Kwazulu-Natal
Hluhluwe River Lodge
Situated on the western boundary of iSimangaliso National Park, with magnificent views of False Bay, Hluhluwe River Lodge offers great comfort and hospitality for guests wishing to explore the local wildlife attractions. The main lodge area is a lovely relaxed space for guests to enjoy meals, drinks in the Paddle Bar, swimming in the pool or simply relaxing and admiring the extensive views.
Accommodation is in the form of individual chalets, spread around the forest garden surrounding the main lodge. The canopy overheard affords a cool, relaxed atmosphere within the chalets. The two honeymoon suites are large, luxuriously decorated chalets in a secluded forest ravine (for privacy) with large decking areas providing the perfect space to enjoy the beautiful forest surroundings. Also available are two family chalets, designed for two adults and up to two children. These offer a draw-able curtain to separate the sleeping areas but are otherwise open plan. Standard chalets are slightly smaller but offer the same luxurious yet natural atmosphere, providing a comfortable escape in the midst of the native forest.
For groups of up to four adults, the lodge offers a self-catering luxury chalet – Mkhulu’s House – allowing guests to enjoy the luxury accommodation but remain self-sufficient. The house has its own pool, fully equipped kitchen and outside barbecue.
Facilities
Air conditioning, en-suite bathroom (with bath tubs in honeymoon suites), private decking areas, tea and coffee making facilities and toiletries are provided in rooms. The main lodge offers a bar, indoor and outdoor dining areas and a relaxing lounge with stunning views of the property’s 80 hectare conservancy of sand forest, and the nearby False Bay of Lake St Lucia. Free WiFi is available in the main lodge and there is a television in the bar if needed.
Local Wildlife
Hippos and crocodiles are common in Lake St Lucia, as well as many water birds, and vervet monkeys are prolific in the area and often seen around the resort itself. Walks through the surrounding forest can provide great bird watching opportunities, and the 2km ‘Red Duiker Trail’ a particularly exciting chance to encounter the red duiker, suni, nyala and impala. Hluhluwe iMfolozi park is well populated by the big five, and is also heralded as having an extraordinarily high concentration of rhinoceros. Expect to see many safari delights on a drive through this park. Waterbuck, Bushbuck, Kudu and Reedbuck are commonly found in the Eastern Shores Game Reserve (Cape Vidal beach is within this reserve and therefore is a great place to see these).
Optional Activities
Whilst the lodge itself is located in a beautiful and fascinating environment, it is also a perfect base from which to visit the local wildlife and cultural attractions. Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park is a 30-minute drive away, and reaching Mkuze Game Reserve takes only an hour. Guests can either enjoy guided drives in a safari jeep, or self-driven tours in their own vehicles. Sodwana Bay and Cape Vidal beaches are also just an hour’s drive, and guests can indulge in scuba diving, swimming, snorkelling and off-shore fishing trips. The lodge is happy to arrange hippo and crocodile boat tours in the St Lucia estuary for guests wishing to see these fascinating creatures up close. Taking a trip to the local DuMaZulu cultural village gives guests interesting insight into the traditional lives of Zulu people, and includes dance shows, craft demonstrations and tours of the village and homesteads. Whilst this is both educational and enjoyable, be prepared that cultural villages are aimed at tourists and therefore may not offer an entirely authentic experience. To see the true everyday life of the locals, visit the Hluhluwe main street where you will find interesting traditional food, crafts and other shops.
Alan Godwin
Area Specialist
It is recommended to stay for at least three nights in order to appreciate the multitude of activities both within the lodge’s grounds and in the wider local area.
If you have any questions regarding our South Africa tours, please feel free to contact me on +44 (0)1803 866965
We have just received the feedback form from you for our recent trip to South Africa which I will fill out shortly but I also wanted to thank you personally for organising us such a fantastic trip. The sheer variety of scenery and activities was amazing and the accommodation was uniformly excellent. We enjoyed good weather for our first few days in Cape Town allowing us get the best from Table Mountain as well as travel down to the Cape of Good Hope. A storm front did give a couple of wet days but this had little impact on our wine tasting in Franschhoek. In Hermanus we were fortunate to spot an early southern right whale as well as a humpback. We absolutely loved Montusi mountain lodge – what a view! We were also glad we visited the battlefields and the drive to Fugitive’s Drift lodge was quite enjoyable although I will never complain about potholes in the UK again. The suites at Tanda Tula were amazing and well beyond anything we have previously experienced on safari. The wildlife viewing for mammals was excellent with great sightings of lions and rhino in particular. Once again, many thanks and it’s now time for us to start our diet as we ate and drank rather too well.
