Overview–southafrica

Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Game Reserve

Hluhluwe-iMfolozi is the flagship park of the Kwazulu-Natal province. It is also one of the oldest parks in Africa, originally created in the 1890s as a sanctuary for one last tiny population of southern white rhino. This is where the species was saved from extinction. Rhino are now very common in the park.

Best Time to Visit

The best time to visit Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Game Reserve is in the drier winter months from May to September. At this time the vegetation thins out, and animals congregate around water sources. The shelters located at the waterholes are particularly busy with animal activity at this time. The colder winter months are also considered the low season and the park tends to be less busy with the exception of school holidays.

May to September –Dry Season – Winter

Best time for wildlife viewing
The park is very quiet except during school holidays
Little rain and blue skies
Early morning game drives in open vehicles are chilly
The sky is hazy with a lot of dust in the air

October to April –Wet Season – Summer

Lush scenery and beautiful landscapes
There are newborn animals around
Birding is at its best, and migratory birds are present
Wildlife viewing is not as good as during the Dry season
It is high season, and the park is busier
It is hot and humid in the middle of the day

Scenery

The park has beautiful scenery with rolling hills, valleys, forests, and grassy plains. Three rivers flow in the valleys, the most notable being the Hluhluwe river with its string of pools. Most of the vegetation is very thick, making wildlife viewing a bit more of a challenge.

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Jun

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Aug

Sept

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Oct

Rates

From: $204 to $1,223 pp/day

Best Time to Go

From: May to September (Dry season)

High Season

From: October to March (The park can get busy)

Size

From: 911km² / 352mi²

Wildlife & Animals

Hluhluwe-iMfolozi is a scenic reserve and offers good wildlife viewing. All of the Big Five are present, but while white rhinos, elephants, and buffalo are regularly seen, big cat sightings are hit-and-miss. Giraffes and Burchell's zebra are some of the more common species found throughout the park.

Wildlife Highlights

The park is famous for its white rhino conservation success and has one of the largest populations in the world. The black rhino is also present in significant numbers but rarely seen. The gracious nyala is a Kwazulu-Natal special as it is very common in the province, but rare elsewhere. Lucky visitors might stumble on a pack of wild dogs, and the elusive leopard is sometimes spotted on night drives.

Best Time for Wildlife Viewing

The best time for wildlife viewing in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi is during the dry months of June to September. The end of the Dry season, from August to September, is a particularly nice time since temperatures are higher than in mid-winter, and animals are concentrated around predictable water sources at the end of a long dry period.

General Wheather

Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Game Reserve’s winter and summer fall at opposite times of the year to those seasons in Europe and North America. Summer corresponds with the Wet season and winter with the Dry season. Hluhluwe-iMfolozi has a subtropical climate. The wet summer months (October to April) are hot and humid. Dry winters (May to September) are pleasantly warm.

Dry Season –May to September – Winter

There is very little rainfall in winter, but there might be the occasional shower because of the closeness to the coast. The heat is less oppressive than in summer, and the skies are usually cloudless.

May – The end of summer means that it rains less and the humidity drops. It is cooling down, and the average temperatures are 12°C/54°F in the morning and 27°C/81°F in the afternoon.
June, July & August – Afternoons are pleasant with temperatures around 23°C/73°F, but this drops to 11°C/52°F at night. Cold mornings should be expected. It is advisable to bring warm clothing.
September – This month brings the spring season. Temperatures rise gradually, and the average daytime temperature is 26°C/79°F. Mornings are less cold with temperatures around 15°C/59°F. It will start raining now with a few true thundershowers.

Wet Season –October to April – Summer

It is very hot and humid during the summer. It rains a lot, but mostly in the afternoon. Heavy thunderstorms can be expected.

October & November – Rain in the afternoon is common and sometimes it might rain all day. Temperatures are between 17°C/63°F in the morning and 28°C/82°F in the afternoon.
December, January & February – These months tend to be hot and humid. There is a storm most afternoons. The average temperature in the afternoon is 31°C/88°F, but peak temperatures are a lot higher. Early morning temperatures average 18°C/64°F.
March & April – It cools down a little, and temperatures are around 30°C/86°F in the afternoon. It rains less and the humidity decreases. Mornings are mild at 16°C/61°F.

Prons

Good wildlife viewing with the Big Five and both rhino species
Great birding in the Wet season
Excellent self-drive destination
Reasonably priced rest camps in the park

Cons

The park gets quite busy in high season
No high-end accommodation available inside the park
Tar trunk road creates a lack of wilderness appeal

How To Get There

Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Game Reserve is located about 270km/168mi north of Durban and is easily reached by tarred road. The drive takes about 3 hours*. The reserve is rarely a destination in its own right and is usually part of a tour around the country.

Most visitors to South Africa fly into O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB) in Johannesburg or Cape Town International Airport (CPT) in Cape Town and start their holiday there, but it is also possible to fly to King Shaka International Airport (DUR) in Durban.

*Driving times are only a rough indication. You should always consider the possibility of significant delays.

Airlines & Ticket Prices

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