Shakaland
- Address:Nkwalini
- Hours:Open year round
- Admission:R99
12:05 PM Saturday, May 26
Sunny. Mild.
7 day forecast »
Zulus form the largest ethnic group in the Rainbow Nation of South Africa, and the province of KwaZulu-Natal (formerly Zululand) is their heartland. Shakaland is an open-air museum, or “cultural village” providing a first class introduction to Zulu culture. It tells the tale of its namesake, the famous warrior king Shaka, who fought both tribal rivals to finally become the area’s uncontested ruler, as well as later Zulus who fought colonial aggressors.
But it’s not all spears and battles. Shakaland gives an overview of all aspects of Zulu culture, including tribal social structures, music, dances and ceremonies. You’ll also see how the distinctive colorful Zulu beadwork is made, as well as traditional beer, an important component in festivities. All of this in an authentic village, in what is still very much a vibrant, living community of Zulus, supervised by the local chief.
Latest Reviews All Shakaland Reviews »
This ‘traditional’ village was created for a popular TV programme called Shaka Zulu, and when the show came to the end of its run, the set was transformed into a hotel and cultural village. Here, the ‘villagers’ give demonstrations of grinding maize, making traditional beer and preparing food amongst other things. But it’s the dancing and drumming show that is most spectacular. The dancers really go for it, staring the audience in the eye as they launch into the Zulu War Dance, and by the end it’s a free-for-all multi-dancer melée. How much you enjoy Shakaland will depend entirely on how much you like this sort of thing. Take the history lessons with a large pinch of salt, ignore the fact that the traditional Zulu villagers will revert back to jeans and mobile phones post-performance and take things in the spirit intended… then it’s all jolly good fun. Continue Reading »
Note from Viator: This review is from David Whitley, who posted a complete tour summary over on the Viator Travel Blog.
This was a great cultural experience. Continue Reading »
Practical Info
Shakaland is around two hours’ drive north of Durban, near the town of Eshowe. The way is well signposted from there, and facilities include overnight accommodation in traditional “beehive” huts.
