Hluhluwe–iMfolozi birds

The birdlife in Hluhluwe–iMfolozi Park was excellent and added something special to almost every drive. One of the highlights was getting unusually close views of a White-fronted Bee-eater and a Brown-hooded Kingfisher, allowing for some of the best photos of the trip. Other memorable sightings included Fiscal Flycatcher, Mocking Cliff Chat, African Hoopoe, Yellow-throated Longclaw and Speckled Mousebird. The flashes of colour from the Greater Blue-eared Starling were also hard to miss in the sunlight.

The larger birds were equally impressive. We regularly saw White-backed Vulture soaring overhead, along with a magnificent Tawny Eagle perched out in the open. An African Woolly-necked Stork also gave wonderful views. One of the more entertaining sights was seeing Red-billed Oxpecker riding around on warthogs, constantly moving over them searching for ticks.

White-fronted Bee-eater

Fiscal Flycatcher

Mocking Cliff Chat

African hoopoe

Yellow-throated Longclaw 

Brown-hooded Kingfisher

White-backed Vulture

Tawny Eagle

African woolly-necked stork

Red-billed Oxpeckers

Speckled Mousebird

Greater Blue-eared Starling

Hluhluwe–iMfolozi animals

The wildlife in Hluhluwe–iMfolozi Park was outstanding, with some incredibly close encounters that really stay with you. We saw a large number of rhino throughout the park, often surprisingly close to the road, which was a real privilege given how threatened they are. The elephants were just as memorable — huge animals appearing quietly out of the bush and sometimes passing very near the car, giving a real sense of their size and presence.

There was also constant activity everywhere we drove. Warthogs trotted along the roadside with their tails sticking upright, baboons and monkeys gathered around the hills and picnic areas, and giraffe and zebra seemed perfectly suited to the rolling landscape. One of the highlights was seeing wild dogs, which always feels special given how rare they are. The park had that wonderful feeling that around almost every corner there could be another memorable sighting waiting.

Beautiful art at the Hilltop Camp