Day trips

The 14 Best Day Trips from Pietermaritzburg

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

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There are 14 good day trips from Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, led by Durban, KwaDukuza, Pinetown. The closest is Howick, about 35 min by car, and 4 of them fit into half a day. Below: drive times, distances, what to see, and a sample day plan.

Day trips from Pietermaritzburg at a glance

DestinationDistanceDrive timeBest as
Durban67 km SE1 hr 15 minFull-day trip
KwaDukuza93 km E1 hr 25 minFull-day trip
Pinetown53 km SE1 hrHalf-day trip
Ladysmith132 km NW2 hr 5 minFull-day trip
Mpumalanga32 km SE35 minHalf-day trip
Ntuzuma55 km E1 hr 5 minFull-day trip
Tongaat70 km E1 hr 20 minFull-day trip
Kokstad139 km SW2 hr 10 minFull-day trip
Port Shepstone125 km S1 hr 55 minFull-day trip
Mandeni112 km NE1 hr 45 minFull-day trip
Margate139 km S2 hr 10 minFull-day trip
Wembesi87 km NW1 hr 20 minFull-day trip
Howick22 km NW35 minHalf-day trip
Richmond31 km S35 minHalf-day trip

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

The best day trips from Pietermaritzburg

  1. 1

    Durban, South Africa

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 15 min by car67 km south-east of Pietermaritzburg2 hr 30 min round trip

    Known for Mitchell Park Zoo.

    Also nearby: Folweni.

  2. 2

    KwaDukuza, South Africa

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 25 min by car93 km east of Pietermaritzburg2 hr 50 min round trip
  3. 3

    Pinetown, South Africa

    Half-day trip
    About 1 hr by car53 km south-east of Pietermaritzburg2 hr round trip
  4. 4

    Ladysmith, South Africa

    Full-day trip
    About 2 hr 5 min by car132 km north-west of Pietermaritzburg4 hr 10 min round trip
  5. 5

    Mpumalanga, South Africa

    Half-day trip
    About 35 min by car32 km south-east of Pietermaritzburg1 hr 10 min round trip
  6. 6

    Ntuzuma, South Africa

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 5 min by car55 km east of Pietermaritzburg2 hr 10 min round trip
  7. 7

    Tongaat, South Africa

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 20 min by car70 km east of Pietermaritzburg2 hr 40 min round trip
  8. 8

    Kokstad, South Africa

    Full-day trip
    About 2 hr 10 min by car139 km south-west of Pietermaritzburg4 hr 20 min round trip
  9. 9

    Port Shepstone, South Africa

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 55 min by car125 km south of Pietermaritzburg3 hr 50 min round trip
  10. 10

    Mandeni, South Africa

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 45 min by car112 km north-east of Pietermaritzburg3 hr 30 min round trip
  11. 11

    Margate, South Africa

    Full-day trip
    About 2 hr 10 min by car139 km south of Pietermaritzburg4 hr 20 min round trip
  12. 12

    Wembesi, South Africa

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 20 min by car87 km north-west of Pietermaritzburg2 hr 40 min round trip
  13. 13

    Howick, South Africa

    Half-day trip
    About 35 min by car22 km north-west of Pietermaritzburg1 hr 10 min round trip
  14. 14

    Richmond, South Africa

    Half-day trip
    About 35 min by car31 km south of Pietermaritzburg1 hr 10 min round trip

A sample day trip: Pietermaritzburg to Durban

A realistic pace for Durban, 67 km from Pietermaritzburg. Packy AI builds this for any place on the list, with a route, opening hours and timings you can edit.

  1. 08:30Leave Pietermaritzburg
  2. 09:45Arrive in Durban (1 hr 15 min drive)
  3. 10:00Mitchell Park Zoo
  4. 12:00Lunch
  5. 13:15Explore the old town, markets and cafes of Durban
  6. 15:45Head back to Pietermaritzburg
  7. 17:00Home in Pietermaritzburg

Good to know

Frequently asked questions

What are the best day trips from Pietermaritzburg?
The best day trips from Pietermaritzburg are Durban, KwaDukuza, Pinetown, Ladysmith, Mpumalanga. The closest is Howick, about 35 min away by car.
What is the closest day trip from Pietermaritzburg?
Howick is the closest, 22 km north-west of Pietermaritzburg, roughly 35 min by car. Best as a half-day trip.
Where can I go within an hour of Pietermaritzburg?
4 places are within about an hour's drive of Pietermaritzburg: Howick (35 min), Richmond (35 min), Mpumalanga (35 min), Pinetown (1 hr).
What is the biggest city near Pietermaritzburg for a day out?
Durban is the largest city in day-trip range, 67 km south-east of Pietermaritzburg and about 1 hr 15 min by car. With that much to see, start early or stay the night.
How far is too far for a day trip from Pietermaritzburg?
Up to about two hours each way keeps the day relaxed. The farthest place on this list is Margate at 139 km, around 2 hr 10 min by car.

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