Zimbali, Dolphin Coast

Just 20 minutes’ drive from Durban and 65 kilometres from the airport, Zimbali is 925 acres of tropical coastal estate that manages to combine a residential and resort estate - the Zimbali Coastal Forest Estate and the Zimbali Golf Course Estate - in a tropical coastal setting on the north coast of KwaZulu Natal.

Zimbali lies just outside the popular beach town of Umhlanga, now a vibrant hub of activity with fantastic beaches and a good mix of shops and entertainment that nevertheless allow the town to retain its village charm. This part of the world is receiving an unprecedented boom as property becomes scarce in Umhlanga. The design philosophy behind the Zimbali venture is to create a balance with nature, and the 50 hectare reserve within the estate, as well as the primary dune areas that have been demarcated as conservation areas, are testament to this effort. There are a number of spring water lakes, some 85 species of birds, indigenous forest, and the eastern front of the estate is 3 kilometres of unspoilt beach.

The Zimbali golf course was designed by Tom Weiskopf - his first in Africa - where he has incorporated natural features such as indigenous trees, vegetation and some beautiful wetland areas, whilst still managing to challenge players of all handicaps.

Not even a two hour drive from Zimbali is the Hluhluwe Game Reserve, containing the largest population of white rhino in the world, and renowned for its conservation of both the white and black rhino. The reserve also offers every chance of seeing all the ‘Big 5’.