Day trips

The 15 Best Day Trips from Ladysmith

Drive times, distances, what to see, and a sample day plan for every place worth the trip.

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There are 15 good day trips from Ladysmith, South Africa, led by Pietermaritzburg, Newcastle, Vryheid. The closest is Estcourt, about 1 hr by car, and 1 of them fit into half a day. Below: drive times, distances, what to see, and a sample day plan.

Day trips from Ladysmith at a glance

DestinationDistanceDrive timeBest as
Pietermaritzburg132 km SE2 hr 5 minFull-day trip
Newcastle90 km N1 hr 25 minFull-day trip
Vryheid132 km NE2 hr 5 minFull-day trip
Bethlehem149 km W2 hr 20 minLong day or overnight
Dundee62 km NE1 hr 10 minFull-day trip
Phuthaditjhaba94 km W1 hr 30 minFull-day trip
Mondlo112 km NE1 hr 45 minFull-day trip
Volksrust133 km N2 hr 5 minFull-day trip
Wembesi55 km S1 hr 5 minFull-day trip
Harrismith71 km NW1 hr 20 minFull-day trip
Howick111 km SE1 hr 45 minFull-day trip
Mpophomeni119 km S1 hr 50 minFull-day trip
Estcourt51 km S1 hrHalf-day trip
Greytown97 km SE1 hr 30 minFull-day trip
Mooi River75 km S1 hr 25 minFull-day trip

Drive times are estimates from the distance. Check live traffic before you leave.

The best day trips from Ladysmith

  1. 1

    Pietermaritzburg, South Africa

    Full-day trip
    About 2 hr 5 min by car132 km south-east of Ladysmith4 hr 10 min round trip

    Known for Kwa-Zulu Natal National Botanical Gardens.

  2. 2

    Newcastle, South Africa

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 25 min by car90 km north of Ladysmith2 hr 50 min round trip
  3. 3

    Vryheid, South Africa

    Full-day trip
    About 2 hr 5 min by car132 km north-east of Ladysmith4 hr 10 min round trip
  4. 4

    Bethlehem, South Africa

    Long day or overnight
    About 2 hr 20 min by car149 km west of Ladysmith4 hr 40 min round trip
  5. 5

    Dundee, South Africa

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 10 min by car62 km north-east of Ladysmith2 hr 20 min round trip
  6. 6

    Phuthaditjhaba, South Africa

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 30 min by car94 km west of Ladysmith3 hr round trip
  7. 7

    Mondlo, South Africa

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 45 min by car112 km north-east of Ladysmith3 hr 30 min round trip
  8. 8

    Volksrust, South Africa

    Full-day trip
    About 2 hr 5 min by car133 km north of Ladysmith4 hr 10 min round trip
  9. 9

    Wembesi, South Africa

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 5 min by car55 km south of Ladysmith2 hr 10 min round trip
  10. 10

    Harrismith, South Africa

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 20 min by car71 km north-west of Ladysmith2 hr 40 min round trip
  11. 11

    Howick, South Africa

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 45 min by car111 km south-east of Ladysmith3 hr 30 min round trip
  12. 12

    Mpophomeni, South Africa

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 50 min by car119 km south of Ladysmith3 hr 40 min round trip
  13. 13

    Estcourt, South Africa

    Half-day trip
    About 1 hr by car51 km south of Ladysmith2 hr round trip
  14. 14

    Greytown, South Africa

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 30 min by car97 km south-east of Ladysmith3 hr round trip
  15. 15

    Mooi River, South Africa

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 25 min by car75 km south of Ladysmith2 hr 50 min round trip

A sample day trip: Ladysmith to Pietermaritzburg

A realistic pace for Pietermaritzburg, 132 km from Ladysmith. Packy AI builds this for any place on the list, with a route, opening hours and timings you can edit.

  1. 07:30Leave Ladysmith
  2. 09:35Arrive in Pietermaritzburg (2 hr 5 min drive)
  3. 09:50Kwa-Zulu Natal National Botanical Gardens
  4. 11:50Lunch
  5. 13:05Explore the old town, markets and cafes of Pietermaritzburg
  6. 15:35Head back to Ladysmith
  7. 17:40Home in Ladysmith

Good to know

Frequently asked questions

What are the best day trips from Ladysmith?
The best day trips from Ladysmith are Pietermaritzburg, Newcastle, Vryheid, Bethlehem, Dundee. The closest is Estcourt, about 1 hr away by car.
What is the closest day trip from Ladysmith?
Estcourt is the closest, 51 km south of Ladysmith, roughly 1 hr by car. Best as a half-day trip.
Where can I go within an hour of Ladysmith?
One place is within about an hour's drive of Ladysmith: Estcourt (1 hr).
What is the biggest city near Ladysmith for a day out?
Pietermaritzburg is the largest city in day-trip range, 132 km south-east of Ladysmith and about 2 hr 5 min by car. With that much to see, start early or stay the night.
How far is too far for a day trip from Ladysmith?
Up to about two hours each way keeps the day relaxed. The farthest place on this list is Bethlehem at 149 km, around 2 hr 20 min by car, which is better as a long day or an overnight stay.

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