From Durban - Hluhluwe & Isimangaliso Wetlands Park 2 Day Safari

Overview

Day by day itinerary

1. 1Depart from Durban to Hluhluwe Imfolozi Game Reserve at 6:00am⌄

   We leave Durban at 6:00am and set off on this 3 hour drive to Hluhluwe Imfolozi Game Reserve. We drive past the beautiful plantations enroute to Hluhluwe. You also get to see some villages along the route as well as some African sculpture. You enjoy a cup of coffee and some light snacks along the way.

   A game safari in Hluhluwe‑iMfolozi Game Reserve offers an immersive journey into Africa’s oldest proclaimed nature reserve. Spanning an impressive 96,000 ha of rolling hills, river valleys, and woodland just north of Durban, this park is renowned for its Big Five sightings and legendary rhino conservation efforts. Guided safaris in open 4×4 vehicles—available as half-day, full-day, or private exclusive options—lead you across varied habitats where you’re likely to encounter lions, elephants, buffaloes, leopards, and both black and white rhinos, as well as giraffes, zebras, wild dogs, hyenas, and a rich birdlife of over 340 species.

   Overnight: Overnight stay at St Lucia Palms or similar in St Lucia, Isimangaliso

2. 2Hippo and Croc Boat Cruise. Game Safari in Isimangaliso. Return to Durban.⌄

   Hippo and Croc Boat Cruise in St Lucia Estuary. Visiting iSimangaliso Wetland Park—a UNESCO World Heritage Site stretching over 3,280 km² of coastline and wetlands in KwaZulu‑Natal—is a journey through nature’s finest wonders. This “miracle” of ecosystems merges coastal dunes, coral reefs, reed swamps, grasslands, and forests into one breathtaking landscape. The park is famed for Lake St Lucia—the largest estuary in Africa—home to around 800 hippos, 1,200 crocodiles, and over 530 bird species, inviting unforgettable boat cruises through papyrus-fringed channels.

   A game safari in the Dukuduku area of iSimangaliso Wetland Park offers a unique blend of bush and wetlands just outside St Lucia. Accessed via the Dukuduku Gate, this section—also known as the Western Shores and including the scenic uMkhuze Reserve—spans over 25,000 ha and supports some of the Big 5 alongside giraffes, zebra, hippos, and a rich birdlife.

   Travel back through Kwazulu Natal to conclude the tour in Durban.

   Meals: Breakfast