Doug and Kerry Hudson in Mkhuze Game Reserve, South Africa

World Trip >> Africa >> Kwa-Zulu Natal >> Zululand >> Mkhuze

Arriving at Mhkuze Game Reserve around lunchtime, we were immediately struck by two things:

it was much drier here than Hluhluwe-Umfolozi, and
it was much, much wilder here as well.

By the time we had reached reception we had seen a lot of buck already. Some of them were so thin their ribs were showing. This place desperately needed some rain. After a tasty lunch from the Rhino Dine-O, we headed out for a long drive around the park. We saw lots of impala and nyala. Then we saw a couple of black rhino, and then a rare red duiker. We arrived at our first hide and were very nervous to leave the car. Wasn’t it dangerous out there? Well yes, even though there are no lions at Mkhuze. By our fourth hide we were getting used to the idea. And that’s when Doug encountered the black mamba.

We spent the following day driving slowly around Mkhuze. We were exceptionally lucky to see a leopard. It crossed the road just in front of the car. We watched him move stealthily into the bush. He stopped once to turn and suss us out. What an experience!

Our other highlight of the day happened at one of the waterholes. We were sitting silently in the hide waiting for something to happen, then out from the bushes walks a white rhino with its baby. It was so sweet, and full of character.

We ended the day with another night drive. The highlight was a spotted genet stalking a snake in a tree. Then he pounced, and in a flash the snake was genet food.

On our final morning at Mkhuze, we got up and went to the KuMahlala waterhole before breakfast, just on the off chance we might see something. Zebra were already there when we arrived, and once they had left, a couple of bush pig and a warthog turned up. After that it was a continuous procession of warthog, nyala and wildebeest, and even a banded mongoose. It was as if the waterhole was a stage, and each set of actors waited in the wings for the currently drinking animals to leave before making their grand entrance.

We could easily have watched animals all morning, but we had to meet Chris on time. He would never had forgiven us if we'd been late for our trip to Cape Vidal.

World Trip >> Africa >> Kwa-Zulu Natal >> Zululand >> Mkhuze

Last updated: Sunday August 27, 2006