Category Archives: Kwazulu Natal Province

Our experiences in the reserves of Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa

Don’t forget to look down!

When you’re surrounded by a landscape filled with big and dangerous animals it is easy to forget that there’s a wholly different but equally fascinating world of smaller creatures to enjoy down on ground level! While out exploring Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park in December we used the time we spent in camp and at the numerous picnic spots, hides and viewsites throughout the Park to appreciate the smaller fry as well.

Striped Skink

Spotted Jokers congregating on rotting fallen fruit in Mpila

Female Tree Agama

Foam Nest Frog at Thiyeni Hide

A Flying Handkerchief – the male Mocker Swallowtail – seen along the trail in Hilltop Camp

Rock monitor lizard at Sontuli

Natal Hinged Tortoise

Caterpillars and Cocoons at our Chalet

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It appeared our accommodation unit (#21) at Mpila (Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park) in December was some kind of magnet to some very large and very hairy caterpillars intent on spinning their cocoons in any available nook or cranny. We didn’t mind, of course, as the whole process is just so darn interesting!

Caterpillars and Cocoons at our Chalet

Cocoons at our Chalet

Wonderfully Wild Mpila

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Mpila, set high on a hill with sweeping views over both the Black and White Umfolozi Rivers, is the main accommodation base in the Imfolozi section of the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park. Apart from a single strand of electric wire strung high above the ground, designed to keep the elephants from coming into camp and digging up the water pipes, animals – including predators – have free access to the grounds. This of course make the place just all the more alluring to the de Wets!

Welcome to Mpila!

But beware the residents!

Yes, that is lion scat lying in front of our veranda…

Mpila Chalet 21, Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park, December 2016

At times the wildlife even comes into your unit! This is a Common Tropical House Gecko

This image of a spotted hyena licking our braai (barbeque) grid was taken on a previous visit to Mpila

Bridge over the Black Umfolozi

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One of our favourite spots in Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park is the bridge crossing the Black Umfolozi River on the road to Mpila Camp. There just always seem to be something of interest to find there!

The Black Umfolozi

Elephant antics at the Umfolozi Bridge

Elephant feeding next to the bridge

Tranquil scene on the Black Umfolozi

Elephants walking from the water after drinking their fill

Crocodile moving to a deeper pool

Spotted hyena staking out the Black Umfolozi

This picture of a guided sunset drive about to cross the bridge was taken on a previous visit to Hluhluwe-Imfolozi

Timeless Hluhluwe-Imfolozi

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The Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park is Africa’s oldest officially declared conservation area, and as such offers a wonderful escape to a piece of wilderness relatively unscathed by our destructive human nature. Good rains had been falling before our December 2016 visit, and continued throughout our six day stay, transforming the Park into a sea of greenery in stark contrast with the parched landscape we experienced on our previous visit in winter of 2015.

Approaching storm over Imfolozi

Black Umfolozi at Sontuli picnic site

Black Umfolozi

Black Mfolozi

Mphafa Hide

uBhejane Hide

Mkhaya vista

A view over a section of Hluhluwe

White Mfolozi River

A view over a section of Hluhluwe

Wild flowers blooming after the rains

Sunset west of Mpila

Sunrise over Imfolozi

Sunrise over Imfolozi with a Marula in silhouette

Sunset over the Black Umfolozi River

A walk in the Park

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There’s no doubt that hiking is the biggest pastime enjoyed by visitors to the Royal Natal National Park. Walking through the mountains allows access to so many beautiful spots. We particularly enjoy the easy trails that lead from the Mahai campsite and visitor centre, like Otto’s walk and the trails to the Cascades and Fairy Glen.

The beautiful campsite at Mahai

Bushbuck are commonly encountered along the trails

Looking up at the mountains

The cascades trail

Crystal clear mountain streams

This was the last installment on our December visit to Royal Natal National Park in the uKhahlamba Drakensberg. From here we travelled to Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park in Zululand, and from tomorrow we’ll be sharing some of what we experienced there.

Drakensberg Birding

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The varied habitats of the Royal Natal National Park provides excellent habitat for a wide range of bird species. We’ve already introduced you to the rare Bush Blackcap, which is often recorded in the reserve, and the Lesser Striped Swallows that shared our accommodation unit, but there’s so many other feathered inhabitants in the Park that we can dedicate a whole blogpost just to them – in fact, this gallery contains just a few of the more than 60 species we ticked during our December visit!

Groundscraper Thrush

Southern Masked Weaver

Southern Masked Weaver attacking his own reflection

Cape Wagtails

Cape Robin-chat

Chorister Robin-chat

Malachite Sunbird

Male Greater Double-collared Sunbird

Female Greater Double-collared Sunbird visiting a Common Sugarbush

Male Violet-backed Starling

Female Violet-backed Starling

Helmeted Guineafowl

Fiscal Flycatcher

Cape Crow

African Dusky Flycatcher

White-throated Swallow

Sickle-winged Chat

Cape White-eye

Hadeda Ibis

African Hoopoe

Breathtaking Mountains

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Come rain or shine, and no matter which way you look, the mountain scenery at Royal Natal National Park, dominated by the magnificent cliff face of the Amphitheatre, will take your breath away!

Mahai Picnic Area

Mahai Dam

Tugela Falls

Thendele view

Highveld Cabbage Tree

Thendele rain

Tugela River Valley

Thendele storm

Mahai Dam

Golden Everlasting

Thendele view

Mountain reedbuck ewe in Thendele

Mahai Panorama

Bush Blackcap

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Lioptilus nigricapillus

Our December 2016 visit to Thendele in the Royal Natal National Park afforded us our first opportunity to photograph the Bush Blackcap, a rarely seen endemic South African bird with a very limited distribution along the Eastern Escarpment.

Bush Blackcap in Thendele

These small birds occur singly or in pairs in the dense canopy of mountain forests and their verges, moving down to coastal forests (and lush gardens) during winter. Breeding takes place in summer. They feed on fruits, berries and insects. The IUCN considers them “near threatened” due to a small population size (estimated at most around 5,000) and threats to their forest habitat.

Squatters at the lodgings

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From the moment we arrived at chalet 27 in Thendele Camp in the Royal Natal National Park in December, we just loved the unit’s setting. And we were not the only ones, as a pair of Greater Striped Swallows were diligently building their mud-walled nest on the veranda, quite unconcerned about the humans sitting below them and watching them go about the task.