Hluhluwe- Imfolozi Game Reserve

The Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Game Reserve is located in the heart of Zululand, in the northeast of the province of KwaZulu-Natal. Founded in 1895 to protect the last rhinos in Natal and already declared a game reserve in 1897.

Previously the reserve consisted of 2 different parks: Hluhluwe Park in the north and Umfolozi Park in the south. Joined and connected by the Corridor Reserve, Hluhluwe-Imfolozi is now one of the largest parks in South Africa with 96,000 hectares. It is just as beautiful here as in Kruger and a lot less crowded. The landscape is very diverse with many trees and plants that are still used by the Zulu indigenous people for food and medicine. This area was once the exclusive hunting ground of the famous Zulu king Shaka.

Hluhluwe-Imfolozi has become known for successfully rescuing the white (wide-lip) rhino that was threatened with extinction due to hunting. There were only around 20 rhinos when the Game Capture Unit specialists protected the rhino against extinction with their “Operation White Rhino”. There are now more than 1,400 white and 300 black rhinos.

Hluhluwe-Imfolozi has many large and small game: lion, giraffe, elephant, zebra, white and black rhino, cheetah, buffalo, hippopotamus, hippopotamus, warthog, impala, nyala, waterbuck, wildebeest, kudu, diver, cheetah, hyena, blue wildebeest, genet, bushbaby and various goats.

Because of the diversity in the park, more than 300 species of birds have been registered, among which also very special and rare: Bateleur, ground hornbill, white-backed vulture, Rudds Apalis (apalis), Pink throated Twin spot (astrild), Lemon breasted Canary (canary), Green Coucal (cuckoo), Southern Banded Snake Eagle (snake eagle), Secretary bird (secretary bird), Black winged Plovers (plover), Honey Buzzard (wasp thief), African Broadbill (broad-mouthed), thousands of waterfowl, ducks and egrets.

Activities:
Game drive with your own car, various hides and viewpoints, guided walks, day and evening game drives, boat trip on the Hluhluwe river. You can walk around with a guide in the Centenary Game Capture Center, there is an information center and a museum. For more information about a game drive with ranger in the park, look here: safari Hluhluwe or safari Hluhluwe from St. Lucia.