The area stretches roughly from the top of Town Hill — the long escarpment above Pietermaritzburg — westward to the Drakensberg foothills. Its main artery for visitors is the Midlands Meander, a scenic route linking craft studios, food producers, and natural attractions across the region. But the Meander is a starting point, not the whole story. Howick Falls, the Karkloof forests, the Mandela Capture Site, the mountain biking trails of the Karkloof — these are experiences in their own right, and any one of them would justify the detour from the N3. Together, they make a compelling case for at least two or three nights.
Pietermaritzburg — PMB to everyone who lives there — is the regional capital and the most likely base for backpackers. It is a genuine city, South Africa's second-oldest, with Victorian architecture, a functioning downtown, and a population that gives it some real urban texture. It is also considerably cheaper than Durban. Most of the hostels in the region are either in PMB or within easy driving distance of it.
A word about getting here: the Midlands is best explored by hire car or motorbike. The Meander is exactly that — a meander. It winds through back roads that no minibus taxi route covers. If you are coming up from Durban without a vehicle, the most practical approach is to stay in Pietermaritzburg and do day trips. If you have wheels, the whole region opens up. One tank of petrol is enough to drive the main Meander loop, stop at Howick Falls, visit the Mandela Capture Site, and still make it back for supper.
Where Exactly Are The Midlands?
Most online sources get this wrong, placing the Midlands vaguely around Mooi River or even extending it into the Drakensberg itself. To be precise: the KZN Midlands begins at the top of Town Hill, the escarpment that rises above Pietermaritzburg on the N3, and extends westward to the foothills of the Drakensberg. The southern boundary is roughly the Pietermaritzburg–Durban corridor; the northern boundary stretches toward Mooi River and beyond. The towns of Howick, Hilton, Nottingham Road, Rosetta, and Balgowan are the main reference points. Pietermaritzburg itself sits on the eastern edge — more accurately described as the gateway to the Midlands than part of it, though it functions as the practical base for most visitors.
The Midlands Meander: What It Is and What It's Become
The Midlands Meander started as a genuinely remarkable idea: a group of local artists — potters, painters, sculptors, weavers — decided in 1985 to open their studios to the public and connect them with a self-guided driving route. You would follow the signs through the countryside, stop at a pottery here, a weaving studio there, meet the people making things with their hands, and buy directly from them. It was organic, artist-led, and entirely without precedent in South Africa.
It worked extraordinarily well. Durbanites started coming up for the day, then the weekend. Restaurants opened to feed them. B&Bs opened to house them. The Meander grew. And then, as tends to happen when a good thing grows, it changed. The artists who founded it found themselves increasingly outvoted by the B&B owners and food producers who had joined the route. The balance of power shifted from studios to accommodation. The art element — which was the whole point — gradually became a smaller proportion of the offering. Today the Meander includes artisanal cheese makers, German sausage and charcuterie producers, coffee roasteries, trout farms, and a great many B&Bs with craft shops attached. The original spirit has diluted somewhat. But the countryside it passes through is still beautiful, the food producers are genuinely excellent, and on a cool Midlands morning with mist on the hills, driving the back roads between Hilton and Nottingham Road with a map on the seat beside you still feels like exactly the right thing to be doing.
The best approach: don't try to do everything. Pick three or four stops — one artist studio, one food producer, one viewpoint — and take your time at each. The Meander is at its best when treated as a country drive with pleasant interruptions, not as a checklist.
KZN Midlands FAQs For Backpackers
When is the best time to go?
The Midlands has four distinct seasons and is genuinely worth visiting in any of them — each offers something different. Summer (November to February) is warm and very green, but comes with afternoon thunderstorms, sometimes heavy. These pass quickly. Autumn (March to May) is the pick of the seasons for many locals: the hills turn gold, the air is clear, the light is extraordinary, and the crowds from the festive season have gone. Winter (June to August) is cold — genuinely cold at altitude, with occasional frost and sometimes snow on the higher ground. It is also the dry season, which means clear skies, no rain, and the landscapes have a more open, spare quality. Spring (September to October) brings wildflowers, warming temperatures, and the trout fishing season into full swing.
The Meander itself has no bad season, but weekends from June to August can be busy with South Africans escaping the coast for a winter break. If you want the back roads to yourself, a Tuesday in May is your moment.
Do I need a car?
For the Midlands Meander and most natural attractions, yes. The Meander winds through back roads that are not served by public transport. Pietermaritzburg itself is navigable by taxi and on foot, and Howick is reachable by shared taxi from PMB. But to get to the Karkloof, Nottingham Road, Rosetta, or most of the Meander studios, you need a vehicle. Car hire in Pietermaritzburg is straightforward and reasonably priced — all the major companies (Avis, Budget, Europcar) have desks there. Alternatively, several of the hostels can arrange day tours or vehicle rental. A motorbike is arguably the perfect Midlands vehicle: the roads are mostly paved, the distances are modest, and the views from a bike are better than from inside a car.
How long do I need?
Two nights is the minimum to do the region justice. Three nights is comfortable. With two nights you can do Howick Falls, a half-day on the Meander, and the Mandela Capture Site. With three you can add Karkloof Falls, a mountain bike session in the Karkloof, and an evening in one of the Nottingham Road restaurants. A week is not too long if you want to fish, ride, and genuinely slow down. Many people who come for three days end up extending. The Midlands has a way of doing that.
What does it cost?
The Midlands is considerably cheaper than the Western Cape and comparable to or slightly cheaper than the Drakensberg. Dorm beds in Pietermaritzburg run from around R180–R300 per night. A decent sit-down lunch at a Meander restaurant will cost R120–R200. Entrance to Howick Falls viewpoint is free. The Mandela Capture Site museum has a small entrance fee. Karkloof Canopy Tour costs around R850 per person. Mountain bike trail fees at the Karkloof vary. Petrol for a full day's Meander loop from PMB and back is unlikely to exceed R200.
Is it safe?
The rural Midlands is among the safer parts of KwaZulu-Natal for travellers. The small towns — Howick, Hilton, Nottingham Road — are quiet and low-crime in the tourist-facing areas. Pietermaritzburg requires the same awareness you'd bring to any South African city: don't flash valuables, be alert at night, use Uber rather than walking after dark in the CBD. The hostels in PMB are well-established and can advise on which areas to avoid. The Meander roads themselves are rural and safe to drive. Standard South African road-safety cautions apply: watch for potholes, livestock, and pedestrians on country roads.
Safety In The KwaZulu-Natal Midlands
The Rural Midlands
The rural Midlands — the Meander roads, the Karkloof, the small towns of Howick and Nottingham Road — is among the safer parts of KwaZulu-Natal for travellers. Petty crime exists everywhere in South Africa, but the tourist-facing areas of the Midlands have a low crime profile. The main practical precaution: don't leave valuables visible in a parked car, and lock the vehicle even for short stops at viewpoints and trailheads. Car break-ins are the most common crime affecting tourists in the region.
Pietermaritzburg
PMB requires the standard urban awareness that any South African city demands. The CBD, particularly around Commercial Road and the taxi rank areas, is the highest-risk zone — not dangerous by global standards, but a place to be alert. The areas around Church Street and the historic centre are generally fine during the day. At night, use Uber rather than walking. The residential suburbs — Hilton, Athlone, Scottsville, around the university — are considerably calmer. Your hostel will be able to give specific, current advice on which areas to avoid. Always ask.
On the Road
The N3 between Durban and Pietermaritzburg is one of South Africa's busiest highways and has a reputation for aggressive driving, particularly among minibus taxis and heavy trucks. Drive defensively. The Meander back roads are largely quiet and pleasant, but watch for pedestrians, livestock on the road, and unmarked speed bumps in the small towns. Night driving in the rural Midlands is not recommended — pedestrians on unlit roads are a serious hazard throughout KZN.
