Jane's birthday breakfast at Frenchy's

Jane, Nik, Xenia, Chris, Krissula and I met up at our favourite cafe for birthdays. Such a lovely day. I had mushroom tartine again. Delicious.

A night in Sodwana Bay

We spent a night in the small coastal town of Sodwana Bay, famous for its scuba diving and coral reefs. That was what drew Antony there. Even though we only stayed briefly, the place had a relaxed tropical feel, with warm ocean air and a very different atmosphere to the bushveld we had come from. Here, the Indian Ocean replaced game reserves and savannah as the main attraction.

We stayed in a lovely lodge amongst the coastal vegetation, with an excellent restaurant that became one of the highlights of the stopover. After long days of travelling and wildlife viewing, it was great to settle in, enjoy a good meal, and unwind in the laid-back atmosphere of Sodwana.

View from the lodge restaurant

The main beach

Jo, Ant and I headed down to the main beach at Sodwana Bay for a swim and were immediately struck by how gorgeous the water was — warm, clear and inviting in that unmistakably Indian Ocean way. The beach itself was full of energy and activity. An endless procession of fishing boats came charging up onto the sand at remarkable speed so the fishermen could quickly disembark, creating a dramatic spectacle against the backdrop of the surf and dunes.

What made it even more fascinating was the sheer scale of the operation. Massive tractors rumbled backwards and forwards across the beach, hauling the boats in and out of the water with impressive efficiency. It was a wonderfully interesting place to watch and soak in the atmosphere, even if it was not the most peaceful beach experience I’ve ever had. Between the engines roaring, boats racing ashore and tractors grinding across the sand, there was always something happening.

Fishing boats ramping up on the beach at great speed so people could disembark

Chilling at the lodge where Antony did his diving refresher course

Beautiful art at the lodge celebrating sea life

Walking down to the beach at the lodge in the afternoon

In the afternoon, Antony and I walked from the lodge down to the nearby beach while Jo relaxed at the pool. The path down was quite steep but worth it once we reached the beach. It was a beautiful stretch of coastline with massive sand dunes and a very wild feel to it.

The weather was not exactly ideal though. A strong wind was blowing and the sand was whipping against our legs the whole time. We went for a short walk along the beach and took in the scenery, but the gale made it hard to stay there for too long, so we headed back fairly quickly.

Jo and I frolicking on the beach in the gorgeous morning light

The next morning, Antony headed off early for a dive while Jo and I enjoyed a lovely breakfast at the lodge, included in our stay. Afterwards we went down to the beach and I could hardly believe it was the same place. The wind had disappeared, the ocean was calm, and the light was absolutely perfect for photography.

Jo and I ended up having one of the most fun and special times of the whole trip. We spent ages running and leaping down the huge dunes, taking jumping shots, portraits and all sorts of playful photos. The beach was stunning and there was such a feeling of freedom and joy about the morning. What made it even more meaningful was sharing it with my wonderful sister. We both love photography, adventure and not taking ourselves too seriously, and that morning captured all of that perfectly. It was genuinely one of the highlights of the entire trip.

Hluhluwe–iMfolozi scenery and activities

Map of the park

Once separate reserves, Hluhluwe and iMfolozi were eventually combined in 1989 to form the single protected wilderness now known as Hluhluwe–iMfolozi Park — one of Africa’s oldest and most important conservation areas. The merger created a vast and diverse landscape of rolling hills, river valleys, open plains and dense bushveld, allowing wildlife to move more naturally across a much larger ecosystem. Today the park is especially renowned for its rhino conservation success, having played a crucial role in bringing the white rhino back from the brink of extinction.

Scenery

The scenery in Hluhluwe–iMfolozi Park is spectacular and feels very different to many flatter game reserves. The rolling hills seem to go on forever, with winding roads leading through valleys, open grasslands, river systems, and thick bushveld. There are countless elevated viewpoints where you can look out across layers of green hills fading into the distance, especially in the Hluhluwe section of the park.

What also makes the park so memorable is how wild and varied the landscape feels. One moment you are driving through dense riverine forest beneath huge trees, and the next you emerge onto open hills with sweeping views in every direction. Early mornings often have mist hanging in the valleys, while late afternoons bring beautiful golden light across the hills and plains. Even without wildlife, the scenery alone makes driving through the park a rewarding experience.

View from Hilltop Camp

Hilltop Camp was a wonderful place to stay, largely because of its spectacular setting high on a hill overlooking the surrounding bushveld. The views from the camp were incredible, stretching out across layers of hills and wilderness and giving the whole place a calm, elevated feel. Compared to Mkuze Game Reserve, which felt noticeably more run down in parts, Hilltop Camp was far more polished, comfortable and well cared for. The restaurant was also excellent, with genuinely lovely staff who created a warm atmosphere, and the breakfast omelette each morning was absolutely delicious — one of the highlights of the stay.

Bush hike

The bush walk was one of the most meaningful experiences of the trip, led by a wonderfully gentle and thoughtful guide. As the sun slowly rose over the horizon, warming the cold morning air, he asked us to close our eyes and turn our faces toward the sun. He then led a short meditation, speaking about the peace, healing and spiritual power that can be found in wilderness. It was deeply moving and unexpectedly emotional — one of the most beautiful moments I have experienced in nature.

He spoke about how we are only here on earth in these bodies for a short while before eventually returning home. The words resonated strongly with the themes of the book I am currently writing and felt like a remarkable moment of synchronicity. Standing quietly in the African bush, listening to him as the morning light spread across the landscape, felt both grounding and profound.

One doesn’t generally see a great deal of wildlife on a guided walk, as animals are naturally far more cautious of humans on foot than they are of vehicles. But that almost became secondary. The scenery was spectacular, and there was something very special about experiencing the African bush so directly — hearing every sound, noticing every track and scent, and feeling completely immersed in the landscape rather than simply observing it from a car.

Our beautiful guide

Facing the sun during our meditation

Game drive

The game drive was another wonderful experience and had a great sense of adventure about it. Our driver was a tough, highly capable Zulu woman who somehow managed to drive difficult tracks while simultaneously sweeping the bush with a powerful spotlight. One of the highlights was seeing a rhino mother walking with her baby close beside her — a really special sight. We also had several very close elephant encounters. One elephant became slightly threatening at one point, prompting a fairly rapid retreat, with our driver showing impressive skill reversing a long distance down the track in the dark.

The sunset that evening was beautiful, with the classic silhouette of an African tree standing against the glowing sky — one of those scenes that perfectly matches the image people carry of Africa in their minds. After dark we came across some sleeping lions, although they remained completely uninterested even when our driver revved the engine in an attempt to wake them. I didn't really approve of this. Let sleeping lions get their sleep.

One of the other passengers was an Argentinian expedition leader who works in the polar regions, and we ended up having a really enjoyable connection and conversation during the drive. Once the sun disappeared it became bitterly cold in the open vehicle, especially in the back seats, so I lent him one of my spare down jackets. He was extremely grateful, and it added another small but memorable human moment to the evening.