Less than 40 minutes drive from St. Lucia Estuary, awaits 2 world renowned big 5 game reserves - Hluhluwe and the Imfolozi game reserves. Entrance is paid on entering either park and visitors get access to both game reserves.
Hluhluwe big 5 game reserve - Set in the heart of Zululand, the oldest game reserve in Africa where Zulu kings such as Dingiswayo and Shaka hunted and put in place the first conservation laws, where today the "big five" of African legend stalk the verdant savannah. Established in 1895, game viewing is the prime attraction. Viewing hides overlook waterholes enabling visitors to see animals at close range.
As the home of Operation Rhino in the 1950s and 60s, the Park became world renowned for its white rhino conservation. Other areas of focus for which Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park is famed include wilderness trails which origionated in Imfolozi in the 1950s and its renowned Game Capture unit recently upgraded into the Centenary Capture Centre, a bench mark for animal capture and sustainable utilization throughout Africa. The Park covers some 96 000 ha and contains an immense diversity of fauna and flora. Hluhluwe is characterised by hilly topography,and this northen section of the park is noted for its wide variety of both bird and animal life. Apart from game-viewing drives, there are two self-guided auto trails which provide information on both the management and natural history of the reserve. Guided walks are also available, particularly rewarding in the early morning and late afternoon.
'Imfolozi' the heart of the Zulu Kingdom, the home of the White Rhino, where wilderness trails take you along mighty rivers wandering through thorn savannah inhabited by the big five of African legend. Hluhluwe Imfolozi Park is the oldest game reserve in Africa proclaimed in 1895.
It was the exclusive hunting preserve of the Zulu kings who protected the area by proclaiming conservation laws long before any formal protection.
The game pits in which animals were trapped can still be seen today. Game viewing is the prime attraction. Viewing hides overlook pans and waterholes enabling visitors to see animals at close range. As the home of "Operation Rhino" in the 1950s and 60s, the Park became world renowned for its White Rhino conservation. Other areas of focus for which it is famed include its wilderness trails which origionated in Imfolozi in the 1950s and its renowned Game Capture unit recently upgraded into the Centenary Capture Centre which is a bench mark for animal capture and sustainable utilization in Africa.
Hluhluwe Imfolozi covers some 96 000 ha and an immense diversity of fauna and flora occurs in this region. Imfolozi, the southern component of the park lies west of the town of Mtubatuba. The region is generally hot in summer, and mild to cool in winter, although cold spells do occur. Larger mammals to be seen include buffalo, blue wildebeest, zebra, giraffe, elephant, and large numbers of impala, waterbuck, common and mountain reedbuck, nyala, kudu, bushbuck, steenbuck, duiker, warthog, black rhino, lion, leopard, cheetah, hyaena and jackal. In excess of 300 species of birds have been recorded. There are a number of picnic sites and three self-guided walks providing magnificent views. Two daily walks in the company of a field ranger can be booked through the camp office.
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Source : http://www.kznwildlife.com
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