Mkuze Game Reserve on the Maputoland coastal plain is a place of great beauty and contrasts. Mkuzi constitutes the north-western spur of the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park. It is 40 000 hectares of land, crammed with more insects, birds, trees and animals than anywhere else in South Africa

The reserve is world renowned as a mecca for bird lovers. More than 600 bird species have been recorded here. Predominantly flat and dry, with sandy red ridges (ancient dunes), it harbours an astonishing diversity of natural habitats. These include the eastern slopes of the Lebombo Mountains, acacia savannah vegetation, swamps, a variety of woodlands and a riverine forest.

In the heart of the reserve is a sand forest. You will find the sherbet tree, the red heart tree, with its lovely pink-winged autumn seeds and the large Lebombo wattle, amongst others.

Mkuzi also has two lovely pans, the Nhlonhlela in the north and the Nsumo, the larger of the two, in the east.

It is home to large communities of hippo, crocodile and aquatic bird life. The pans are lined with water lilies in summer and the Nhlonhlela Pan is fringed by fever trees

Nsumo has two elevated birdviewing platforms. The Pan covers 400 hectares at the confluence of the Mkuze and Msundize rivers. It is the only place in the country where you'll find breeding pink-backed pelicans. At both pans a great number of open-billed storks, spurwing geese, pelicans and a great variety of ducks gather around in spring.

The Mkuze River curves along the reserve's northern and eastern borders. A large stretch of fig forest occurs along its banks near Nsumo Pan.The pan is fed by the Mkuze River.

The reserve has 100km of tourist roads for game drives and several picnic sports. Mkuzi's game-viewing hides are some of the best in South Africa. The wealth of wildlife in Mkuzi includes hippo, crocodile, black and white rhino, elephant, giraffe, leopard, cheetah and a multitude of plain game.
Among these are prolific herds of nyala, impala, blue wildebeest, zebra, kudu, eland and suni. Twelve elephant calves were introduced to the reserve four years ago. They came from the Kruger Park and were orphaned during the culling programme of 1994.

Accommodation
There is a wide range of accommodation available to the nature lover at Mkuzi. MANTUMA is the main rest camp. These modern units are on decks and comfortably furnished with bathroom and kitchens where cooks prepare the visitors' meals.One of the best things about staying at Mantuma are the guided walks and night drives.

The self-catering tented safari-camp is wonderfully designed to create the illusion of being in a natural setting. It has six two-bed and two four-bed tented units, each with private ablutions and an open-plan kitchen. A swimming pool and curio shop, stocking basic food supplies is nearby.

You'll find even more privacy at UMKUMBI and NHLONHLELA camps. Both offer wonderful tents built on timber decks with central eating areas.
Umkumbi is situated opposite a natural pan and is available from November to March. A cook and field ranger is in attendance.
At Nhlonhlela only a singe party of guests are allowed at time.

Walks And Game Drives
At the camp office you can make bookings for conducted game-and bird walks and game drives (including night drives).
A selfguided trail through the Mkuzi fig forest takes you into a completely different world. Beneath a dense green canopy, supported by the giant, entwined trunks of ancient Sycamore figs, the air is alive with raucous birdlife

The best way to absorb the sights and sounds of the bush in Mkuzi is on a three-day bush trail. The guides focus on taking you to and encountering the reserve's special attractions.
The nights are spent at the tented trail camps. Full catering and equipment are provided. The hotter part of the day can be spent watching wildlife from one of the reserve's hides.

Community Upliftment
Mkuzi is situated in one of the poorest parts of the country. Besides the rangers, cooks, guards and waiters, the reserve has taken upon it to create employment opportunities for the locals too. They are employed to clear the bush of exotic invaders such as the paraffin bush (Chromolaena odorata)

Mkuzi has also established a cultural village where beadwork, baskets and other traditional crafts are made and sold. All profits go to the artists.

Mkuzi even offers hunting trips in a 4 000 hectare controlled hunting area to the south of the reserve.

Mkuzi Game Reserve certainly seems to be the pick of the parks in Kwazulu Natal.

How To Get There
The reserve lies 335km north of Durban and about 600km from Johannesburg. Follow the N2-north from Durban. Near the town of Mkuzi you'll find a Mkuzi Game Reserve turn-off. The road passes through a valley in the Lebombo Mountains and from there it is about 25km to Mshopi Gate.

Also see:
Mkuze Game Reserve
Main Wildlife & Game Lodge areas in South Africa
Game Lodges & Reserves in KwaZulu Natal (Zululand)