Guided Safaris
Hluhluwe-Umfolozi
Hluhluwe–Imfolozi Park, formerly Hluhluwe–Umfolozi Game Reserve, is the oldest proclaimed nature reserve in Africa. It consists of 960 km² (96,000 ha) of hilly topography 280 kilometres (170 mi) north of Durban in central KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and is known for its rich wildlife and conservation efforts. The park is the only state-run park in KwaZulu-Natal where each of the big five game animals can be found.
Due to conservation efforts, the park in 2008 had the largest population of white rhinoceros in the world.
Tembe Elephant Reserve
Tembe Elephant Park is a 30 012 ha game reserve in Maputaland, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It is adjacent to Ndumo Game Reserve.
The park was developed by Tembe Tribal Authority and Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife.
It was established in 1983 to protect elephants which used to migrate between Maputaland and southern Mozambique. These elephants were traumatised by poaching during the civil war in Mozambique so the park was only opened to the public in 1991. The park is now home to 250 elephants which are the largest in the world. Isilo, the largest living tusker in the southern hemisphere, died in 2014
200 more elephants which used to be part of the same group live in the Maputo Elephant Reserve in Mozambique. The Lubombo Transfrontier Conservation Area is planned to link the two reserves and the Lubombo Conservancy in Swaziland in a single transfrontier reserve.
More than 340 bird species have been recorded in Tembe, including the rare Rudd's apalis, the rufous-bellied heron, the Natal nightjar and the Woodward's batis.
This park is to be included into the: Usuthu-Tembe-Futi Transfrontier Conservation Area.
Mkuze
Mkuze Game Reserve is situated in Northern Zululand, a 40 000 hectare Game Reserve world renown for its birding possibilities. Mkuze Game Reserve offers some incredible game viewing while within the reserve however it is the Birding that makes this game reserve so unique.
From Hluhluwe Game Reserve a mere 1 hour North one enters this paradise with loop roads, hides and panoramic views. Its thick dense bush, grasslands and pans gives one a feeling of being in the true Africa of yesterday. Mkuze Game Reserve was proclaimed in 1912 and has since remained under the protection of KZN Wildlife. It boasts the Big 4 and incredibly 400 plus species of Birdlife may be encountered. Travel to the various pans within Mkuze Game Reserve, Nhlonhlela and Nsumo in the North and East, the pans are home to Nile Crocodiles, Hippo’s, Pelicans and Duck’s and Geese which gather during various time of the year.
The Mkhuze River runs along the northern and eastern borders with fig forest’s along its banks. Various animal species that may be found in the Mkuze Reserve include White and Black Rhino, Leopard, Elephant, Giraffe, Nyala, Wildebeest and much more. Rare species include Cheetah, Wild Dog, Hyenas and Suni.
Mkuze Game Reserve also offers one a chance to enjoy one of Three hides that have been placed within the reserve, a great place to witness animal species and Birdlife.
Phinda
Phinda Private Game Reserve encompasses an impressive 28 555 hectares (70 560 acres) of protected wildlife land in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.Showcasing one of the continent’s finest game viewing experiences, Phinda is home to Africa’s Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino), as well as 436 bird species. The reserve is particularly well known for close-up sightings of the elegant yet elusive cheetah, as well as the rare black rhino.
