6-Day Luxury Safari, KwaZulu Natal

Durban - Durban

Day 1 – Hluhluwe/Umfolozi Park (D)
We will collect you after your breakfast from your hotel or from the airport in Durban and travel along the scenic Dolphin Coast and into rural Zululand, directly to the “big 5” Hluhluwe/Umfolozi Park where we would spend two nights at Hilltop Camp. The accommodation here is in a brick under thatch chalet, each bedroom with its own private bathroom/wash-basin and toilet. Each chalet is also equipped with a fridge. Our game viewing commences immediately upon entering the gates into the park.
This first evening we go on a night drive in an open game-viewing vehicle with staff from KZN Wildlife, the organisation tasked with running this reserve. This is to improve on your chances of seeing some of the nocturnal species such as leopard (always difficult to find), lion, hyena, genet, bush babies and then the other nocturnal animals such as the owls and nightjars. You also get to see some of the diurnal animals, such as are those that are found in the day.

Day 2 – Hluhluwe/Umfolozi Park (Breakfast, Dinner)
Today will be spent on extended game drives to various areas of the Park, with an early start to make the most of the day and to possibly chance upon one of the predators returning to their day-time lair. This is the game reserve famous for "Operation Rhino" which brought the white rhino back from the brink of extinction. Now you should see just how successful KZN Wildlife has been in this endeavour.
Sightings of rhino, giraffe, buffalo, wildebeest, zebra, warthog, baboon, vervet monkey, and antelope such as impala, nyala and kudu are seen frequently and with the possibility of seeing lion, leopard, cheetah, elephant, black rhino, hippo, crocodile, monitor lizard, hyena and antelope such as red duiker, steenbuck, waterbuck, bushbuck and then the rare Samango monkey and wild dog, much less frequently. These drives are conducted with your guide in his/her vehicle.
Overnight Hilltop Camp

Day 3 – Makakatana Bay Lodge (B, L, D)
After breakfast we do a further game drive as we exit the park to arrive at Makakatana Bay Lodge in time for lunch. This luxurious lodge is set on the western shores of Lake St. Lucia and is the only privately owned lodge on the western shores. Here we are subject to the lodge’s activity, and this normally includes a sundowner drive to the lake to observe the hippos as they prepare to exit the water for their night’s foraging.

Day 4, 5 – Phinda (B, L, D)
There may be an opportunity of doing a walk before breakfast at Makakatana, and after breakfast we make our way either to the Phinda Private Game Reserve where we will check into our lodge in time for lunch. Again we are subject to the lodge’s activities, which are geared towards game viewing. Although there are some differences to the day’s programme at the various lodges in these reserves, they follow more or less this format: An early wake-up call, which varies according to the season of the year, and then enjoying some light refreshment, such as rusks, biscuits and hot beverages/juice, and then out on the game drive. Usually a stop is made mid-way into this drive to enjoy some more refreshments, and then at the conclusion of the drive it’s back to the lodge to enjoy breakfast. After breakfast one may have the opportunity of going on a walk with an armed ranger or the option of lazing by the pool. Lunch is then served, followed by tea in the mid-afternoon before embarking on the afternoon/evening drive. At the advent of sunset a stop is usually made to enjoy sundowners before continuing with the drive, now utilising a spotlight to seek out the nocturnal animals. After this drive it’s back to the lodge for dinner, before the programme repeats itself.

Day 6 – Durban (Breakfast)