Doug and Kerry Hudson in Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Game Reserve, South Africa

World Trip >> Africa >> Kwa-Zulu Natal >> Zululand >> Hluhluwe-Umfolozi

Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Game Reserve is renowned for its game, in particular the very successful rhinoceros breeding program. Even before we reached our accommodation at Hilltop Camp, we had seen buffalo (completing Doug’s Big Five) and several zebra and nyala. Having checked into our thatched rondavel, cooled off in the pool and booked our places on the next day’s guided walk and night drive, we headed back out into the park. We saw an enormous herd of buffalo. They were so placid, it seemed like a herd of really big cows. We also saw some giraffe up really close. Best of all, we glimpsed a leopard. This completed Kerry’s Big Five and made our day complete.

The next morning we leapt out of bed at 4:45 and got ready for our guided walk. Our guide was named Elliott. Since we would be walking through Big Five territory, we stood the chance of an encounter with rhinoceros, buffalo, leopard, elephant or lion. That is why Elliott carried a massive rifle. Just in case. Elliott’s rifle reassured Doug, but it made Kerry even more nervous about what we were getting ourselves into. The walk was very exciting and interesting too. We encountered both black and white rhino, one of them only a few metres away from us. It was amazing to think that these animals were nearly hunted to extinction. Eighty years ago Hluhluwe held the last twenty wild white rhino remaining in the whole of Africa. We also saw some zebra and buck.

After the walk we returned to our hut in Hilltop Camp to find that we had been burgled. They had completely cleaned us out.

Of onions.

Yes, monkeys had burgled us. They had somehow forced open our louver window and got in. The little monkeys had even looked inside our cold box for food, even though it was closed. Thankfully, they only took our onions. There was a little trail of onion peel under the window and leading out into the bushes. Doug was amused to find they had also stolen an alka seltzer. They would need that after those onions.

We cleaned up the mess, then spent the hottest part of the day relaxing in the swimming pool. We had a midday lunch of barbecued pork rashers, keeping an eye open for any thieving monkeys that were about. Later in the afternoon, we headed out in the car to look for more animals. Among others, we came across a very feisty bull elephant. He didn’t like the look of us, and decided to charge us. We were ready for this, but unfortunately at that moment another car happened to block our escape route. As they gawped out of the window at the rapidly approaching beast, we were shouting, "Get out of the bloody way!" Luckily we escaped by the skin of our teeth, but we both had our hearts in our mouths!

We ended our long day with a night drive through the reserve. There is something thrilling and slightly naughty about leaving the safety of the fenced camp after dark. We rode in a specially adapted vehicle with million candlepower handheld spotlights for spotting game. Our guide, Themba, instructed us to look for the shiny reflection from the animals’ eyes. He showed us some of the nocturnal animals found in the park, including hyena, white-tailed mongoose, spotted genets and bush babies. We even saw a young rock python crossing the road, a small one at a mere two metres long. We were very glad to be in the safety of the car. We crashed into bed, exhausted from our long day but elated too.

After a well-deserved lie-in, we left Hluhluwe to move on to our next stop: Mkhuze Game Reserve.

World Trip >> Africa >> Kwa-Zulu Natal >> Zululand >> Hluhluwe-Umfolozi

Last updated: Sunday August 27, 2006