​ KwaZulu-Natal is a coastal South African province, is known for its beaches, mountains and savannah populated by big game.

The KZN Collection comprises :

Antbear Eco Lodge, Drakensberg Mountains

Antbear is an eco lodge located in the Drakensberg Mountains with views of the Bushman's River and Giants Castle mountain peak.

The lodge has been created by upcycling, recycling and repurposing invasive trees, broken tiles and glass.

Its 15 rooms all feature a balcony or terrace and African-style décor with carved wooden furnishings made on-site by local craftsmen.

Antbear provides a base for exploring the Midlands Meander, with activities including hiking to the Kamberg's Bushmen paintings, a Sengani horse trail through a wildlife reserve, or paddling in a canoe.

Microlight or hot air-balloon flights are also available.

www.antbear.co.za

Ghost Mountain Inn

Ghost Mountain Inn is located at the foot of Ghost Mountain in Mkuze in the heart of Zululand.

This 4-star boutique hotel is a base to explore the wildlife and coastal reserves in Maputaland and the Elephant Coast.

These include the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi, Manyoni and uMkhuze Game Reserves.

Guests can book guided game drives, guided walks and boat cruises with rangers and take an excursion to an authentic Zulu Homestead.

Families are welcomed and a range of activities such as grubby bug walks, Zulu crafts and so much more!

www.ghostmountaininn.co.za

The Shayamanzi

Shayamanzi I & II (meaning 'hit the water' in Zulu) are South Africa's first houseboats.

The boats on Lake Jozini offer a different kind of KZN experience as they cruise around the 16,000 hectares of open water.

www.shayamanzi.co.za

There is the dramatic backdrop of the Lebombo Mountains and the chance to spot wildlife on the banks of the Pongola Game Reserve.

Guests can watch wild elephants swimming and hippos grunting nearby.

Tembe Elephant Park

Tembe is a 'Big Five' reserve known for its abundant elephant and buffalo sightings.The rare sand forest is also home to some unusual species such as the shy suni antelope and both black and white rhinos.

There are over 340 bird species.

Tembe's Mahlasela Hide is a webcam allowing the chance to enjoy Tembe's waterhole action from anywhere the world.

Accommodation is under canvas in luxury safari tents on raised wooden decks.

The main lodge areas include a dining area, lounge and bar under thatch to have

The Tembe Elephant Park offers encounters with some of the largest elephants in Africa on KZN's northern border with Mozambique.

It is the ancestral home of the Tembe tribe who now own and co-manage both the Park and its Lodge.

www.tembe.co.za

Isibindi's Kosi Forest Lodge

The style is rrustic but with all the comforts needed for a stay.

A massive Zulu podberry tree is the focal point of the main lodge with the lounge, dining room and bar all opening onto a large wooden deck around the tree.

The Kosi lake system has long been regarded as one of the largest and most pristine estuary systems on the African coastline.

It's an ecosystem of lakes, wetlands, dunes, pans, mangrove swamps and rare raffia palm forests. Birdlife is epic with over 500 species.

Activities include canoeing, fishing, boat trips exploring the estuary and lakes as well as walks to the pristine Bhanga Nek Beach. There is also a 4x4 excursion to go snorkelling in the Kosi Bay Mouth.

Kosi Forest Lodge is situated within the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, South Africa's first World Heritage Site.

Accommodation is in tent-style, thatched forest rooms, perched on raised wooden platforms and nested underneath a canopy of natal fig and milkwood trees.

www.kosiforestlodge.co.za

Spion Kop Lodge

Situated on an expansive 700 hectare game farm, Spion Kop Lodge is the perfect base from which to explore the famous KZN Battlefields and surrounds.

It was here that, just over 120 years ago, a young journalist by the name of Winston Churchill, spent much of his time (then known as Spearman's Farm) with British Commander-in Chief General Buller.

The lodge has been restored from the original farm house into a beautiful Natal colonial-style lodge by Ray and Lynette Heron.

The battlefields tour allows guests to trace the steps Churchill, Mahatma Gandhi and General Louis Botha.

As the story goes, the British marched into the South African war in the spring of 1899, confident that it would all be over by Christmas.

The war lasted three years and was to become the most costly Britain had ever fought.

www.spionkop.co.za

Useful links

 www.umlingo.co.uk/kzn-collection

www.gosouthafrica.co.za