Hluhluwe might be right next door to iMfolozi, but it’s a very different game reserve. It’s hillier than iMfolozi so good views are guaranteed. If you don’t feel like moving all your gear, you can visit Hluhluwe for the day via the Nyalazi gate – just be sure to get back inside iMfolozi before 6 pm. The other option is to spend the night at HILLTOP RESORT in Hluhluwe, or at HLUHLUWE BACKPACKERS just outside the Memorial gate.
Break your game drive with a boerie braai at the Siwasamakhosikazi picnic site on a bend of the Hluhluwe River. Then follow the tar road up to Hilltop Resort. If you’re not staying over, stretch your legs with a ten-minute walk through the forest, which starts at the swimming pool. In the afternoon, drive east towards the Memorial gate, into a lower-lying area called Magangeni, where you should encounter herds of boisterous buffalo. From the gate, backtrack to the Magwanxa area (3,2km away) and take the gravel loop to the Isivivaneni area via the Maphumulo picnic site. Rhino photos, guaranteed.
The loop is fine for a family car. It meanders next to the Hluhluwe River until it joins the tar again at Isivivaneni. From there, take an easy ride back to your chosen accommodation spot. If a herd of game vehicles packed with foreign tourists obstructs your view along the way, be patient – they’ll disappear in two shakes of a selfie stick.
STAY HERE
HILLTOP RESORT – A big rest camp with fully catered and self-catering accommodation options, at one of the high points in Hluhluwe. There’s a pool, a jungle gym and a restaurant. No campsite.
HLUHLUWE BACKPACKERS – A relaxed, friendly atmosphere with basic private rooms and dorms, just 2 km from the Memorial gate into Hluhluwe.
