uMkhuze Game Reserve

Only drove around for a short period on the way to Hluhluwe-Umfolozi - so cannot possibly give a fair overview, the scenery was amazing though.

Primier destination for birding in KZN. The hides are well located and visited by the many species of birdlife, both migratory and resident species abound in this park.

On a downward curve

Having visited uMkhuze on several occasions previously I was somewhat concerned this year to see it looking somewhat shabbier than on previous visits. Signage was poor and some of the hides in a lamentable state of repair. Game viewing was also not what I had experienced on earlier visits.
That said, the accomodation was as good as I remember; comfortable, isolated chalets, a swimming pool all to me and my wife and father in law and babboon and impala right at the door. There is also cheap, decent food just a stone's throw away at the camp restaurant and nightly tours that are both reasonably priced and far from overcrowded. What game I did see was worth the trip; a pack of wild dogs (the rarest predator on the continent as I understand it), fantastic up-close views of a very impressive Kudu and plenty of bird life. On earlier trips I have seen rhino, both black and white, there, bush babies, hyena, civet, hippo, giraffe, zebra, untold impala and nyala and some of the rarer birds.
uMkhuze is a quiet reserve, perhaps due to it's current lack of maintenance, so there is no danger of encountering crowds and it has some lovely picnic spots by the pans where there was no one but myself, my family, and the monkeys to spoil the peace. With a bit more care uMkhuze could be a lovely, peaceful place to visit again and the staff are helpful and pleasant. It is also conveniently located for day trips to neighbouring Hluhluwe-Umfolozi and the St Lucia wetland park (now renamed iSimangaliso). A good destination for bird lovers but not as varied scenery wise as I might prfer, with a lot of thick, flat brush for the animals to lose themselves in.
Weather in early April was almost perfect, warm but not too hot, mosquito free (from what we saw) and suitable for Braais (BBQs) every night at the fixed Braai grills that are located outside each chalet, and cleaned at dawn each day. Just don't forget to take your own charcoal, lighters and food as the shop is a little sparse.
A little much needed work and uMkhuze could be, once again, a top destination, located as it is within easy travelling distance from Durban.

Wildlife does not include all of the big five, but can be good for Black Rhino and especially good for Nyala.
This is a beautiful reserve with incredibly varying habitats, ranging from open savanna to sand forest to fever & fig forest. An added bonus is Nsumu Pan with it's hippos and fever tree-lined shore.
The bush vibe is good, you can really feel that you are out in the bush and away from it all, but can be quite busy at times.
This has to be one of the better birding spots in South Africa, with too many specials to list. This is mostly as a result of the incredible variation in habitats coupled to the warm sub-tropical climate.