Kruger Park is not the only place in South Africa that brings to mind classical African safari holidays, KwaZulu-Natal, offers this excellent opportunity too. Private game reserves, great accommodation, morning and evening game drives with a professional guide, and more await you on your KwaZulu-Natal South African safari experience.

What makes KwaZulu Natal a special safari destination: This province with its sub-tropical coastline, has diverse landscape, from remote St Lucia Wetlands Park to the popular Durban beaches, making KwaZulu Natal a prefect place for a beach holiday with a South African safari.


POPULAR GAME RESERVES:
Thanda Private Game Reserve
Situated in northern Zululand, Thanda Private Game Reserve pays homage not only to South African wildlife, but also rich Zulu culture. Here, the magic and romance of Zululand comes to life.

Thanda Private Game Reserve hosts the Big 5, but also aims to reintroduce species endemic to the area. Birdlife and wildlife thrive in this environment and has helped in the re-establishment of the natural ecosystem. Open game viewing on drives with experienced game rangers and trackers promotes an appreciation of wild heritage. We have fantastic Thanda Romantic Safari packages you may want to check out.

This area of KwaZulu Natal is known as the Elephant Coastand boasts 21 different ecosystems making it home to a rich diversity of wildlife and plant-life. Sand forests, lagoons, wetlands lakes, and untouched stretches of coast is haven to hippos, crocodiles, giant turtles and over 460 bird species.

The Hluhluwe Umfolozi Park
The only park under formal conservation in this province where Big Five occur, Hluhluwe is also the oldest game park in South Africa. Once the hunting ground of kings Dingiswayo and Shaka Zulu, this park is set in the heart of Zululand, today kings of another kind roam this area: Big5' (lion, elephant, leopard, buffalo and rhinoceros)

Famous for Operation Rhino, the Hluhluwe Umfolozi Park,covering 96 000 hectares, includes wilderness trails serves as a benchmark for animal capture and sustainable utilisation throughout Africa. A popular activity in the reserve, is a boat trip on Hluhluwe dam, in a 40 seater.

The Pongola Game Reserve
Second oldest reserve in South Africa, Pongola Game Reserve is home for an abundant amount of wildlife, including elephant, giraffe, wildebeest, zebra, impala, hyena, buffalo, rhino and leopard. After near extinction in the 1800’s, resulting from hunting, the white rhino have been successfully translocated to numerous game reserves in South Africa, and since the 1960’s their number have increased to the 3000 it currently stands at 3000.The reserve is also a birders paradise, with over 350 species, while rare and endangered animals include the honey badger and wild dog.

UKahlamba Drakensberg National park
Picture the greenest rolling grasslands, untouched river valleys, rocky gorges and awesome mountain ranges. No, this is not the sound of music, and Maria Von Trapp won’t be yodelling anytime soon. This is the awe-inspiring Drakensberg Park with its dramatic giant peaks and sandstone cliffs, protects a great number of threatened species. Barrier of Spears in Zulu,the breath-taking site with its many rock shelters and caves also hosts the largest group of San Paintings south of the Sahara, produced over a period of 4,000 years. The paintings represent the spiritual and daily life of the San people who once lived in the region. The quality and diversity of subject matter is excellent.

With no monument to the San people besides their own art, the San are nevertheless recognised as the original inhabitants of practically the entire sub-continent. They embody the essence of the sub-continent's deep past. There are countless game reserves within the park.

St Lucia Wetlands
Greater St Lucia Wetland Park re-named 'iSimangaliso' (marvel in Zulu) in 2007, is South Africa’s third largest Park. Spanning 280km east KwaZulu-Natal coastline, the park includes Lake St Lucia and its estuary, a wildlife reserve, various islands, and part of the coastal Marine Reserve. The park boasts five unspoiled ecosystems including lake systems, coral reefs, swamps, wetlands, woodlands, coastal forests and beaches. The largest estuary in Africa also has the world's largest forested sand dunes-up to 180 m! When lake salinity is high, water seeping through the dunes feeds the swamps, providing sanctuary to freshwater life.
While not as famous as the bigger African parks, it supports more species of animals, as well as the greatest number of hippos and crocodiles in South Africa, and 530 bird species including lesser and greater flamingos. It’s the only park in Africa where crocodiles, sharks and hippopotami can be found in the same area.

Have a look at some Game Lodges & Safari accommodation in KwaZulu Natal

OTHER GAME RESERVES IN THE PROVINCE:
Albert Falls Dam Reserve
AmaZulu Game Reserve
Chelmsford Nature Reserve
Craigie Burn Nature Reserve
Dlinza Forest Nature Reserve
eMakhosini Ophathe Park
Emdoneni Game Farm
Enseleni Nature Reserve
Falaza Private Game Park
Isandlwana
iSimangaliso Wetland Park
Ithala Game Reserve
Kosi Bay Nature Reserve
Kuleni Game Park
Lake Sibaya
Greater St Lucia Wetlands Park
Mapelane Nature Reserve
Maputaland Marine Reserve
Midmar Dam Nature Reserve
Mkuze Game Reserve
Mkuze Falls Game Reserve
Ndumo Game Reserve
Ntendeka Wilderness Area
Ongoye Forest Nature Reserve
Oribi Gorge Nature Reserve
Phinda Private Game Reserve
Pongola Game Reserve
Pongolapoort Nature Reserve
Richard's Bay Game Reserve
Sodwana Bay National Park
Tembe Elephant National Park
Thakazulu Game Reserve
Thula Thula Game Reserve
Ubizane Wildlife Reserve
Umtamvuna Nature Reserve
Umgeni Valley Nature Reserve
Vernon Crookes Nature Reserve
Vryheid Hill Nature Reserve
Wagendrift Nature Reserve
Zululand Rhino