By Roxanne Reid
Northern KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) is nirvana for those who love wildlife and nature, with an abundance of provincial and private reserves to choose from. Here in subtropical Zululand you’ll find game reserves in KZN that will pay rich dividends on your South African safari.
Northern KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) is nirvana for those who love wildlife and nature, with an abundance of provincial and private reserves to choose from. Here in subtropical Zululand you’ll find game reserves in KZN that will pay rich dividends on your South African safari.
The game reserves in KwaZulu-Natal are steeped in a background of Zulu culture and tradition, with rolling hills, forests, grasslands, waterways and lots of wildlife to delight visitors. Choose from activities like game drives for your KZN safari, birding, bush walks, surfing, fishing and cultural activities, even snorkelling and diving.
This collaborative post with other bloggers brings you the best of the game reserves in KZN for a wildlife safari. In most cases, a link at the end of the piece leads you to more information about that specific reserve.
Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park
Photo: Erin Mushaway
Hluhluwe-iMmfolozi Park is South Africa’s oldest game reserve and world-famous for its historic efforts in white rhino conservation, bringing them back from the brink of extinction. If you’re dying to see rhinos, you have to go to Hluhluwe-iMfolozi, where you’ll lose count of your sightings. You might also see buffalo, elephant, lion, leopard, zebra, giraffe and antelope.
This reserve is divided in two – Hluhluwe to the north and iMfolozi in the south. Mpila is a self-catering camp in iMfolozi. Hilltop in Hluhluwe is more luxurious, with a hotel-like feel, restaurant, bar and wi-fi for those looking for more comfort. There is also one luxury private lodge inside the park.
Guided game drives at Hluhluwe are a common day trip from St Lucia and also offered by lodges nearby, but this stunning park deserves more than a single morning. Self-drive is an ideal option. With two days of self-driving you can thoroughly explore both parts of the park from the scraggly bush of iMfolozi to the rolling green hills of Hluhluwe.
Erin Mushaway, Sol Salute
Read more about Hluhluwe-Imfolozi on Erin’s blog
iSimangaliso Wetland Park
This reserve is divided in two – Hluhluwe to the north and iMfolozi in the south. Mpila is a self-catering camp in iMfolozi. Hilltop in Hluhluwe is more luxurious, with a hotel-like feel, restaurant, bar and wi-fi for those looking for more comfort. There is also one luxury private lodge inside the park.
Guided game drives at Hluhluwe are a common day trip from St Lucia and also offered by lodges nearby, but this stunning park deserves more than a single morning. Self-drive is an ideal option. With two days of self-driving you can thoroughly explore both parts of the park from the scraggly bush of iMfolozi to the rolling green hills of Hluhluwe.
Erin Mushaway, Sol Salute
Read more about Hluhluwe-Imfolozi on Erin’s blog
iSimangaliso Wetland Park
Photo: Thonga Beach Lodge
Cruising quietly through the clear waters of Kosi Bay’s narrow channels is a special experience. Recline on the bow of the boat, see giant water monitors slither into the water and goliath herons stand like statues between the tall reeds. We even checked for crocs and hippos then slipped into the cold water with our masks and snorkels to swim between schools of thousands of moonfish under the mangroves. With its series of four inland lakes linked by kilometres of channels, Kosi Bay forms only a tiny part of the magnificent iSimangaliso Wetland Park, which was listed as South Africa’s first World Heritage Site.
iSimangaliso (meaning miracle and wonder) stretches from the uMfolozi River mouth in the south, up hundreds of kilometres of pristine beaches to Kosi Bay Mouth in the north. At its heart is Lake St Lucia, Africa’s largest estuarine system. Big 5 game areas surround the lake, offering self-drive and guided safari options, fascinating wetlands and rich coastal dune forest teeming with birds.
The eastern shores are renowned for angling and diving (Sodwana Bay is one of the top ten dive destinations in the world). Between October and March, you could spot endangered loggerhead and leatherback turtles laying their eggs or their hatchlings wriggling out of the soft sand into the sea.
Visit multiple times to experience all iSimangaliso has to offer, each time focusing on a different section of beach or bush. Whether you prefer game drives, hiking, fishing, diving, surfing, bird watching or just being one with nature, you’ll witness a living miracle. Much of the area has roads of soft sea sand, so it’s best to visit in a 4x4.
Sarah Dirsuwei, Chasing the Rainbow
uMkhuze Game Reserve
iSimangaliso (meaning miracle and wonder) stretches from the uMfolozi River mouth in the south, up hundreds of kilometres of pristine beaches to Kosi Bay Mouth in the north. At its heart is Lake St Lucia, Africa’s largest estuarine system. Big 5 game areas surround the lake, offering self-drive and guided safari options, fascinating wetlands and rich coastal dune forest teeming with birds.
The eastern shores are renowned for angling and diving (Sodwana Bay is one of the top ten dive destinations in the world). Between October and March, you could spot endangered loggerhead and leatherback turtles laying their eggs or their hatchlings wriggling out of the soft sand into the sea.
Visit multiple times to experience all iSimangaliso has to offer, each time focusing on a different section of beach or bush. Whether you prefer game drives, hiking, fishing, diving, surfing, bird watching or just being one with nature, you’ll witness a living miracle. Much of the area has roads of soft sea sand, so it’s best to visit in a 4x4.
Sarah Dirsuwei, Chasing the Rainbow
uMkhuze Game Reserve
Photo: Melanie van Zyl
Twitchers go all a-flutter at the mention of uMkhuze Game Reserve and for good reason – it’s home to 420 bird species. Before you turn your nose up at such avian geekery, know that this little pocket of wilderness offers plenty more.
uMkhuze forms part of the sprawling iSimangaliso Wetland Park (see above) and is home to animal icons such as the Big 5, wild dog and cheetah, with an impressive cheetah research programme. It’s the ideal weekend away and you could easily self-drive most of the game drive routes in two days, but much of the reserve’s fame stems from the joy of sitting at the productive hides. Then there’s the rolling landscape. Thorn trees dot the plains, a unique sand forest harbours the secretive suni antelope, and it’s all easily accessible even in a sedan.
Nhlonhlela Bush Camp is an exclusive-use self-catering setup of four rustic chalets. The main rest camp at Mantuma may be a little worn, but the shaded camp is home to nibbling impala herds and charming braai areas. It’s laid back and open to the wild.
Don’t miss a guided walk in the sycamore fig forest, where a beautiful boardwalk weaves below the boughs and straddles the uMkhuze River. The ancient woods here are said to be more than 400 years old and they support a steady stream of life like monkeys, hornbills and even leopards.
Melanie van Zyl, www.melanievanzyl.com
Ithala Game Reserve
uMkhuze forms part of the sprawling iSimangaliso Wetland Park (see above) and is home to animal icons such as the Big 5, wild dog and cheetah, with an impressive cheetah research programme. It’s the ideal weekend away and you could easily self-drive most of the game drive routes in two days, but much of the reserve’s fame stems from the joy of sitting at the productive hides. Then there’s the rolling landscape. Thorn trees dot the plains, a unique sand forest harbours the secretive suni antelope, and it’s all easily accessible even in a sedan.
Nhlonhlela Bush Camp is an exclusive-use self-catering setup of four rustic chalets. The main rest camp at Mantuma may be a little worn, but the shaded camp is home to nibbling impala herds and charming braai areas. It’s laid back and open to the wild.
Don’t miss a guided walk in the sycamore fig forest, where a beautiful boardwalk weaves below the boughs and straddles the uMkhuze River. The ancient woods here are said to be more than 400 years old and they support a steady stream of life like monkeys, hornbills and even leopards.
Melanie van Zyl, www.melanievanzyl.com
Ithala Game Reserve
Photo: Roxanne Reid
Ithala Game Reserve near Louwsburg is a scenic space of rugged mountainous thornveld. It’s home to elephant, rhino, buffalo and leopard as well as zebra, giraffe and a host of antelope like eland, kudu, tsessebe and red hartebeest. The absence of lions means people who have no interest in anything but lions don’t come here, which allows you peace to enjoy the other animals and an abundance of birds. Sometimes thick vegetation makes spotting hard, but the landscape of rolling hills and sharp cliffs has its own appeal.
Ntshondwe camp and the rustic bush camps are set among the rocks, and there’s a campsite next to a river.
Go on a self-drive route like the Nghubu Loop, stopping at points of interest along the way. The roads are rugged so you’ll need a 4x4 or high clearance vehicle to get around the park; only the road between the entrance gate and Ntshondwe is tarred. You can also join a guided drive in an open vehicle. Other activities include self-guided nature walks, bush walks with a ranger, or spending time in Ntshondwe’s hide. Best of all, chill out and listen to the birds, breathe deeply and unwind.
Roxanne Reid, Africa Addict (yes, that’s me)
Read more about Ithala on my blog
Ndumo Game Reserve
Ntshondwe camp and the rustic bush camps are set among the rocks, and there’s a campsite next to a river.
Go on a self-drive route like the Nghubu Loop, stopping at points of interest along the way. The roads are rugged so you’ll need a 4x4 or high clearance vehicle to get around the park; only the road between the entrance gate and Ntshondwe is tarred. You can also join a guided drive in an open vehicle. Other activities include self-guided nature walks, bush walks with a ranger, or spending time in Ntshondwe’s hide. Best of all, chill out and listen to the birds, breathe deeply and unwind.
Roxanne Reid, Africa Addict (yes, that’s me)
Read more about Ithala on my blog
Ndumo Game Reserve
Photo: Bevan Langley
Ndumo Game Reserve is an Ezemvelo-managed game park situated near the Mozambique border in the far reaches of northern KwaZulu-Natal. At only 10 177ha, it’s one of KZN’s smallest game reserves, but here size doesn’t equal significance. While it isn’t home to all of the Big 5 like some of its more popular neighbours, it does have some 430 different species of birds – one of the highest species counts of any reserve in South Africa.
As it’s a bit off the beaten track, Ndumo gets fewer visitors than many other reserves, making for a more intimate experience. Explore in your own vehicle or on guided game drives. A small resort offers camping and self-catering accommodation as well as a supply store, petrol station and swimming pool.
A real draw card are the guided birding walks. Ezemvelo park rangers lead the way through the acacia savannah, sand forests and marshy wetlands of the park in search of finds such as the pel’s fishing-owl, southern banded snake eagle and African broadbill.
Bevan Langley, Stray Along the Way
Read more about Ndumo on Bevan’s blog
Tembe Elephant Park
As it’s a bit off the beaten track, Ndumo gets fewer visitors than many other reserves, making for a more intimate experience. Explore in your own vehicle or on guided game drives. A small resort offers camping and self-catering accommodation as well as a supply store, petrol station and swimming pool.
A real draw card are the guided birding walks. Ezemvelo park rangers lead the way through the acacia savannah, sand forests and marshy wetlands of the park in search of finds such as the pel’s fishing-owl, southern banded snake eagle and African broadbill.
Bevan Langley, Stray Along the Way
Read more about Ndumo on Bevan’s blog
Tembe Elephant Park
Photo: Ed Goldswain
Tembe Elephant Park is a 30 000ha private reserve that’s home to some of Africa’s biggest elephants, along with the rest of the Big 5 and other mammals like giraffe, zebra and antelope. The stars of the show are the huge ‘tusker’ elephants; there are around 150 of them in the park so you’re virtually guaranteed a sighting on each game drive.
The terrain is varied, covering forest, savannah and wetlands, with a mix of tropical and sub-tropical vegetation. This means there’s a great variety of animals and birds to spot on the game drives each day. 10 self-drive vehicles are allowed per day as day visitors, but you need to have a proper 4x4 vehicle to deal with the sandy areas. Day visitors may also book a guided game drive.
Accommodation is in a small tented camp in the centre of the park. A handful of tents, each surrounded by bush, give a wonderfully immersive experience. You’re deep in the wild at Tembe – and it feels like it. Monkeys and bush babies wander around camp.
Tembe is in a low-risk malaria zone. Although anti-malarials aren’t considered necessary, it’s still advisable to take precautions with the right clothes and decent repellent.
Ed Goldswain, Safaris Africana
Read more about safaris in South Africa on Ed’s blog
Pongola Game Reserve
The terrain is varied, covering forest, savannah and wetlands, with a mix of tropical and sub-tropical vegetation. This means there’s a great variety of animals and birds to spot on the game drives each day. 10 self-drive vehicles are allowed per day as day visitors, but you need to have a proper 4x4 vehicle to deal with the sandy areas. Day visitors may also book a guided game drive.
Accommodation is in a small tented camp in the centre of the park. A handful of tents, each surrounded by bush, give a wonderfully immersive experience. You’re deep in the wild at Tembe – and it feels like it. Monkeys and bush babies wander around camp.
Tembe is in a low-risk malaria zone. Although anti-malarials aren’t considered necessary, it’s still advisable to take precautions with the right clothes and decent repellent.
Ed Goldswain, Safaris Africana
Read more about safaris in South Africa on Ed’s blog
Pongola Game Reserve
Photo: Dawn Bradnick
The privately owned Pongola Game Reserve extends over the original area protected by Paul Kruger in 1894. Of significant conservation value today, it includes the 15 000ha Lake Jozini, or Pongolapoort Dam, and stretches towards the Lebombo mountains.
Enjoy guided 4x4 safaris (no self-driving allowed) and private boat cruises, learn about the reintroduction of elephants more than 20 years ago, their careful monitoring and research on the integration of orphan herds into matriarchal ones. You’ll have the rare opportunity to track black rhino with specialised researchers, spot hippo and Nile crocodile from a boat over your morning coffee and track game on a guided bush walk. Among the wildlife are buffalo, leopard, hyena, giraffe, wildebeest, zebra, warthog, numerous antelope species, and more than 350 bird species.
The perennial Pongola River meanders through the centre of the reserve and further north you’ll find the separate Phongolo Nature Reserve, which is under Ezemvelo/KZN Wildlife management. Day visitors are welcome to self-drive here, to launch their boats and to fish. Lake Jozini is renowned for its tiger fishing. There is one entrance to the nature reserve close to the border with Swaziland, with a basic campsite right at the lake.
Dawn Bradnick, The Incidental Tourist
Read more about Pongola on Dawn’s blog
andBeyond Phinda Private Game Reserve
Enjoy guided 4x4 safaris (no self-driving allowed) and private boat cruises, learn about the reintroduction of elephants more than 20 years ago, their careful monitoring and research on the integration of orphan herds into matriarchal ones. You’ll have the rare opportunity to track black rhino with specialised researchers, spot hippo and Nile crocodile from a boat over your morning coffee and track game on a guided bush walk. Among the wildlife are buffalo, leopard, hyena, giraffe, wildebeest, zebra, warthog, numerous antelope species, and more than 350 bird species.
The perennial Pongola River meanders through the centre of the reserve and further north you’ll find the separate Phongolo Nature Reserve, which is under Ezemvelo/KZN Wildlife management. Day visitors are welcome to self-drive here, to launch their boats and to fish. Lake Jozini is renowned for its tiger fishing. There is one entrance to the nature reserve close to the border with Swaziland, with a basic campsite right at the lake.
Dawn Bradnick, The Incidental Tourist
Read more about Pongola on Dawn’s blog
andBeyond Phinda Private Game Reserve
Photo: Claudia Tavani
About a three-hour drive from Durban, the 28 555ha andBeyond Phinda Private Game Reserve is one of the best game reserves in KwaZulu-Natal to see animals – especially the Big 5 and cheetahs – in their natural environment.
The entire reserve is managed by andBeyond, which works in a responsible manner towards the environment, the animals, the local communities and its employees. Visitors go on two guided game drives each day. No self-driving is allowed. Your rangers and trackers try to accommodate your interests, taking you in search of the animals you most wish to see. Specials to look out for include the tiny suni antelope and red duiker. If you’re really lucky you may even be able to follow a hunt that pits predator against prey. Other experiences include nature walks and cultural activities.
There are six lodges at Phinda, each different but all immersed in nature, with forest, mountain or vlei settings. It’s not uncommon for animals to pay a visit to your backyard at the lodge.
Claudia Tavani, My Adventures Across The World
Read more about Phinda on Claudia’s blog
Amakhozi Private Game Reserve
The entire reserve is managed by andBeyond, which works in a responsible manner towards the environment, the animals, the local communities and its employees. Visitors go on two guided game drives each day. No self-driving is allowed. Your rangers and trackers try to accommodate your interests, taking you in search of the animals you most wish to see. Specials to look out for include the tiny suni antelope and red duiker. If you’re really lucky you may even be able to follow a hunt that pits predator against prey. Other experiences include nature walks and cultural activities.
There are six lodges at Phinda, each different but all immersed in nature, with forest, mountain or vlei settings. It’s not uncommon for animals to pay a visit to your backyard at the lodge.
Claudia Tavani, My Adventures Across The World
Read more about Phinda on Claudia’s blog
Amakhozi Private Game Reserve
Photo: Tessa Buhrmann
At Amakhosi Private Game Reserve, vast expanses of bushveld give way to towering figs and the meandering uMkhuze River where waterholes come alive with game and rocky hillsides offer expansive views. Here you can find the Big 5 as well as many under-appreciated critters like giraffe, kudu and nyala, more than 420 species of birds and a fascinating world of frogs.
On an early morning or late afternoon guided game drive (no self-driving is allowed) breathe in the sights and sounds of the bush. Watch cheetah cubs play and elephants bathe, follow tracks to find lions and learn about the eating habits of white rhino from their poop. Listen as your ranger tells of Zulu traditions and the medicinal use of plants, watch eagles soar and hear the tantalising call of the gorgeous bush shrike. Put on your hiking boots for a guided bush walk, or don gumboots and headlamps for a frogging safari (rainfall dependent between December and March).
A private lodge offers fabulous local cuisine, bushveld style and memorable encounters with both wildlife and people.
Tessa Buhrmann, The Responsible Traveller
Read more about a frogging safari on Tessa’s blog
Thanda Safari
On an early morning or late afternoon guided game drive (no self-driving is allowed) breathe in the sights and sounds of the bush. Watch cheetah cubs play and elephants bathe, follow tracks to find lions and learn about the eating habits of white rhino from their poop. Listen as your ranger tells of Zulu traditions and the medicinal use of plants, watch eagles soar and hear the tantalising call of the gorgeous bush shrike. Put on your hiking boots for a guided bush walk, or don gumboots and headlamps for a frogging safari (rainfall dependent between December and March).
A private lodge offers fabulous local cuisine, bushveld style and memorable encounters with both wildlife and people.
Tessa Buhrmann, The Responsible Traveller
Read more about a frogging safari on Tessa’s blog
Thanda Safari
Photo: Thanda Safari
Thanda Safari is 14 000ha of bushveld that lies 260km north of Durban near Hluhluwe. ‘Thanda’ means love and there’s a lot to love about it. In this private reserve, gentle hills surround open plains, forested areas and thickets that are home to creatures like the Big 5, cheetah, hyena and antelope.
Thanda’s guides have an affinity with this land, and a passion for leading you into their world and the wonders of nature. You’re not allowed to self-drive here, but the early morning and late afternoon game drives account for six hours of your day. The focus is not only on big game, but also on trees and plants, spiders and beetles.
Between game drives there’s plenty to experience, including the luxury tented camp, a cultural experience in a nearby Zulu community, guided bush walks and a complimentary wildlife photography lesson.
Di Brown, The Roaming Giraffe
Read more about Thanda Safari on Di’s blog
Manyoni Private Game Reserve
Thanda’s guides have an affinity with this land, and a passion for leading you into their world and the wonders of nature. You’re not allowed to self-drive here, but the early morning and late afternoon game drives account for six hours of your day. The focus is not only on big game, but also on trees and plants, spiders and beetles.
Between game drives there’s plenty to experience, including the luxury tented camp, a cultural experience in a nearby Zulu community, guided bush walks and a complimentary wildlife photography lesson.
Di Brown, The Roaming Giraffe
Read more about Thanda Safari on Di’s blog
Manyoni Private Game Reserve
Photo: Mavela Game Lodge
Just a three-hour drive north of Durban, the 23 000ha Manyoni Private Game Reserve in Zululand is known for its excellent game viewing and its traditional culture. It’s also recognised for its conservation work, having been formed as part of a World Wildlife Fund black rhino expansion project. In addition to seeing the Big 5, you can also hope to spot some of the reintroduced cheetah and wild dogs. There are some 400 species of birds in the reserve, making it a pleasure for twitchers.
Manyoni is a first-class game viewing destination with beautiful, varied landscapes of open savannah, acacia thornveld and riverine forest. The reserve’s ten independent lodges provide guided early morning and late afternoon game drives in open safari vehicles (no self-driving allowed) and can also organise activities like tiger fishing or a sunset cruise on Lake Jozini. Don’t miss a guided bush walk where you might encounter big mammals but will also focus on smaller things you often miss in a vehicle.
Read more about Manyoni Game Reserve on my blog
You may also enjoy
Tembe Elephant Park - a Big Five game reserve in KwaZulu-Natal
Ndumo Game Reserve: everything you need to know
Mkhuze Game Reserve: everything you need to know
Rhino Ridge Safari Lodge at Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park
Best South African holiday destinations and places to visit
Like it? Pin this image!
Manyoni is a first-class game viewing destination with beautiful, varied landscapes of open savannah, acacia thornveld and riverine forest. The reserve’s ten independent lodges provide guided early morning and late afternoon game drives in open safari vehicles (no self-driving allowed) and can also organise activities like tiger fishing or a sunset cruise on Lake Jozini. Don’t miss a guided bush walk where you might encounter big mammals but will also focus on smaller things you often miss in a vehicle.
Read more about Manyoni Game Reserve on my blog
You may also enjoy
Tembe Elephant Park - a Big Five game reserve in KwaZulu-Natal
Ndumo Game Reserve: everything you need to know
Mkhuze Game Reserve: everything you need to know
Rhino Ridge Safari Lodge at Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park
Best South African holiday destinations and places to visit
Like it? Pin this image!
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