Visits by the likes of Gandhi, Mandela and Twain, the Comrades and Dusi Marathons, museums, art galleries, rolling hills, waterfalls and a special style of country living are some of the things that make the Pietermaritzburg and Midlands region of South Africa famous.

Pietermaritzburg is home to quaint antique shops, markets, restaurants, art galleries and museums, and more recently a casino. This is the town in which the annual Dusi Canoe Marathon starts, and is the beginning or ending point of the world- renowned annual Comrades Marathon between Durban and Pietermaritzburg, which attracts about 15 000 participants.

The Midlands Meander, the first route of its kind in the country, opened up the wonders and beauty of the interior of KwaZulu-Natal over a decade ago. It has grown into an eclectic and fascinating mix of arts and crafts, world-class restaurants and homely comforts, with a wide range of sporting environmental and historical pursuits.

Take a few days to wander through the green fields and picturesque farms of the Midlands, home to prize dairy herds, staying along the way in country-style B&BS, or guest lodges for personal service.

The magnificent Howick Falls located in Midlands provide picnic facilities. Trout and bass fishing are plentiful and for the more adventurous there is paragliding off Bulwer Mountain or taking a slide across the canopy of Karkloof's indigenous forests.