The Allen Gardiner cruises Durban Harbour, leaving from Wilson’s Wharf. Durban Harbour is a harbour of contrasts. It is the busiest port in the Southern Hemisphere, with over 20 ocean-going ship movements each day. However, there are also mangrove swamps within the harbour, with abundant wildlife (including pelicans) in a protected conservation habitat.

You will cruise the calm waters of the harbour along the Maydon Channel (one-time landing strip for the UK Royal Mail flying boats), seeing the largest raw sugar terminal in the world, the grain terminal, the Prince Edward dry dock and the floating docks. The cruise continues along the Silt Canal, past the protected conservation mangrove swamps and Pelican Island, turning where the Silt Canal ends at the Bluff.

On return, we cruise to the harbour entrance, turning at the Point, and cruising past the largest container terminal in Africa, passing close to towering container ships with a close-up view of the working harbour. Returning to Wilson’s Wharf, we usually visit the yacht marina.