Overview

Umhlanga Rocks is a kite spot in the upmarket seaside resort of Umhlanga, north of Durban. This famous beach, known for its iconic lighthouse and rocks, offers kite conditions in a luxurious setting with warm tropical waters (22-26°C). Shark nets and lifeguards. Very popular tourist area, kitesurfing may be restricted in peak season.

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Spot forecast for Umhlanga Rocks

Sunrise 05:12 · Sunset 18:08

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< 7 kn7–12 kn13–20 kn21–30 kn31–40 kn41+ kn Gusts Your minimum: 7 kn

Forecasts provided by Open-Meteo

Swell and waves

Swell and tides over 8 days. Premium members see the swell and tides over 8 days. Without a subscription: 5 days.

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Wave height: < 0.5 m 0.5–1 m 1–2 m 2–3 m ≥ 3 m

Swell data by Open-Meteo Marine

Tides

Heights above lowest astronomical tide, in the spot's local time. Computed 4.3 km from the spot.

Tuesday 20 October Low tide 05:24 · 0.9 m High tide 12:27 · 1.3 m Low tide 18:42 · 0.9 m
Wednesday 21 October High tide 00:36 · 1.3 m Low tide 06:38 · 0.8 m High tide 13:09 · 1.5 m Low tide 19:21 · 0.7 m
Thursday 22 October High tide 01:19 · 1.4 m Low tide 07:16 · 0.6 m High tide 13:39 · 1.7 m Low tide 19:50 · 0.6 m
Friday 23 October High tide 01:52 · 1.6 m Low tide 07:48 · 0.5 m High tide 14:07 · 1.8 m Low tide 20:19 · 0.4 m
Saturday 24 October High tide 02:22 · 1.7 m Low tide 08:18 · 0.3 m High tide 14:35 · 2 m Low tide 20:48 · 0.3 m

Umhlanga Rocks: when to go?

Rideable days and hours computed for a minimum wind of 7 knots · log in to set your own (foil, twin-tip…)

Season · peak

209h

in December · 23 rideable days

The season runs from December to March, peaking in December: 21 rideable days a month and 209 hours of usable wind, at 27 °C. The low point is April, at 11.5 days.

Rideable days per month

Wind strength when it is rideable

7-12 knots · 75%13-20 knots · 25%21-30 knots · 1%

When the spot works, wind sits mostly between 7 and 12 knots — 75% of rideable hours. Big-kite territory. The coldest month is July, at 22 °C. The wettest month is January, with 117 mm.

Monthly averages: Umhlanga Rocks

Monthly averages — Umhlanga Rocks — averaged over 2 years of records — Weather data by Open-Meteo.com — How it is calculated
Month	Rideable days	Usable wind	Temperature	Rain
January	22.5	194 h	27 °C	117 mm
February	17.5	167 h	27 °C	109 mm
March	22.0	204 h	27 °C	107 mm
April	11.5	91 h	25 °C	100 mm
May	13.0	76 h	24 °C	20 mm
June	12.0	72 h	23 °C	26 mm
July	11.5	59 h	22 °C	12 mm
August	18.0	111 h	24 °C	11 mm
September	14.0	103 h	23 °C	92 mm
October	17.0	136 h	24 °C	75 mm
November	14.5	145 h	25 °C	72 mm
December	23.0	209 h	27 °C	83 mm

Photo gallery of Umhlanga Rocks

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Technical details of Umhlanga Rocks spot

The spot works with winds from NNE, NE, ENE, E, ESE, SE.

Rideable Not rideable

Spot functioning

The spot works in NE to SE winds. The beach is bordered by characteristic rocks. Tide influences conditions: rocks are covered at high tide. Kite zone may be restricted in peak season. Check municipal regulations.

Spot opening date · Required level

Spot opening date: Open all year round
Required level: Intermediate

On the water

Warm tropical water (22-26°C). Sandy bottom with rocky sections. Regular waves. Shark nets. Moderate coastal currents. Watch for rocks near the shore.

Parking

Easy access from the M4 north of Durban. Paid parking in Umhlanga village. Tourist area with many hotels, restaurants and shops. Pedestrian promenade along the beach.

Wind specificities

The dominant wind is the NE (summer trade wind), blowing side-onshore on this east-facing coast. Thermal wind reinforced in the afternoon. East to south-east winds are also favourable. Check local kite restrictions before riding. Year-round, best October to April.

Hazards

Rocks near the shore. Very many swimmers and tourists. Possible kite restrictions in peak season. Shore break. Sharks despite nets. Jellyfish in summer. Coastal currents.

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DURBAN INTNL. AIRPORT24.9 kmsource WIS2 - WMO

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Additional stations

Ogimet - Durban, Durban International Airport (South Africa)29.8 km

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Webcams near Umhlanga Rocks

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Nearby spots

All spots: KwaZulu-Natal

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Umhlanga Rocks kitesurf, wingfoil and surf spot