Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park

Overview

Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park, located in the province of Kwazu-Natal is known as being the oldest nature reserve in Africa, having been established in 1895. The park is 960 sq. km and due to its smaller size, an ideal setting for game viewing as it is not as large and sparse as other notable game parks such as Kruger. Hluhluwe was formed from the combining of two separate parks in 1989, Hluhluwe – an area in the North, and Umfolozi which makes up the Southern portion of the park.

Hluhluwe-Imfolozi is known for its hilliness and wide range of flora and fauna, with a range of unique plant species and all big 5 existing within the park. The reserve is most famous for its population of more than 1,600 white rhinoceros due to continual conservation and protection efforts since the 1950s, as they were previously on the brink of extinction caused by poachers. Hluhluwe- Imfolozi contains 86 species of mammal including cheetah, hippopotamus, giraffe, zebra, and Nile crocodile along with the big 5. The park is also known as a bird watcher’s paradise, as more than 340 unique bird species can be spotted.