Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park – Overview

Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park comprises a pair of game reserves created in 1895 and a connecting corridor added a century later. In its early years, iMfolozi protected a remnant population of southern white rhino from which every living individual of the subspecies is descended. Hluhluwe, by contrast, played a pivotal role in black rhino conservation. Today, all the Big Five roam Hluhluwe-iMfolozi.

Best Time To Go

May to September (Dry season)

High Season

October to March (The park can get busy)

Size More info

911km² / 352mi²

Altitude More info

41-581m / 135-1,906ft

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Pros & Cons

• Varied wildlife viewing includes all the Big Five
• One of Africa’s densest populations of both white and black rhino
• Great birding, especially from November to April
• Good facilities and roads catering to self-drive visitors
• A choice of affordable rest camps and exclusive concession lodges within the park
• It can get quite busy in high season
• Tar trunk roads reduce wilderness appeal
• Carnivores are relatively difficult to see

Wildlife

Hluhluwe-iMfolozi offers great wildlife viewing. It is home to all the Big Five, including both rhino species, as well as cheetah and African wild dog. White rhinos are common, particularly in the area between Memorial Gate and Hilltop Camp. The thick vegetation makes it difficult to spot any of the big cats, which are most likely to be observed when active early or late in the day.

Scenery

This scenic park supports a landscape of rolling hills that offer spectacular views over densely forested valleys. Three main rivers flow through the park, most notably the Hluhluwe with its string of pools, but also the Black and the White Umfolozi (a variant spelling of iMfolozi) rivers. Most of the vegetation is very thick, making wildlife viewing a bit more of a challenge, but there are several areas of open grassland.

Activities

The main activity is game drives. Roads are mostly good and easily explored on a self-guided basis. However, guided game drives in open 4x4 vehicles offer a greater chance of big cat sightings, partly because drivers alert each other by radio. There’s a short self-guided nature trail in Hilltop Camp. The park is renowned for the multiday guided wilderness trails that run through parts of iMfolozi otherwise closed to tourists.

Weather & Climate

Winter at Hluhluwe-iMfolozi, which lasts from May to September, is generally warm, dry and very pleasant. The exception is the mid-season period from June to August when the mornings can be quite cool. Summer (October to April) on the other hand, is hot and humid. Afternoon thunderstorms are a regular occurrence at this time of year but seldom affect game drives.

Best Time To Visit

Wildlife watching is most rewarding in winter (May to September) which is also the Dry season, meaning that the sky is cloud-free and the animals tend to gather around water sources. You’ll also have the park mostly to yourself then, with the exception of school holidays. It is also fine to visit in summer (October to April), but it is less appealing due to the heat and humidity, greater chance of rain, and high-season prices and crowds.

Want To Visit Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park?

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