Durban overnight safari tour for Travel agents – 6-8th May 2015

 

This was a very exciting and interesting Durban overnight safari tour with clients which were visiting Durban for the Travel Indaba beginning after the 3 day safari.

I collected my first client in Durban itself and then collect the group of 4 clients from King Shaka International airport aptly names after the great Zulu King for 1816 -1828 who revolutionized the the way the Zulu’s fought against any other nation or tribe.

On route I covered the usual history of Durban, KwaZulu Natal and any questions my clients had.

We made good time considering we had a late start and half of the luggage got lost between JHB and DBN.

As we began this Durban overnight safari later thank usual we had to rush and speed the day along to get all activities into the day. We began at Nyalazi gate on the eastern side of the Hluhluwe Imfolozi game reserve, and it wasn’t long before we were reeling in the sightings of animals. It was actually and amazing start!

After a short drive seeing Zebra and Warthog we stopped for a quick lunch at the centenary center and then continued on to find more animals.

Our first major sighting was of Lion cubs in a Marula tree and we found a young male hiding in the bushes near the road it was amazing.

 

 

 

 

 

Durban overnight safari tours; Lion cubs in Marula tree

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When Lions are you first major sighting on day 1 of a 3 day overnight safari tour you know you could be in for something special! An my goodness was this a special 3 days of sightings!

 

 

Video: Durban overnight safari tours – Tree climbing Lions of Hluhluwe

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This was so exciting for us all and it was not long after that we found Elephants and lots of them as well. The only problem was they were a little tucked behind the bushes which was still fine as we made the most of it before moving on to get ourselves checked in to Hilltop camp.

 

 

 

Durban overnight safari tours; Elephant

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We arrived at Hilltop camp and we were all smiles as we had just had a great start to our overnight safari from Durban. We checked in and enjoyed the view as well as getting the luggage we had to the rooms. 10 minutes later it was time to go to the Cat rehabilitation center and enjoy some interaction with endangered cats hands on.

 

On route to the gate we spotted a huge herd of Buffalo.

 

 

 

Durban overnight safari tours; Buffalo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Again luck was on our side as we spotted Rhinos fighting and we stopped again quickly to enjoy them. This was very exciting as we had now seen 4 of the Big 5 in such a short space of time and still had the Cats to see and interact with at the rehabilitation center.

 

 

 

Video: Rhinos nose to nose – Durban overnight safari tours

 

 

 

 

 

We got to the gate and had to deal with the Nguni cows and goats on the road before finally arriving 5 minutes before the cat tour began. Wow we did well with our timing! The tour at the Cat rehabilitation center began at 4pm and we enjoyed the feeding of the cats and the interaction with the adult Cheetah and Cheetah cubs as well as the Serval.

 

 

 

 

Durban overnight safari tours; Guests with the Cheetah at Cat rehab center

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After this it was a matter of trying to relax after what was an amazing day on Safari from Durban but also trying to locate the luggage that was lost at the airport and to be delivered to the gate. Now of course the gates close at 6pm so we first needed to get ourselves back and then worry about the luggage. We made a few calls and as we arrived at the gate at 17:50 the luggage was there waiting for us! I could not believe our luck on that either. We then re entered and made our way back to Hilltop camp for a lovely dinner and a good nights sleep.

 

 

 

Day 2: Durban overnight safari tour for Travel agents

 

 

Before I could leave my room outside was a great scene of an array of animals! Nyala mother and calf suckling, Crested Guinea fowl and Vervet monkeys!

 

 

 

 

Durban overnight safari tours; Animals outside my bedroom

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We began with breakfast at 7am and then headed out on what would be a long 8 hour safari in Hluhluwe Imfolozi game reserve the most underrated game reserve in South Africa! It also just happens to be the oldest in Africa!

 

We began and our first sighting was of the animal we all wanted to see the Giraffe!

 

 

 

Durban overnight safari tours; Giraffe

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We enjoyed the Giraffes for a while before moving further South in Hluhluwe Imfolozi game reserve to try and cover as much of the reserve as possible in the 8 hours.

 

What happened next was also amazing as we spotted some Elephants in the distance and we waited as they were making their way to the road. It was to be an amazing sighting and one we would remember for a long time. With patience we were able to have these Elephant cross right in front of us and I made a video we could even hear the dung and one went to the toilet hitting the ground!

 

 

 

 

Durban overnight safari tours; Elephants crossing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Video: Hluhluwe Imfolozi safari tour – Elephants cross the road in front of us

 

 

 

 

 

 

Things on our overnight safari from Durban then just got better and we spotted herds of Impala crossing the road and some Zebra before we stopped to look at some Rhino of a hill. As I picked up my binoculars I spotted a pride of Lions resting on the hills to the left of the Rhinos. Of course we didn’t care about the Rhino any more and focused on the Lions!

 

 

 

Durban overnight safari tours; Lions resting

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Video: Hluhluwe Imfolozi game reserve – Lions seen with our Binoculars

 

 

 

 

 

 

We continued on crossing the Umfolozi river and once on the other side we were lucky enough to spot 2 Rhinos near to the road which we watched grazing away. It was a lovely sighting as they were just a couple of young males staying with each other for companionship.

 

 

Durban overnight safari tours; Rhinos

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We left the Rhinos and stopped for a rest room break at Mpila camp and it was here that we began to take in what an amazing 1.5 days we had had so far! After the rest we continued our Durban 3 day safari tour and as we went further south we came across an old Giraffe kill from a week prior. It was here we spotted a couple species of Vultures and even a few Hyenas. Sadly we could not photograph the Hyenas as the bush was to thick and the moved to fast for us.

 

 

 

Durban overnight safari tours; White backed Vulture

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We then did a big dirt road loop which actually was a little pointless as we didn’t see very much except Impala, Rhino and other animals far away. It was only at the end of the loop back past where we saw the Hyenas that we spotted some Zebras.

 

 

 

Durban overnight safari tours; Zebra

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As we headed back through Mpila camp and over the Umfolozi river again we spotted some Wildebeest and Rhinos! Wow our overnight Durban safari tour was really going well. We had not yet seen Wildebeest so this was another tick on the list.

 

 

Durban overnight safari tours; Wildebeest

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We left the Wildebeest to relax and then began to head to the Centenary center for some lunch. Out the corner of my eye I spotted a Male Water buck mating with a female up on a hill which was interesting behaviour and we stopped of a picture.

 

 

 

 

Durban overnight safari tours; Waterbuck mating

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The picture actually came out very clearly for the distance and time of day I took it and you really can see everything. It was also funny as the females first born was right their looking on.

 

We finally got to lunch and we were all super happy with how everything had gone and we tucked into a great meal before the curio shopping for Ostrich eggs and other items took place.

 

After a while we left the Centenary center and headed straight back to Hilltop camp to get the tickets sorted for the evening night drive and book dinner for 8pm when my clients would arrive back.

 

It was already after 15:30 so we had around an hour before the open vehicle safari would take place. I decided to stay behind to catch up on this blog post and other work. The vehicle was full anyway but I still regret not having gone as when my clients returned they had seen a Leopard! So that was the Big 5 completed in 2 days and we still had one day to go on our overnight safari tour from Durban. Wow is all I can say!

 

We had some dinner and headed off to bed before day 3 which would begin at 7 am with a luggage collection and then breakfast.

 

 

 

Day 3: Durban overnight safari tour for Travel agents

 

 

After luggage collection we had breakfast and then check out before heading out of Hluhluwe Imfolozi game reserve for St Lucia – Isimangeliso Wetland park.

 

Before we left we spotted some amazing animals including Rhino, Buffalo and Elephant.

 

 

 

Durban overnight safari tours; Buffalo and Elephant

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was minutes after the sighting above that we got a herd of Elephant crossing the road in front of us and behind us which was a fitting good bye for out visit to Hluhluwe Imfolozi game reserve.

It had been an incredible 3 days of Safari from Durban.

 

 

 

Durban overnight safari tours; Elephants cross main road as we exit Hluhluwe Imfolozi game reserve

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We exited all feeling a little sad but really we still had a lot more to see and do at St Lucia – Isimangeliso Wetland Park. We arrived for our 10 am boat cruise and had some amazing sighting of Hippos in and out the water, Crocodiles and bird. St Lucia is South Africa’f first world heritage site and is the largest lake system in Southern Africa.

 

 

 

Durban overnight safari tours; Crocodile at St Lucia estuary

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Further up the estuary we came across some beautiful pods of Hippos and the best part was some were out of the water on the land which is not common for them during the day time. We really had a special overnight safari from Durban.

 

 

 

Durban overnight safari tours; Hippos out the water with Crocodile

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Video: Hippos out the water and opening mouth at St Lucia on our Durban safari tour

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next we had a great shot of a Goliath Heron it was actually the 3rd time we had seen on from the boat but this one flew and I managed to catch it in flight! It was a super cool photo so I had to post it.

 

 

 

Durban overnight safari tours; Goliath heron in flight at St Lucia

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On our sail back to the jetty we spotted some Hippos making their way into the water, the best part was that there was a crocodile and Goliath Heron right near by so they ended up in the video too!

 

 

 

Video: Hippos, Crocodile and Goliath Heron together on our Durban safari tour

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had come to the end of the boat cruise and after arranging for the photographers to bring us a Calendar or two with the clients pictures in it we settled in for lunch at John Dorys.

We all enjoyed our lunch and the general chatted about how wonderful the Safari from Durban had been and all the amazing animals we had seen in the wild.

 

After lunch we stopped to try and get a Zebra skin but the were very expensive so my clients settled on some smaller items the Ostrich eggs and other general carvings.

We then headed to the Board walk so I could show my clients the estuary and Indian ocean as well as Maphelane the second highest vegetated Sand dune in the world.

It was amazing and as we got off the board walk onto the beach which was very beautiful I showed everyone the Titanium in the sand which is mined further South of the World heritage site.

 

It was now time for the long drive back to the airport, Umhlanga and then Durban. It actually went really well and all final questions we asked and answered before the day ended with the sun having long set on the day and our amazing 3 day safari tour from Durban.