Buy comprehensive travel insurance and actually read the fine print on natural disaster cover, medical evacuation and repatriation. Cheap policies often exclude exactly the kind of event that leaves you needing them most. Share your full itinerary and emergency contacts with someone at home before you leave, and register with the nearest South African embassy or consulate if you’re heading somewhere remote.

Take local warnings about riverbanks, gorges and low-lying ground seriously, even if the weather looks calm where you’re standing. Know where higher ground is before you need it. Keep digital copies of your passport and key documents backed up online in case the originals are lost, carry a portable charger, and download offline maps for areas where signal is unreliable, because communication networks are often among the first things a flood takes out.

Perhaps the simplest piece of advice is also the most overlooked: travel with a reputable, licensed operator who knows the terrain, carries proper safety protocols and has an emergency plan, rather than improvising logistics alone in unfamiliar, remote country. If disaster does strike nearby, follow local authority instructions, don’t attempt to self-rescue, and let your insurer and operator handle the evacuation logistics they’re equipped for.

How One Disaster Ripples Through An Entire Destination’s Tourism

A flood like this devastates the valley it hits directly, but its economic reach is far wider than the water ever travels. International headlines rarely distinguish between “a river valley in Rasuwa” and “Nepal” as a whole, and travellers booking a Kathmandu city break or an Annapurna trek hundreds of kilometres away often cancel anyway, out of caution rather than any real risk to their route.

Nepal has lived through this before. After the 2015 Gorkha earthquake, international arrivals fell sharply for well over a year, even though most of the country’s trekking routes, including large parts of the Everest and Annapurna regions, were structurally unaffected and reopened within weeks. The guides, porters, teahouse owners and small operators along those unaffected trails, who had no damage to repair, still lost a season’s income simply because the world’s image of “Nepal” had changed overnight.

It’s a dynamic South Africans should recognise. KwaZulu-Natal has had its own tourism dented by headlines about crime or unrest in parts of the country hundreds of kilometres from the Drakensberg or the Dolphin Coast. Accurate, specific, timely information, about what happened, where, and what is genuinely still closed, is what allows a destination’s tourism economy to recover in months rather than years. Painting an entire country or province with one incident’s brush punishes the businesses and communities who had nothing to do with it.

Image: European Union, Copernicus Sentinel-2 imagery — the April 2022 floods around Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, seen from orbit.

KwaZulu-Natal’s Own Floods, And A Bill That’s Still Being Argued Over

Watching Nepal’s rivers rise is difficult to do from KwaZulu-Natal without thinking of April 2022, and the flooding that has returned in the years since, most recently with a national disaster declared in January 2026. The April 2022 floods alone caused an estimated R7 billion in damage, affecting 826 companies and around 31,220 jobs, more than two-thirds of them in eThekwini. Roads, bridges, the Durban port and King Shaka International Airport were all disrupted. Guesthouses, tour operators and small businesses along the coast and inland lost stock, vehicles and, for weeks at a time, the ability to reach their own guests.

Government support did follow: cost-sharing grants through the dtic for rebuilding infrastructure and replacing machinery and vehicles, a multi-hundred-million-rand fund for roads and bridges, working capital grants and interest-free loans for stock replacement, and emergency funding for shelter, water and sanitation. That support has genuinely helped businesses get back on their feet, and it shouldn’t be understated.

But look closely at what almost every one of those schemes actually funds, and a pattern emerges: infrastructure, machinery, stock and buildings. Assets that broke. What is far harder to find is a straightforward scheme that compensates a small tour operator, guesthouse or travel business for the income it simply never earned while the roads were closed, the airport was disrupted and travellers stayed away, weeks or months of trade that vanished without a single window being broken. For a large, insured manufacturer, that gap can be fought in court; Toyota and several packaging companies have pursued multi-billion-rand lawsuits against the municipality and province to recover exactly this kind of loss. For a small tourism business with no legal budget and often no business interruption cover, there is no equivalent route. The infrastructure gets rebuilt. The lost season doesn’t get replaced by anyone.

Researchers tracking how extreme weather is disrupting South African tourism have flagged the same shortfall: a need for genuinely accessible disaster insurance and support that recognises lost trade, not only damaged assets, still doesn’t really exist for the small and mid-sized operators who make up most of KwaZulu-Natal’s tourism economy. This isn’t a complaint against the relief that has been provided. It’s a call to close the gap in it, because after 2022 and now January 2026, it is clear there will be a next flood, and the businesses that survive one season of lost income without help are the ones best placed to still be standing, and hiring, when the next storm passes.

Why This Matters, Wherever You’re Standing

Whether the water is rising in a Himalayan valley or along the Msunduzi and Umgeni rivers, the lesson is the same: preparation, honest and specific information, and support systems that cover the whole cost of a disaster, not just the bricks and machinery, are what determine how quickly people and businesses recover. Our thoughts are with everyone affected in Nepal, and with the many KwaZulu-Natal businesses still rebuilding from floods of their own. Booking your next trip, whether it’s a Drakensberg escape or further afield, through a licensed operator who takes safety planning seriously is one small way to travel a little wiser.

For more travel tips, safety updates and a look behind the scenes of our own KwaZulu-Natal tours, subscribe to our YouTube channel, @GoProfoundly.

Read More

• Al Jazeera: At least eight killed in Nepal flash floods that swept away villages, roads
• NPR: 8 dead, hundreds missing as Nepal avalanche triggers flash floods
• ICIMOD: Major flash flood sweeps through Nepal’s Rasuwa district
• ReliefWeb: Damage to KZN companies estimated at R7 billion
• Freight News: KZN and EC flood-damaged businesses thrown financial lifeline
• Global Government Forum: Should governments pay businesses for climate disasters?

The post Nepal’s Floods, KwaZulu-Natal’s Scars: A Wake-Up Call For Travellers And Tourism first appeared on Profound Travels.