Hluhluwe round one

Richards Bay gets its name from a British admiral of the late 19th century, who saw the harbor as a place that could be used as a supply point for British imperial forces who were battling the Zulu. It’s a beautiful spot, with tree-lined beaches and calm water. For us it would serve as a jumping-off point for two trips to Hluhluwe-iMfololzi Park. Hluhluwe, a Zulu word that is pronounced something like “shlush-loo-we,” is one of the oldest nature preserves in the world, established in 1895.

We got started on our drive out around 8:30, arriving at the park just after 11:00. This is not an ideal time to view wildlife, but our drive got off to a good start nonetheless. We immediately saw warthogs, which are very common in the park, and then a rhino at close range. Israel, our guide, gave us good information on the animals and birds we were seeing. We saw more rhinos, nyala antelope, impala, and zebra, but the highlight was a pair of lions resting in a thicket. We got good views as they were right next to the road. Had they not been we likely wouldn’t have seen them at all.

There were many great birds as well, including a malachite kingfisher that posed nicely for a photo. The one big miss on the day were elephants. DJ really wanted to see them, and we heard from others that they had seen elephants, but we missed them. But Sunday would provide another chance.Read more