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A year ago, my friends and I traveled to South Africa, Zimbabwe and Lesotho. When I was researching the Durban leg of the trip, I saw a photo of a rickshaw on Golden Mile Beach and decided I had to find one when I got there and go for a ride.
On our way to the airport, I spotted this one near the beach and asked our driver to stop. We had only a few minutes but each of us got to sit in the rickshaw and have our photo taken.
The rickshaw was brought to Durban from London in 1893 by sugar magnate, Sir Marshall Campbell. At that time, there were only a few cars in the city. By 1902, Durban had approximately 1,700 rickshaws for more than 24,000 pullers who came to the city to work and returned home to the country with their earnings. Now, there are only about 20 registered pullers left.
Run by the Zulus, beautifully decorated rickshaws can be rented from pullers, who are dressed in colorful, handcrafted beaded headdresses and are usually stationed on the beach. They not only transport, they entertain in true Zulu fashion.
Rickshaw Rides on Golden Mile Beach cost between US$2 – $50.
This is my submission to this week’s Budget Travelers Sandbox Travel Photo Thursday series. Be sure to check out other photo and story entries on their website!
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33 Comments on "Travel Photo Thursday – Durban Rickshaw"
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Look at that smile on your face, I love it! It tells me you are having an awesome time. The rickshaw looks rad!
It was definitely fun, Grace!
Beautiful and decorated fabulously… I love the colors too. I’ve taken a NYC buggy ride and had so much fun as my guy zipped around corners and ahead of traffic. I would do it again. 🙂
They’re a riot. But they do it everyday and are quite skillful. You’re right – it’s fun.
Interesting! I never knew about these and wouldn’t have imagined the colorful decoration.
Isn’t it? I found Durban to be very colorful and artistic all round. Loved being there and experiencing that part of it.
Gee, I never thought these guys were still doing this. I have photos of my father in rickshaw in Durban taken in 1940 I’ll have to dig out.
Glad you posted this.
Oh, I’d love to see that photo, Jim. Please, please post it!
Do they work with all that gear on?
Yes, they do! I guess because we were there when it was cool, I didn’t think of how it’d be to work with all that gear on.
Cool to have your photo taken on that fun and colorful rickshaw. No wonder you’re smiling!
Actually, that was my travel buddy, but it was fun. We were giggling like schoolgirls.
That looks like fun!
It sure was!
That’s quite the outfit considering the heat – and it’s certainly one way of putting some money in the locals pockets. Just hope the pulling isn’t too strenuous.
Nice history about the rickshaw too.
Thanks, Leigh! I suppose it might be strenuous, I hadn’t really thought of that.
Taking a rickshaw ride like that looks like a lot of fun! Cute pic. 🙂
Thanks, Cheryl! It was fun.
O_O how come the rickshaw rides have such a wide price range? $2-$50!
Btw, the one you were on is really cute!! Love the painted decoration of that rickshaw =) A moving art piece.
I guess it depends on how far you have to go.
I was really impressed by all the art I saw in Durban. I guess it’s the Zulu influence, lots of colors and art everywhere.
What a fun, cheerful photo. I imagine that Zulu garb must be a bit heavy – and hot in the South African sunshine.
Thanks, Sophie. I just remembered that when we pulled up, he wasn’t wearing the headdress. It does look heavy.
Love it. I never thought they had rickshaws anywhere outside of Asia !
Yeah, me either. It was a nice surprise to see how they’ve adapted it.
Beautiful photo 🙂
Thanks, Muza-chan!
great fun!
Sure was!
Beautiful pictures that spell fun and adventure.
Thank you. It definitely was.
It must be hard for the pullers to pull effectively in that elaborate outfit! It looks beautiful, though.
It might be but they didn’t seem affected by it.