South Africa - Safaris in Kwazulu Natal

Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Game Reserve

Jun 23, 2007 Cathy Smith

Kwazulu Natal is known for its game reserves. It also attracts those who are interested in military history, as the great battlefields of the Anglo-Boer War are here.

Today Kwazulu Natal is it is a peaceful landscape looking as though it has changed little over the centuries. People walk along the edge of the road carrying bundles or boxes on their heads. Eucalyptus trees are everywhere and towns are few and well spaced out. But the wildlife no longer roams the land at will - the great herds suffered from the many battles fought over this rich, fertile province and now they wander the game reserves instead.

Kwazulu Natal - The Battle to save the Black Rhino

A chance to see wildlife in their natural habitat is why a lot of people visit South Africa and a good place for this is one of the country’s oldest game reserves, KwaZulu’s Hluhluwe-Umfolozi, was established in 1895. It was here where the battle was fought to bring back the white rhino from the brink of extinction. Today Hluhluwe-Umfolozi is the only game reserve working to save the endangered black rhino, whose whose number in Africa has dwindled considerably over the past decade.

Kwazulu Natal - The 'Big Five' are here

Umfolozi covers 96,000 hectares and is the only park in the province where you can see the big five: lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino. Dirt roads criss-cross the reserve and are easily negotiable by an ordinary car. The elusive lion and leopard might be more easily seen on a guided tour which can be booked through the Natal Parks Board camp offices, located in the reserve.

There are also hundreds of species of birds, making it one of the prime birding regions in South Africa. Guided bush walks are available, as are 4WD safaris.

Kwazulu Natal - Self Drive to See More

Driving yourself around this huge reserve (96,000 hectares in extent) is easy. You can go at your own speed but the slower and quieter you are the more likely you are to see the animals. And there are plenty to see: giraffes munching on roadside trees, baboons crossing the track in front of us, wildebeest, buffalo, elephants, impala, zebras. Bird-watching is a popular activity - over 300 species have been recorded here and bird lists are available from the camp offices.

Kwazulu Natal - Enjoy Beaches of Indian Ocean

It would be a shame to leave Kwazulu Natal without testing the waters of the Indian Ocean. The coastline is a long ribbon of unspoilt tropical beaches. A good place to stop for a while is Umhlanga Rocks, a resort about 12 kilometres from Durban. A wonderful crashing surf pounds onto wide smooth sands from which men of all colours cast fishing lines into the waves while their children made castles and covered themselves with sand, as children do everywhere. The “rainbow nation” of Nelson Mandela’s dreams?

South Africa - The Battlefields

The copyright of the article South Africa - Safaris in Kwazulu Natal in Historical Travel is owned by Cathy Smith. Permission to republish South Africa - Safaris in Kwazulu Natal in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

South Africa-Kwazulu Natal - Rickshaw Driver	South Africa-Kwazulu Natal - Zebra	South Africa-Kwazulu Natal - Zebra
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