5- Day Hluhluwe/Umfolozi Park – St. Lucia – Mkuze Safari

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 – St. Lucia (Breakfast)
More game viewing follows as we leave the Hluhluwe/Umfolozi Park to overnight at Lidiko Lodge (or similar) in the village of St. Lucia, arriving in time for lunch. We would check into our lodge and then visit the eastern shores of Lake St. Lucia, heading to Cape Vidal, game viewing all the while. After a visit to the beach we would continue on the circular route for a game drive before returning to our hotel. Animals that may be seen here include kudu, reedbuck, zebra, waterbuck and other antelope species, black and white rhino, elephant and on the odd occasion, leopard.

Day 4 - Mkuze (Breakfast, Dinner)
After breakfast we will board for a two-hour boat tour of Lake St. Lucia, here to see hippos (guaranteed sightings!), crocodiles and numerous water birds in this recently proclaimed World heritage Site
After lunch we travel to Mkuze to check in to the Ghost Mountain Inn. At the foot of the legendary Ghost Mountain lies the privately owned 4 StarGhost Mountain Inn, a perfect setting for taking time out to relax and experience the charms of Africa in comfort and style. The Inn has 52 tastefully appointed, en suite bedrooms complete with television, telephone and air conditioning where one can take in the golden African sunset from your very own garden patio. The remainder of the afternoon is yours to enjoy.

Day 5 - Durban (Breakfast)
This morning after breakfast we make our way to the nearby Mkuze Game Reserve.
A place of great beauty and high contrasts, Mkhuze is renowned as a mecca for bird lovers, with more than 420 bird species on record. The reserve has an astonishing diversity of natural habitats, from the eastern slopes of the Lebombo Mountains along its eastern boundary, to broad stretches of acacia savannah, swamps and a variety of woodlands and riverine forest. Mkhuze Game Reserve constitutes the north-western spur of the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park, a recently declared World Heritage Site. Animals to be found in the reserve include black and white rhinoceros, elephant, giraffe, leopard, buffalo, nyala, blue wildebeest, warthog, impala, kudu and other smaller antelope. Rare species occurring are cheetah, hyaena and suni. Visitors enjoy excellent animal and bird sightings from the hides in the reserve.
After our game viewing here we make our way back to Durban, arriving late afternoon.