After staying in St. Lucia for 2 days – we visited Hluhluwe-Imfolozi park, and started from its northern gate.
HLUHLUWE-IMFOLOZI PARK
Formerly known as the Hluhluwe Umfolozi Game Reserve now the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park. The park is the oldest proclaimed reserve in Africa. 960 square kilometers! Officially opened in 1895 as a Park. Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park is the only state-run park in Kwazulu Natal that is home to the BIG 5. The park is world renowned for its conservation efforts and history. The Umfolozi was previously used as King Shaka’s private hunting grounds. The conservation efforts have contributed to this park having the largest population of White Rhino in the world.
The northern section is known as the Hluhluwe side of the park while the southern section is known as the Imfolozi / Umfolozi Park.
This game reserve is home to 86 species including the African Big 5, and some special wildlife include: Nyala, Nile Crocodile, Hippo, Giraffe, African Wild dog, Cheetah, Kuda Impala, Bushpig, common Warthog, Hyena, Water Buck, Duiker, Blue Wildebeest, Jackal and up to 340 species of birds.
If you are going to visit many different parks/game reserves it may be worth to buy a “Wild Card“. Membership gives you one year’s unlimited entry to 80+ National Parks, Reserves and Resorts around Southern Africa, depending on the type of cluster you choose. International Wild Card Membership is also available for international guests.
We bought this card on this tour – it pays off then you are a family or group, and especially if you are going to visit several parks.
We have also bought a Wild Card just for staying a week in Kruger.
Hluhluwe Umfolozi Game Reserve is one of the parks that the Wild Card covers.
Just after entering the gate we spotted a rhino, always a a great experience!
We have visited this park several times in later years and each time we have been lucky to spot rhino, often more than one.
Soon after we saw some zebras and giraffes not far from the road. On a sideroad, three elephants appeared from some bushes. They walked into the road and began eating from the trees. We waited until they left before we drove on.
(Photo: hilltop.co.za)
We had a nice lunch at the HILLTOP CAMP, at the northern section, and the only camp with a restaurant. As the name says – it is built on a hilltop and has a panoramic view over the game reserve and the surrounding hills.
On our way south in the reserve we spotted wildebeest, warthogs and baboons, and of course many impalas. They were the only animals who wanted to move in the middle of a hot summer day.
This park does have the big five, but this time – in the middle of the day – is not the best time to spot cats for instance. On later visits, we have been lucky to spot lions on evening safaris, and also many buffalos.
We left the park at the southern gate and stayed the night at Garden Court Hotel in Ulundi – the first town we came to near the highway R66, about 35 km west of the park. It was ok for one night stay.
DRAKENBERG AREA
The next day we decided to visit the Drakenberg Mountains.
We drove southwest and passed wooded areas and small villages. Later on, we were heading up the champagne Valley, south of Winterton. We tried to get the view of the great mountain Champagne Castle at the end of the valley. Champagne Castle is the second highest peak in South Africa – 3377m. Sadly the weather conditions did not allow this – it was cloudy and rainy and dark heavy clouds hung low over the mountains.
ACCOMMODATION IN DRAKENBERG AREA
We stayed one night at the Ardmore Guest Farm just below the Champagne Castle. It was a 5 km drive on gravel road to get there, but it was worth it!
If the weather had been fine and clear the view from Ardmore would be like this:
We had DB&B for a very good price and got this big unit for ourselves.
Two bedroom with its own bathrooms and a big living room:
They served a very good 3 course dinner in the main building with the other guest – a couple from Holland and a couple from Namibia.
The renowned Ardmore Ceramic Art was established on Ardmore Farm in 1985 and the Ardmore Museum on the property had an extensive array of Ardmore’s ceramics on display.
After visiting the Ardmore Ceramic Art the next day, we left Ardmore Farm and drove south to Estcourt. On our way to Giant Castle Mountain we passed the nice lodge :
BLUE HAZE COUNTRY LODGE.
It was raining and we stopped to have a look. A very nice place, lovely lodges with spacy rooms, and a whirlpool in the living room. Great view – surrounded by mountains and hills and with a view of a big lake. Also a good a la carte restaurant in the neighbouring building.
We decided to stay here for a couple of days.
BLUE HAZE COUNTRY LODGE – a great place to stay if you are in the
Drakenberg area
Day trip back to the Champagne Mountains, but still to foggy to watch the mountain range..Had a nice lunch at the Drakenberg Sun Hotel though..
The view to the Champagne mountains could be like this – if it was not for the foggy day..
After two lovely days at Blue Haze Lodge we continued south towards Durban. But first we had a short stop at the Giant Castle Camp in the
Giant Castle Game Reserve. It was about 80 km south west from the lodge.
We passed small villages and green hills, and scenic rock formations as we came closer to the camp. But the we still could not see the peaks because of the fog. From the gate entrance of the reserve to the camp, is was about 8 km driving.
The Giant Castle Nature Reserve/Game Reserve
The Giant Castle is a mountain peak (3315 m) in the southern Drakenberg. It gets the name from peaks of the Drakenberg Mountains whose silhouette resembles of a sleeping giant . This 34,638 ha park ranges from a lofty 3280 meters, down to the river at 1300 meters, and hosts a wide diversity of plant and animal life.
The most popular activity in this area is hiking, and it is supposed to be the best base to start a Drakensberg hiking experience. There are numerous marked trails. Other activities include mountain climbing, trout fishing , swimming in rock pools and birding. It is home the bearded vulture and the reserve is noted for preserving this endangered vulture. It is also possible to see large herds of eland that roam the grassland hills.
The reserve is also known for its magnificent ancient rock art created by the historic San people that once inhabited this spectacular area. The Main Caves, which is located close to Giant’s Castle Camp, is the most prominent one. This is an easy walk from the camp, and has numerous exhibits of ancient rock art paintings on the cave overhang.
On our way to the camps restaurant we met some baboons. On of them had found some food leftovers..
Lunch at the camp’s restaurant. As you can see is was still hazy at the mountain tops.
The camp offer 42 accommodation units, like lodges and different mountain chalets.
Follow us to:
#7 – DURBAN and MARGATE at the coast of KwazZulu-Natal
Thank you so much!
Big5-Birgitte 🙂