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A familiar favourite: Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park in December

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Our December 2019 bush breakaway concluded at the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park, one of the oldest game reserves in Africa and a place that is very dear to our hearts. We spent five nights there, accommodated in Chalet #16 at wonderfully wild Mpila Camp.

Welcome to Mpila
You should take this warning seriously!
Chalet 16 at Mpila in the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park, December 2018

Hluhluwe-Imfolozi is looking as green and lush as we’ve ever seen it, with the rivers flowing strongly, and that is a heartening sight to behold considering that not so long ago the Park was in the grips of a terrible and prolonged drought that tested the metal of plant and animal life alike. Compare the images in the gallery below with those we took during a visit in 2015, at the height of the drought.

Waterhole at Mphafa Hide
Imfolozi Sunrise
Sunrise over the Black Umfolozi River
A wide bend in the Black Umfolozi
Marula fruit
Sickle-bush bloom
Sweet Thorn blossoms
A view over the White Umfolozi River with a herd of buffalo on the banks
View from Siwasamikhosikazi picnic site
Having fun at Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park
View over the valley of the Nzimane River

A place as magnificent as Hluhluwe-Imfolozi is home to a countless variety of wildlife. Depicted in the following gallery is just a smidgen of the array of invertebrate life that crossed our path during our visit – we enjoyed them all of course, except those pesky mosquitoes… Regular spells of rain resulted in eruptions of termite and ant alates taking to the wing to establish new nests, providing a glut of food for a wide variety of insectivorous fauna.

Bagworm – larval stage of a moth in the family Psychidae
Black-striped Hairtail
Caterpillar on an aloe branch
Giant African Land Snail
Grasshopper of the family Pamphagidae – probably a female as they are wingless
Matabele Ants
Termite alates taking flight
Tick

The warm, wet weather and ample insect buffet meant that amphibians and reptiles were quite regularly seen, especially in the camp and at other places where you are allowed to exit your vehicle. These ranged in size and danger from frogs and geckos to monitor lizards and nile crocodiles and even a snake or two.

Foam Nest Frog nest
Eastern Olive Toad
Cape Dwarf Gecko
Giant Legless Skink
Striped Skink
Spotted Bush Snake inside our chalet at Mpila
Rock Monitor
Nile crocodiles on a sandbank in the Black Umfolozi River

Hluhluwe-Imfolozi is a bird paradise at any time of year, and even more so during the warm summer months when their numbers swell with migrants from northern latitudes. These are just a few of the over 100 species we recorded during this visit.

Black Cuckoo-shrike (female)
Black-bellied Bustard
Black-shouldered Kite
Blue Waxbill
Brown Snake Eagle
Brown-hooded Kingfisher
Burchell’s Coucal
Cape Turtle Dove
Cape White-eye
Chinspot Batis (female)
Crested Barbet
Crowned Hornbill
Dark-capped Bulbul
Egyptian Goose
Emerald-spotted Wood Dove
Familiar Chat
Golden-breasted Bunting
Grey-headed Sparrow
Hadeda Ibis nest at Mphafa hide (photo by Joubert)
Hamerkop silhouette
Hamerkop (photo by Joubert)
Helmeted Guineafowl
African Hoopoe
Lappet-faced Vulture
Lesser Spotted Eagle
Lesser Striped Swallow
Long-tailed Paradise Whydah (male in transitional plumage)
Mocking Cliff Chat
Namaqua Dove
Red-backed Shrike (juvenile)
Red-billed Oxpecker
Red-billed Quelea pair
Red-billed Teals
Red-breasted Swallow
Red-chested Cuckoo (photo by Joubert)
Red-winged Starlings raiding Village Weaver nests, presumably for nesting material
Rufous-naped Lark
Sabota Lark (photo by Joubert)
Scarlet-chested Sunbird
Secretary Bird (photo by Joubert)
Southern Masked Weaver (female)
Spotted Eagle-owl
Spotted Flycatcher
Steppe Buzzard
Steppe Buzzard (photo by Joubert)
Steppe Eagle (photo by Joubert)
Tawny Eagle (photo by Joubert)
Tawny (front) and Wahlberg’s (back) Eagles sharing a tree
Three-banded Plover
Trumpeter Hornbills
Village Weaver (male)
Violet-backed Starling (female)
Water Thick-knees at Bhejane Hide
Wattled Lapwing
White-backed Vultures near Mpila
White-browed Scrub Robin
White-crested Helmetshrike
Woolly-necked Stork
Yellow-billed Kite (photo by Joubert)
Yellow-fronted Canary
Yellow-throated Longclaw
Yellow-throated Petronia

What would an African game reserve be without charismatic big mammals? Hluhluwe-Imfolozi certainly delivers on that score, but the occasional and usually unexpected glimpses of small or lesser seen furry creatures – mice, hares, bats and the like – can be just as pleasing!

Baboon male
African buffalo
African buffalo (photo by Joubert)
Elephant herd on the move
Big elephant bull in musth
Elephant drinking at Bhejane
Giraffe bull
Grey Duiker
Proud Impala Ram
Fighting Impala Rams (photo by Joubert)
Mauritian Tomb Bats
Nyala ewe
Scrub Hare
Single-striped Grass Mouse
Spotted Hyena
Spotted Hyena
I did it my way…
Thieving Vervet Monkey with a stolen bounty (photo by Marilize)
Playful warthog piglets at Mpila (photos of Joubert)
Warthog enjoying a scratch after a mudbath
White Rhinos
White Rhino
White Rhino

Even the magnificent King of Beasts provided us a few memorable encounters, and the lions at Hluhluwe-Imfolozi definitely are as regal as any elsewhere on the continent.

Beautiful male lion
Beautiful male lion (photo by Joubert)
The King and Prime Minister of Imfolozi
Young male lion on the move
Young male lion on the move
Young male lion on the move
Young male lion on the move
Young male lion on the move

A visit to Hluhluwe-Imfolozi is just never long enough, no matter how long we stay. We exited the Park at Memorial Gate as we headed back to Pretoria to spend Christmas with our family, which of course is always a great treat, but truth be told it would have been so much nicer if the rest of the family could’ve joined us in HIP to spend Christmas in paradise…

The route from Pretoria to Memorial Gate
(drawn with Google Maps)

 

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Dlinza Forest Nature Reserve

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Dlinza Forest Nature Reserve
Dlinza Forest Nature Reserve

The Dlinza Forest Nature Reserve is a 319-hectare pocket of indigenous forest, rich in a stunning variety of trees, other plants, birds and other wildlife – several species of which is rare or endangered.

View from the Dlinza Reserve’s Aerial Boardwalk

The Aerial Boardwalk is Dlinza’s main attraction, extending a distance of 125m and allowing easy access to the lower, middle and upper stories of the forest, thereby providing visitors with a glimpse into a world they’d seldom be able to experience otherwise. The boardwalk ends at an observation tower 20m high that emerges above the treetops.

Dlinza Forest Aerial Boardwalk
Dlinza Forest Aerial Boardwalk
View of the forest from the Dlinza Forest Aerial Boardwalk
Dlinza Forest Aerial Boardwalk
Observation tower on the Dlinza Forest Aerial Boardwalk
Red-eyed Dove seen along the Dlinza Forest Aerial Boardwalk
Ferns growing in the fork of a huge tree along Dlinza Forest Aerial Boardwalk

Two walking trails, the iMpunzi (1.3km) and uNkonka (1.8km), lead through the forest – be warned though that there are some steep sections along the way and sturdy footwear would be an advantage. Along the way you’ll be enchanted by the sights, sounds and smells of the forest and you really do not want to be rushed while hiking at Dlinza, so be sure to allow yourself enough time! Roughly half-way along the uNkonka trail you’ll reach a lovely clearing in the forest called Bishop’s seat as it was a favourite spot for a local clergyman in years gone by.

Golden Orb Web Spider female
Forest sunlight lighting up a spider’s web
Grey Cuckooshrike
Bishop’s Seat
White-eared Barbets at their nesting hole
Mushrooms flourishing on the forest floor
Guttural Toad
Bloom of the Natal Bride’s Bush
Red-backed Mannikin
Common Bush Brown butterfly
uNkonka Trail through the Dlinza Forest

Expert local bird guides can escort visitors through the forest – best to arrange this before your visit. Aside from the boardwalk and trails, visitors can enjoy a leisurely picnic in the grounds at the visitor centre. A rough and narrow road, the Royal Drive, passes through the forest but attempting it in a vehicle with low ground clearance would not be advisable.

Situated in the town of Eshowe in northern Kwazulu-Natal, the Dlinza Forest must be one of the most accessible of its kind in the country, although being entirely surrounded by the town does bring with it several management problems, not least of which is feral pets straying into the forest and killing wildlife, and exotic garden plants establishing themselves within the reserve.  There’s no accommodation in the reserve, but the town has a number of lovely bed-and-breakfast establishments or you could drive through from nearby towns, as we did from Mtunzini while staying in the Umlalazi Nature Reserve half an hour’s drive away.

Returning to Umlalazi Nature Reserve

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Our December holidays kicked off with a five night stay at Umlalazi Nature Reserve on the north coast of Kwazulu-Natal Province and conveniently right on the outskirts of the small holiday town of Mtunzini. It is quite a drive from Pretoria, and by the time we arrived in stifling heat and humidity we were thankful for being allowed to check in a bit earlier than the “official” 14:00 time.

Umlalazi Log Cabin #1, December 2018

Of course we can’t sit still for long and with the relative coolness of the evening setting in we decided to go for a walk through the mangrove swamp and then through the forest to the beach before returning to our cottage.

A quiet spot in the mangrove swamp
Beautiful bloom of the Powder-puff Tree at Umlalazi
Water berry bloom at Umlalazi
CMR Blister Beetles
Channel in the mangrove swamp at Umlalazi
Mangrove Tree
African Mudhopper
White-breasted Cormorant
Crabs abound in the mangrove swamp
Grasshopper
Dune Forest road at Umlalazi
Sunset at the beach
Forest canopy at Umlalazi
Common Tropical House Gecko

After the previous day’s long drive Marilize and Joubert were a little late to wake for my liking, so I set off on a hike while they lay in. Upon returning to the cottage they were thankfully already up and ready, so we could set about exploring Umlalazi and surrounds as a family for the remainder of the day.

Yellow-billed Kite
Common Bush Brown
Vervet Monkey female with baby
Crabs abound in the mangrove swamp
Hadedas
Fallen Powder-puff Tree flower at Umlalazi
Raphia Palms and Joubert
Three-banded Plover
Plains Zebra
Yellow-bellied Greenbul
African Hoopoe
Violet-backed Starling (female)
Bronze Mannikin
Beautiful blooms at Umlalazi
Immature Fish Eagle in flight
Egyptian Goose
Wood Sandpiper
Common Ringed Plover
Vervet Monkey
Red-capped Robin-Chat
Gravel road through the dune forest at Umlalazi
Umlalazi’s lawnmower working in the campsite!
Common Tropical House Gecko
Ant-heap White
Red Duiker ram
Red Duiker ewe
Eastern Natal Green Snake
Guttural Toad

Early on Sunday morning we set off inland to Eshowe and the Dlinza Forest – we’ll tell you more about Dlinza in our next post. Just after returning to Umlalazi and a quick lunch, I set off on the longest trail in the reserve – the one leading to the mouth of the Mlalazi River where it meets the Indian Ocean. In retrospect starting the trail in the heat of the day was probably not the best idea, but the further I walked the more intrigued I became by what scenes were still waiting around the next corner, and by the time I started questioning my sanity it was too late to turn around anyway. This particular trail leads through the forested dunes and along the river course to the mouth and one can then choose to return to the camp along the same way or along the beach – all in all a round trip of around 9km or so. I chose to return along the flat beach with the cool waves lapping my overheated feet… 😀

Epiphytic plant on a tree at Umlalazi
Mlalazi River
Eastern Coastal Skink
Trail to the Mlalazi River mouth
Trail to the Mlalazi River mouth
Common Dotted Border
Near the Mlalazi River mouth
Mlalazi River mouth
Ospreys flying above the mouth of the Mlalazi
Huge schools of small fish swim in the mouth of the Mlalazi River
Mouth of the Mlalazi River
Common and Lesser Crested Terns on the beach at Umlalazi
Waves at Umlalazi
Flock of Sanderlings
White-fronted Plover
Dead dragonfly being buried by the sand on the beach at Umlalazi
Grey-headed Gull

With Monday the 17th of December being a public holiday, we expected that the beach would soon be packed with throngs of sun-seekers, and with sunrise coming so early in summer, we were out the door by 04:20 to first enjoy the emergence of the sun over the horizon of the Indian Ocean and then have a bit of beach fun-and-games. By the time the day started heating up around 08:00, with a steady stream of people heading for the beach, we had our fill of seaside-fun and headed back to the cottage. In the afternoon the mangrove swamp and Mlalazi river begged further exploration.

Early morning fun on the beach
Sunrise over the Indian Ocean at Umlalazi
Sunrise over the Indian Ocean
Crab along the shore on the beach at Umlalazi
Main beach at Umlalazi
Pied Wagtail
Lesser Swamp Warbler
Purple Heron
Beautiful flowering plant growing on a beach dune at Umlalazi
Fever Tree
Boardwalk through Umlalazi’s mangrove swamp
Mlalazi River
Channel through the swamps at Umlalazi
Great White Pelicans
Little Stints
Woolly-necked Stork
Mlalazi River
Violet-backed Starling (male)

Joubert and I got an early start to our final full day at Umlalazi to go looking for interesting birds, and we were certainly not disappointed. A rain shower in the afternoon cancelled any plans we had of spending more time in Umlalazi’s forests, but brought welcome respite from the oppressive heat and humidity. The next morning we were moving to Mpila in the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park and of course we’re going to tell you about that part of our trip soon!

Black-backed Puffback
Pink-backed Pelican in flight over Umlalazi Nature Reserve
Trumpeter Hornbill
Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird
Red Duiker lamb that hung around our cottage at Umlalazi
African Wattled Lapwings
Yellow-throated Longclaw
Common Ringed Plover
Purple-crested Turaco
White-eared Barbets

This was our second visit to the Umlalazi Nature Reserve. After our first visit in 2016, we blogged about the reserve, the mangrove swamps, the beach, the forests and the Mlalazi River – follow the links if you’d like to learn more about this beautiful and underrated destination.

How to reach Umlalazi

A morning in the Dlinza Forest

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We spent the morning exploring the beautiful Dlinza Forest Nature Reserve in the town of Eshowe. This panoramic view awaits you at the top of the aerial boardwalk at Dlinza – an excellent way to experience the middle and upper stories of the forest that one doesn’t normally have access to – click on the image for a larger view. Of course we’ll share more about Dlinza when we’re back from holiday!

View from the Dlinza Reserve’s Aerial Boardwalk

 

In a forest of giants

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Today we spent some time exploring the Raphia Palm National Monument, quite literally one of the biggest attractions here at Umlalazi Nature Reserve. See if you can make out Joubert standing next to two of the towering giants.