“In the end, we only regret the chances we didn’t take.”
The Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park is the oldest game reserve in Africa and consists of 960 km² of hilly landscape in central KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. The park was officially established in 1895 primarily to protect the white rhinos, prior to this the area was the royal hunting grounds of the Zulu. In fact the current park encompasses three original reserves that were incorporated and managed as one since 1989.
At the time of our visit the area of KwaZulu-Natal and much of South Africa have been suffering from drought that has devastated the area for years. Everything was incredibly dry. Trees snapped. Whole trees uprooted. Water was being shipped into parts of the park for the animal’s waterholes.
During our visit we did see giraffe, both types of rhinos as well as zebras, warthogs and various types of deer, but no big cats or elephants. This was our first game drive with our kids and it was a bit of a let down. The South African scrub land is much harder to spot animals than the open plain I’m not sure if it is a result of the drought, but there just wasn’t a huge quantity of animals that we had seen in East Africa.
Tourist Information for Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park
Gate Opening/Closing Times
- January to May: 5 am – 6 pm
- June to October: 6 am – 5 pm
- November to December: 5 pm – 6 pm
Entrance Fees for Self Drive through Game Park
- South African Residents: Adults – R120/Children (aged 4 – 12) – R60
- International Visitors: Adults – R240/Children (aged 4 to 12) – R120
**I.D. or Drivers Licence Required at Gate
Safaris
- 1/2 day (3 hour safari) – R950 per person
- Full Day Safari – R1100 per person
Further information on the Game Reserve can be found by clicking on the link or at the following website: https://hluhluwegamereserve.com/
Information on prices and entrance fees was updated in April 2019.
