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Things to see & do in Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park
Established in 1895 when the first conservation laws were put into practice, Hluhluwe-Imfolozi is the oldest game park in Africa. Located in Zululand in the north of the province, the park was once the hunting ground of Zulu kings including Shaka and Dingiswayo and also has the remains of many Stone Age settlements.
Today, the Big Five stalk the savannah alongside a huge range of large mammals including cheetah, zebra, giraffe, hyena, jackal, blue wildebeest, impala, waterbuck, common and mountain reedbuck, nyala, kudu, bushbuck, steenbuck, duiker, warthog and more than 300 species of birds. The park is known for its rolling hills and regular close encounters with elephants.
Hluhluwe-Imfolozi is an amalgamation of two parks comprising 96,000 hectares. Hluhluwe, in the north is cooler, more rugged and mountainous with forests and grasslands, while Imfolozi in the south is dryer and more undulating with open savannah.
Our KwaZulu-Natal Holidays
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As the home of Operation Rhino in the ‘50s and ‘60s, Hluhluwe Imfolozi Park became world famous for bringing the white rhino back from the edge of extinction. Numbering less than 20 animals in 1900, there are now more than 1,600 white rhino in the park (10,000 worldwide) and more than 350 black rhino.
Safari camps and lodges within the park range from luxurious wooden chalets built on stilts with private plunge pools to tent lodges in the heart of the bush.
The rainy season (September to April) is hot and humid while the temperatures during the dry season of the winter months (May to August) are pleasant with warm days and cool nights.
The three entrances to the park are Memorial Gate in the north-east which is reached from the town of Hluhluwe, Nyalazi Gate in the south-east on the road from Mtubatuba, and the Cengeni Gate in the south-west leads to and from Ulundi.
Safari camps and lodges within the park range from luxurious wooden chalets built on stilts with private plunge pools to tent lodges in the heart of the bush.
The rainy season (September to April) is hot and humid while the temperatures during the dry season of the winter months (May to August) are pleasant with warm days and cool nights.
The three entrances to the park are Memorial Gate in the north-east which is reached from the town of Hluhluwe, Nyalazi Gate in the south-east on the road from Mtubatuba, and the Cengeni Gate in the south-west leads to and from Ulundi.
Our top KwaZulu-Natal Holiday
Endangered wildlife conservation in South Africa
Award-winning, Fair Trade certified wildlife conservation!
From
US $1463
14 days
ex flights
Small group travel:
2023: 3 Apr, 17 Apr, 1 May, 15 May, 29 May, 12 Jun, 26 Jun, 10 Jul, 24 Jul, 7 Aug, 21 Aug, 4 Sep, 18 Sep, 2 Oct, 16 Oct, 30 Oct, 13 Nov, 27 Nov, 11 Dec, 25 Dec
2024: 8 Jan, 22 Jan, 5 Feb, 19 Feb, 4 Mar, 1 Apr, 15 Apr, 29 Apr, 13 May, 27 May, 10 Jun, 24 Jun, 8 Jul, 22 Jul, 5 Aug, 19 Aug, 2 Sep, 16 Sep, 30 Sep, 14 Oct, 28 Oct, 11 Nov, 25 Nov, 9 Dec
2023: 3 Apr, 17 Apr, 1 May, 15 May, 29 May, 12 Jun, 26 Jun, 10 Jul, 24 Jul, 7 Aug, 21 Aug, 4 Sep, 18 Sep, 2 Oct, 16 Oct, 30 Oct, 13 Nov, 27 Nov, 11 Dec, 25 Dec
2024: 8 Jan, 22 Jan, 5 Feb, 19 Feb, 4 Mar, 1 Apr, 15 Apr, 29 Apr, 13 May, 27 May, 10 Jun, 24 Jun, 8 Jul, 22 Jul, 5 Aug, 19 Aug, 2 Sep, 16 Sep, 30 Sep, 14 Oct, 28 Oct, 11 Nov, 25 Nov, 9 Dec
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More about KwaZulu-Natal
With hot, humid summers and dry, mild winters, KwaZulu-Natal offers warmth and sunshine most of the year.
Perfect for South Africa second-timers or for travellers who prefer something a little wilder and more remote, KwaZulu-Natal seduces with swathes of white-sand Indian Ocean beaches, extraordinary wildlife and a unique Zulu heritage.
Our favourite things to see and do in KwaZulu-Natal include hiking in the Drakensberg Mountains, spotting the Big 5 on safari in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi, picking up exquisite pottery along the Midlands Meander, visiting the Zulu battlefields and snorkelling, hippo-spotting and some seriously chilled beach time in the iSimangaliso Wetland Park.
Forget Kruger, head east into KwaZulu-Natal for a wildlife extravaganza that goes beyond the Big Five.
The beaches of KwaZulu-Natal stretch along 600km of coastline with beaches to match the very best on the planet.
Few places in Africa combine Big Five safaris with beach time quite as well – or as conveniently – as KwaZulu-Natal.
From vast Hluhluwe-iMfolozi, credited with saving the white rhino from extinction to conservation-focussed private reserves, safaris in KwaZulu-Natal are second-to-none.
KwaZulu-Natal self drive holidays open up big game parks and battlefields, Zulu culture and an idyllic protected coral coastline.
From endangered wildlife monitoring to community construction projects, KwaZulu Natal volunteering holidays offer a unique way to experience this vibrant South African region.
The Battlefields Region of KwaZulu-Natal is a landscape of rolling hills and grasslands over which were fought a total of 63 battles that shaped the history of South Africa.
Drakensberg in KwaZulu-Natal is the highest mountain range in Southern Africa and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000.
iSimangaliso Wetland Park in KwaZulu Natal is the largest protected wetland in Southern Africa and was South Africa’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The food and drink of KwaZulu-Natal is a reflection of the diversity of cultures that have inhabited the city over the years.
Read insider tips and KwaZulu-Natal travel advice from our South Africa holiday experts and our travellers – from how to get the most out of your safari to discovering authentic Zulu culture.
Responsible tourism in KwaZulu-Natal is being managed by Tourism KwaZulu-Natal who have developed guidelines for environmental protection, as well as socio-cultural and economic policies for tourism businesses.
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