Rickshaw Rides Durban Fun Things to Do (Kwazulu-Natal)

Did You Know?

Durban is the only place in South Africa where you’ll find rickshaws.

Getting to know the Durban beachfront cannot get more unique than this. Be greeted by a driver with a warm smile and a show-stopping headdress when you hop on a rickshaw to explore the Golden Mile .

Durban’s rickshaw men are a familiar sight on the Golden Mile, colourfully clad in their beaded or hand sewn costumes and impressively horned headgear. They’re also among the strongest and toughest people you’ll meet. They rise at 5am seven days a week and ply their back-breaking trade until 5pm, transporting tourists, kids and the occasional local in their imaginatively decorated, human powered carriages.

Jonathan Scobie, a missionary in Japan, is widely credited with inventing the rickshaw in 1869 as a way to transport his wife through the streets of Yokohama. Rickshaws appeared in India some twenty years later. The Chinese traders for transportation of goods used them. It was a peasant job for migrants in these places and quickly became a fixture in many Asian countries.

Sir Marshall Campbell introduced the rickshaw to Durban more than 90 years ago. With the growth of the internal combustion engine, rickshaws as a mode of daily transport all but died out. The 25 that operate today are all that remain of this rich history. Each rickshaw puller owns his vehicle, and no one is permitted to have more than one.

Each rickshaw is decked out in a unique mix-and-match patchwork of primary colours, while the owner wears an impressive headdress of his own creation, adorned with mirrors, feathers, coloured wool and beads.

These rickshaw guys take you up and down the Durban beachfront. The ride is usually fairly short, from 10 to 15 minutes, and you’ll pay anything from R30 to R100, depending on the number of passengers and the distance travelled.

Always check the price first and I can assure you this is an experience you will never forget

Sit back and relax as your rickshaw puller trots along, seemingly effortlessly pulling his load behind him. Have FUN and don't forget to take a Selfie to share with us at Tourism Friendly.