​User Reviews – Hluhluwe-iMfolozi GR

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Louise Dixon   –  
New Zealand NZ
Visited: January 2024 Reviewed: Feb 10, 2024

Email Louise Dixon  |  50-65 years of age  |  Experience level: 2-5 safaris

Overall rating
5/5

Fabulous

Trish   –  
South Africa ZA
Visited: November 2017 Reviewed: Dec 6, 2017

Email Trish

Loved every minute! We saw Rhino up close! Fantastic!!!!!
Overall rating
5/5

Everything was exactly what the dream expected. We never saw any of the Cat Family, but made up for it with Rhino sightings from the moment we entered the Park, and loved being so close to Elephant too. The scenery was breathtaking, amazing to travel from thick bush into open savanna.
We stayed in a tent in Mpila, very clean and comfortable rooms, and had the pleasure of watching the Hyena trying to "steal" our dinner each evening.
The Admin Staff were absolutely fantastic and helpful and everyone was so friendly
Would we go back again? You bet!

Douglas Hibbard   –  
Canada CA
Visited: October 2017 Reviewed: Nov 24, 2017

Email Douglas Hibbard  |  50-65 years of age  |  Experience level: over 5 safaris

Overall rating
5/5

It is a beautiful reserve with a great camp at Hilltop. The wildlife viewing was amazing. Spending 30 minutes with a pack of Wild Dog with no other vehicles was truly amazing.

scarlettvixxen007   –  
Australia AU
Visited: September 2017 Reviewed: Nov 19, 2017

Email scarlettvixxen007  |  50-65 years of age  |  Experience level: over 5 safaris

Overall rating
5/5

A quiet, more remote park.

jamescastle   –  
United States US
Visited: January 2017 Reviewed: Sep 23, 2017

Email jamescastle  |  35-50 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

Overall rating
5/5

It rained during the game drive, so I could not ascertain if there were any birds worth seeing. Despite the rain, we still managed to find lions, warthogs,vervet monkeys, chacma baboon, Cape Buffalo, white rhinos, giraffes, kudu and implala galore.

Alex Massey   –  
United Kingdom UK
Visited: August 2017 Reviewed: Aug 30, 2017

Email Alex Massey  |  50-65 years of age  |  Experience level: over 5 safaris

Overall rating
5/5

Beautiful scenery, fantastic wildlife, friendly people and excellent facilities at Hilltop camp.

tobias.gebhardt   –  
Germany DE
Visited: March 2017 Reviewed: Jul 16, 2017

Email tobias.gebhardt  |  20-35 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

Overall rating
5/5

The scenery is breathtaking. There are hills where you can go and get an incredible overview of the Game Reserve. Unfortunately 2 days before our visit a rhino has been killed by poachers. The carcass has been still there and lions were eating it.
It is great that there are still rhinos but they have to be protected from poachers.

Hans van der Boom   –  
Netherlands NL
Visited: November 2016 Reviewed: May 30, 2017

Email Hans van der Boom  |  50-65 years of age  |  Experience level: 2-5 safaris

Overall rating
5/5

The terrain here gives you more of that bush vibe. Travelling up and down the hills gives you vistas and beautiful scenery. Wildlife is great and varied but maybe not as easy to spot as in Kruger.

Alan Crawford   –  
South Africa ZA
Visited: December 2016 Reviewed: Mar 19, 2017

Email Alan Crawford  |  50-65 years of age  |  Experience level: over 5 safaris

Overall rating
5/5

Hluhluwe iMfolozi Game Reserve is based in KwaZulu Natal and is the third biggest South African game reserve. The reserve is well known for bringing the rhino population back from possible extinction. The big five can be spotted at this reserve. The reserve is also close to the Isimangaliso Wetland Park a world heritage sight.

Frank Shufelt   –  
United States US
Visited: September 2016 Reviewed: Jan 3, 2017

Email Frank Shufelt  |  65+ years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

Unforgettable experience. Only regret is waiting until my 74th birthday for first Africa Safari.
Overall rating
5/5

Our lodging accommodations were at Makakatana Bay Lodge in iSimangaliso Wetland Park near St. Lucia. It is very comfortable lodge with only 6 guest rooms allowing for a very intimate experience with wonderful service.
On our second day at Makakatana, our guide Michael drove us to Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Game Reserve. It was about an hour drive and we were at the entrance to Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Game Reserve when it opened at 6:00 AM. We weren't very far into the reserve when Michael pointed out a tree full of vultures. Instinctively Michael went straight to tree expecting to find some predator feeding on a recent kill. Just as we arrived to within about 50 meters of the tree six lions came scampering out of the bush. We soon became aware that the lions were being dispersed by an adult male elephant. The lions won’t try to take a fully grown elephant but they can prey upon the young ones. The action taken by the adult male elephant was to allow the female to pass safely with her young ones. Nothing can compare to seeing these amazing animals in their natural habitat with the ability see how they interact with members of their own species and how the activities of different species are interrelated. Here we saw the vultures waiting for the lions to finish feeding while elephants chases off the lions so the female with young could pass safely, then observing three young male lions huddled together for mutual grooming, cleaning and bonding.
During the remainder of the day we continued driving through the reserve on scenic winding roads observing different animal species (mammals and birds) at every turn. The abundance of wildlife at Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Game Reserve and the ability to observe it close-up was an awe inspiring experience.
This was our first South African safari and at the conclusion of our second day there we decided that it would not be our last.
Images can be seen at <https://www.flickr.com/photos/fshufelt/albums/72157677022861421>

Average User Rating

  • 4.4/5
  • Wildlife
  • Scenery
  • Bush Vibe
  • Birding

Rating Breakdown

  • 5 star 47
  • 4 star 36
  • 3 star 10
  • 2 star 1
  • 1 star 0
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