Zulu Heartbeat: Exclusive Durban Culture & Heritage Walk

Johnny is a local and experienced tour guide who has been in the industry for a very long time and presents his perspective on Durban in a non-pretentious, matter-of-fact way, without much fluff. If you're looking for a light-hearted, fun, yet incredibly authentic and gritty experience, this is for you. In fact, it was even more authentic than I imagined it to be, and at certain stages not for the faint-hearted, but in a good way. I’d even say that the description of Johnny’s tour does not do justice to the richness that his experience provides. It’s a glimpse into Durban from the perspective of a straight man with a distinct cultural heritage. Johnny has his views on life, history, and politics, and he does not hold back from sharing them. I personally did not always agree with what he said, but that’s cool. What I would have wished for, however, is more engaging storytelling. I think the experience could be deeper and more meaningful if he asked his guests questions or involved them in a way that creates dialogue, where different viewpoints and perspectives can be discussed. I would also have wished for at least a mention of the legacy of slavery, as it played a significant role in the history of indentured Indian labourers in South Africa. He also said that South Africa has the largest Indian population outside of India, which is incorrect. It’s not a tour for history geeks and certainly not for travellers who feel easily offended by politically incorrect remarks or commentary which, by the way, did not bother me at all, except for not getting the opportunity to respond or engage. I did feel like there wasn’t much room for asking difficult questions or having a debate. I tried to get a word in at the beginning to respond to certain subjective viewpoints, but was shut down quite quickly by one of the participants who did not appreciate me interrupting the guide. However, I only interrupted because I had been trying to raise my hand consistently and was ignored. I eventually surrendered to the fact that this was a monologue, a one-way presentation, and I got the sense that other opinions or perspectives were not really valued, or there simply was no interest. I personally think a more interactive approach, where tour guides allow room for dialogue, is where the magic happens, because we are all continuously learning from each other. The moment we think we know it all and our own perspective is the only one that matters, it becomes uninteresting to me. I’d book this experience again and give him 5 stars, because he deserves it, especially because we need more authentic experiences in tourism like Johnny’s. But I recommend a bit more depth, including the mention of Gandhi, the legacy of slavery, and a bit less of the “good old days” narrative.

Walk incl Golden Mile Stretch, O.R.Tambo Parade, Addington Hosp, Florida Street, Moses Madiba Stadium, U Shaka Marine, Durban Port, TransNet train track.

If you want to get submerged in every day life of the Durbanites, let Johnny take you on a stroll. You’ll in depth info on the city and its history, experience the Bus-Combi community taxis, walk through a few local markets and end 5-6 hours, after “take-off”, at the beach for a lovely lunch. We couldn’t have picked a better guide

Johnny is a local from Durban, with extensive historical and cultural knowledge. He provided us with a fun tour of the city and several local markets, using the mini bus system as well as walking. He showed us the real vibe of the city and ensured we had a great lunch at the end of the tour all inclusive. A must do if you have a free day in Durban

Johnny is great! A truly enriching experience. I highly recommend this over the other city tours - you'll get very in-depth local tour through more parts of the city than just touristy areas. As a solo traveler he also gave me so much helpful info to help get acquainted with the city and explore more outside of the central district. Definitely recommend.

Johnny was first-rate as a guide, taking us round the local markets ( reflecting the cultural heritage of the area ) and also educating us about the history of South Africa and in particular Durban. We were lucky enough to be the only people on the tour. This was a long tour but made use of local buses so more of a talking than a walking tour. We ended up at the oceanfront eating Bunny Chow, a local curry and an experience itself. We’d thoroughly recommend it.

Johnny was good and took us to see what the locals did. If you are interested in that, it is well worth the trip.

An excellent tour I would recommend it to anyone who wants to experience the real Durban downtown. Johnny is warm and knowledgeable has great historical stories.

We had a fantastic day. Johnny was funny, very informative and we felt safe and secure even when we were certainly the only tourists around! We saw some areas of Durban and experienced things obviously not seen on your regular tour. Would highly recommend to anyone wanting to see the real Durban.

Highly recommended if you want to dive into Durbans daily life besides the obvious tourist paths. Johnny is a great guide with tons of knowledge and made this trip really enjoyable.