Page 148 - 2019\20 KZN Top Business Portfolio - EBOOK

NDZENGA TOURS AND SAFARIS

Makhosi Msimango
www.ndzengatours.com

PROFESSIONALISM WITH A PERSONAL Realising the gap in the market, Makhosi left her job
at a call centre and used up her savings to start her
TOUCH business. The company was named after her oldest
Ndzenga Tours and Safaris was established by Makhosi daughter Ndzenga, which was the name of an Angolan
Msimango in 2006 with the goal to provide domestic queen and means strength.
and international tourists with cultural and township The business has since grown from strength to
experiences in the Zulu Kingdom. The 100% black strength, which Makhosi says can be attributed to
female owned company’s head office is in Hillcrest, much hard work.
KwaZulu-Natal.
Tourism Products
The motivation for Makhosi to start her own tourism Ndzenga Tours and Safaris has the exclusive rights
business had its roots in an encounter with foreign to take tourists to four of the province’s Zulu Royal
tourists while attending her first Zulu reed dance in Palaces, which is an initiative supported by King
Nongoma. Goodwill Zwelithini. The cultural events at the palace,
“I met some international tourists who had come into including the annual reed dance in September, make
KwaZulu-Natal from Eswatini (Swaziland) to attend for memorable experiences
the annual reed dance at the Enyokeni Royal Palace These tours can be expanded to comprise the
in Nongoma. Unfortunately, a woman in the group traditional markets in Nongoma well as other heritage
was turned away because she was wearing pants, sites such as the Battlefields.
which is not permitted in our culture. This experience
was embarrassing for her and not good for us. I The company’s offering includes city tours focusing on
realised that there was a need to organise cultural and eThekwini, the Inanda Valley Heritage Route as well as
township experiences,” says Makhosi. the Valley of a Thousand Hills.
She also noted that there was no tourist company One of Ndzenga Tours and Safaris’ most popular tours
that catered for tourists entering KwaZulu-Natal is the 1000 Thrills Cultural Village. Here travellers can
at the Golela Border Post between Eswatini and experience an authentic Zulu experience, from how
South Africa. Zulu people traditionally lived to consulting with a
Sangoma. “We encourage visitors to stay overnight
so that they can have the full experience of Zulu food,
music, dance and storytelling,” says Makhosi.
In addition, safari tours are popular which include
visits to Phezulu Safari park, as well as Hluhluwe-
Imfolozi Park and other northern KwaZulu-Natal game
reserves.
All tours can either be arranged as guided or self-drive
options and can be tailored to suit the client’s needs as
well as accommodate the number of people travelling
together. “We take great pride in our combination of
professionalism with a personal touch – where clients
are treated as individuals and not just a number.”
Makhosi collaborates with other tour operators to
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