KwaZulu-Natal 5-Day Zululand Mammal Tour

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Zululand – Maputaland – Elephant Coast

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Scheduled Dates: 

• 21 − 25 March 2023

• 25 − 29 April 2023

Or alternate date on request.

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Introduction:

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This 5-day Zululand and Maputaland Mammal Tour is specifically orientated toward mammal viewing, with birds and other species being a secondary focus. The tour is a moderately-paced safari available as a set departure (or on request) where you can expect to see approximately 40 mammal species, including the ‘Big 5’, and around 320 species of bird, including 5 endemics. This wildlife tour explores several abundant and premier game reserves in the famed Zululand and Maputaland (Elephant Coast) region of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Each reserve offers unique attributes, breath-taking beauty, and captivating experiences.

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The region is a large mammal playground and birding mecca, with many specials and endemic species on offer − from Leopards, Wild Dogs and Black Rhinos to Southern Banded Snake-Eagles and African Broadbills − the possibilities are mouth-watering.

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Habitat types vary greatly from savannah to woodlands, sand forests to coastal forests and riverine forests, lakes to flooded grasslands, estuaries to seashores. This variety ensures tremendous species richness and an experience of great intrigue and appeal.

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Tour Highlights:

• Explore the extraordinary iSimangaliso Wetland Park, a World Heritage Site.

• Expect to find the Big 5 mammals in the oldest game reserve in Africa, Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park, as well as in the Mkuze section of iSimangaliso, and numerous rarer small mammals as well.

• Hunt for desirable mammals such as Lion, Leopard, African Elephant, Black Rhino, White Rhino, African Buffalo, Cheetah, African Wild Dog, Spotted Hyena, Pangolin, Hippo, Giraffe, Serval, Caracal, Honey Badger, Cape Porcupine, Samango Monkey, Thick-tailed Bushbaby, Suni, Red Duiker, Blue Duiker and Side-striped Jackal.

• Search for numerous bird endemics and specials, including Martial Eagle, Crowned Eagle, Lappet-faced Vulture, Pel’s Fishing Owl, African Broadbill, Southern Banded Snake Eagle, Woodward's Batis, Southern Bald Ibis, Narina Trogon, Livingstone's Turaco, Knysna Turaco and many more.

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Daily Itinerary

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The safari both commences and ends at King Shaka International Airport in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal.

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Day 1: Durban, St Lucia, iSimangaliso Wetland Park (Eastern Shores)

On Day 1 we embark for the famous estuary town of St Lucia for 1 night, where we explore the ‘Miracle and Wonder’ of South Africa’s first World Heritage Site − iSimangaliso Wetland Park. We explore the Eastern Shores section of the park as we search for Leopard, Black Rhino, White Rhino, African Elephant, Spotted Hyena, African Buffalo, Hippopotamus, Giraffe, Greater Kudu, Waterbuck, Side-striped Jackal, Blue Wildebeest, Burchell's Zebra, Tsessebe, Red Duiker, Warthog, Bushpig and Nile Crocodile. That evening we also search for Swamp Nightjar, African Wood Owl and Thick-tailed Galago (Bushbaby), amongst others. We will also seek many great bird species, including Black-throated Wattle-eye, Southern Banded Snake-Eagle, Crowned Eagle, African Fish Eagle, African Cuckoo Hawk, Sooty Falcon, Livingstone's Turaco, Narina Trogon, Green Malkoha, Eastern Nicator, Brown Scrub-Robin, Woodward's Batis, Green Twinspot, African Pygmy Goose, Lesser Jacana, Rufous-bellied Heron, and Blue-cheeked Bee-eater.

Accommodation: AmaZulu Lodge (or similar), St Lucia

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   Rhinos in Imfolozi riverbed            Mkuze sand forest sunrise           Teeming water wonderland

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Day 2: St Lucia and Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park

On Day 2 we set off early for Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park for 2 nights. This special reserve was the saviour for both Black Rhinoceros and White Rhinoceros in Africa and is the best place in the world to find them. We will also search high and low for Wild Dog, Leopard, Lion, Cheetah, African Elephant, Spotted Hyena, African Buffalo, Hippopotamus, Giraffe, Honey Badger, Cape Porcupine, Greater Kudu, Waterbuck, Nyala, Bushbuck, Blue Wildebeest, Burchell's Zebra and Hippo. At the same time we concentrate on finding the multitude of other great birds, some of which include Bateleur, Martial Eagle, Crowned Eagle and many other eagle, accipiter and other raptor species, Secretarybird, African Finfoot, Gorgeous Bush-Shrike, Eastern Nicator, Southern Bald Ibis, Common Ostrich, Lappet-faced Vulture, Hooded Vulture, Southern Ground-Hornbill, Purple-crested Turaco, African Pygmy Kingfisher, Greater Honeyguide and Dwarf Bittern. 

Accommodation: Hilltop Rest Camp​ (or similar), Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park

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Day 3: Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park

Day 3 sees us exploring more of the abundant Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park for the above-mentioned species, concentrating our search around the Imfolozi section in the south.

Accommodation: Hilltop Rest Camp​ (or similar), Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park

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Day 4: Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park to Mkuze Game Reserve 

On Day 4 we spend the morning searching the northern Hluhluwe section of the Park until lunchtime. After a tasty meal we depart further north to the famed Mkuze Game Reserve, considered the ‘Holy Grail’ of Southern African birding hotspots, and a 'Big Five' reserve that offers tremendous interest on the mammal side. We will keep our eyes peeled for Leopard, Cheetah, Lion, Black Rhino, White Rhino, African Elephant, Spotted Hyena, African Buffalo, Honey Badger, Giraffe, Cape Porcupine, Hippopotamus, White-tailed Mongoose, Greater Kudu, Waterbuck, Nyala, Bushbuck, Blue Wildebeest, Burchell's Zebra and Hippo. At the same time we concentrate on finding the multitude of other great birds, some of which include Pel’s Fishing-Owl, Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl, Crowned Eagle, Martial Eagle, Bateleur and many other eagle, accipiter and other raptor species, Secretarybird, Narina Trogon, African Broadbill, Pink-throated Twinspot, Gorgeous Bush-Shrike, Eastern Nicator, African Pygmy Goose, Common Ostrich, Lappet-faced Vulture, Dark Chanting Goshawk, Neergard’s Sunbird, Southern Ground-Hornbill, Purple-crested Turaco, Bearded Woodpecker, Broad-billed Roller, African Pygmy Kingfisher, Greater Honeyguide and Dwarf Bittern. 

Accommodation: Mantuma Rest Camp​ (or similar), Mkuze Game Reserve

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Day 5: Mkuze Game Reserve

​Our final morning on Day 5 sees us searching further into Mkuze for the aforementioned species before departing this biodiversity haven to head back southwards as we return to King Shaka International Airport to end our great safari adventure.

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Habitats:

Each destination we visit en-route offers unique habitats, extraordinary scenery, and breath-taking beauty, providing you with fantastic photographic opportunities. Habitats we explore include sand forest, riverine forest, coastal forest, woodlands, savanna, wetlands, grassland and estuaries, which host numerous regional endemics, threatened and endangered mammal and bird species, as well as great floral diversity.

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Accommodation: On the accommodation front we typically use very comfortable private lodges and national park resorts, but should you prefer, at an added cost, luxury lodging options can also be arranged.

 

Tour tempo: The tempo of our Wildlife and Birding Tours are typically medium-paced, with optional mid-day breaks (advisable on hot days). If you are a keen photographer, well so are we, and we can offer many opportunities to capture the moments that will make you the envy of your wildlife-watching friends.

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Expected weather conditions: Subtropical and mostly hot during the day in the summer, and cooler in the evenings, with a chance of mist. Rain is possible, usually in the form of summer convection thunderstorms, and cool wet weather is possible in the event of a cold front moving up from the south in the winter months, with frost and even snow possible at high altitudes. On a climate level, the region falls in the summer rainfall region, with an average rainfall of between 700mm and 1,100mm per year. Temperatures range from -5˚C in winter to 32˚C in summer, with an average maximum of 28˚C and an average minimum of 10˚C. The driest month is July, the most rainfall falls in January, and the warmest is in February. 

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Optional extension: An optional tour extension is available to also include:

• Tembe Elephant Park – add 2 days by heading further north to this unique 'Big 5' park on the Mozambique border – home to the largest elephant tuskers in Africa.

 

Please note: this set-departure tour is also available as a private or custom tour on request. Please submit an enquiry with your preferred dates and group size.

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