Discover EZEMVELO KZN WILDLIFE
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Discover EZEMVELO KZN WILDLIFE Is this Africa’s most diverse holiday experience? Big Five wildlife, mountains, wetlands, marine parks and more... all supporting essential conservation work A SPECIAL TRAVEL AFRICA SUPPLEMENT SPONSORED BY EZEMVELO KZN WILDLIFE www.kznwildlife.com 01 COVER__Final.indd 1 28/03/2017 19:35 Welcome worldA whole placein one Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife looks after a staggering 120-plus protected areas in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa, providing conservation management and ecotourism to help preserve this unique area and its wildlife for generations to come. From the waterways of iSimangaliso Wetland Park to the mountains of Maloti-Drakensberg Park, with a host of game reserves in-between, there is truly something for everyone waZulu-Natal is the most and temperate climate evoke the nest of ecologically diverse of South English summer days on eternal replay; coral Africa’s nine provinces. It gardens that swirl with colourful sh, ancient is bounded to the east by a whale migration routes, frolicsome schools of magni cent 800km Indian dolphins and gigantic marine turtles that come KOcean coastline of wide sandy sun-drenched ashore nocturnally to nest; and, last but not beaches hemmed in by the world’s tallest forested least, this being Africa, there are also vast dunes. In complete contrast, its western border tracts of classic thorny savannah roamed by is formed by the formidable rock buttresses and lion, elephant and other safari favourites — burnished escarpment of the Maloti-Drakensberg including the world’s densest population of Park, a 200km-long montane wilderness whose both black and white rhinoceros. 3000-plus metre peaks are frequently dusted with The custodian of this natural abundance snow in winter. is Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, the government Between these extremes, KwaZulu-Natal agency mandated to administer KwaZulu-Natal’s hosts a rare and alluring biodiversity: enchanted remarkable tally of more than 120 protected mist-belt forests alive with monkeys, squirrels areas. The primary focus of Ezemvelo KZN and a blissful bewilderment of birdsong; Wildlife is the biodiversity and conservation grassy midlands whose so green contours management of KwaZulu-Natal’s myriad 2 Travel Africa Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife Supplement | www.kznwildlife.com 2-3 INTRO_FINAL.indd 2 28/03/2017 19:33 DID YOU KNOW? KZN IS HOME TO TWO UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITES ASK YOUR TOUR OPERATOR TO BOOK YOU INTO AN EZEMVELO KZN WILDLIFE RESORT FOR MORE protected areas. These include trails. The many reserves set in and around the INFORMATION VISIT several reserves of global Maloti-Drakensberg Park oer scenic, guided WWW.KZNWILDLIFE. importance. Not only is Ezemvelo or self-guided walks into magnicent mountains COM KZN Wildlife the custodian of adorned with mysterious prehistoric rock-art two magnicent UNESCO World sites. The long pristine coastline protected Heritage Sites in the form of the Maloti- within iSimangaliso Wetland Park is a superb Drakensberg Park and iSimangaliso Wetland base for marine activities such as snorkelling, Park, but its world-class safari destinations – diving, turtle-tracking and whale-watching, Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park, Ithala and uMkhuze as well as close-up encounters with hippo and – have played a unique pioneering role in the crocodile. Wherever you travel, the birdwatching conservation of Africa’s endangered rhinos. is stunning, with more than 700 species recorded in the province. And when day ends, there is the secondary but nevertheless vital embalming peace and quiet that characterises all role played by of Ezemvelo KZN the province’s reserves. Wildlife is the management Tourists who stay overnight in the reserves, of South Africa’s largest rather than popping in for day trips, have the ecotourism operation. This added satisfaction of contributing directly to the Aincorporates a full 65 protected areas that oer conservation cause. Although Ezemvelo KZN overnight facilities of some sort, ranging from Wildlife is a parastatal body, partly subsidised luxury lodges and comfortable well-equipped by provincial government, some 40 per cent resorts to simple campsites set deep in the bush of its operating budget is generated by its own – even, in the case of the Maloti-Drakensberg business operations. Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife Park, a few caves oered as natural shelters is also an important employer in rural areas, to dedicated hikers. In total, Ezemvelo KZN paying salaries estimated to support more than Wildlife provides more than 2500 beds per night 30,000 people in communities that border its across its portfolio of reserves, as well as camping reserves. Furthermore, a levy on every tourist facilities with a total capacity of 10,000 people that pays to enter a protected area helps bolster per night. All these camps, resorts and lodges a carefully administered Community Levy Fund, provide exceptionally good value to foreign and while dedicated sta help assist and teach good local visitors alike, making them ideal bases biodiversity conservation practices to local for independent and moderately adventurous communities dependent on the sustainable use of outdoor enthusiasts to sample the wide range of natural resources — the very air that we breathe, experiences oered by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife. water we drink and land upon which we walk. And what a unique and wonderful range of The allure of the wild is reason enough experiences these are. At the likes of Hluhluwe- to explore KwaZulu-Natal’s wonderful and Imfolozi Park, the primary activity is Big Five uniquely diverse bouquet of protected areas. But game viewing, whether from the comfort by supporting the multifaceted custodianship of of your own car or in a guided 4WD tour, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, you also help maintain supplemented by guided game walks or (for these magnicent parks for the benet of both the truly adventurous) overnight wilderness present and future generations. ● www.kznwildlife.com | Travel Africa Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife Supplement 3 2-3 INTRO_FINAL.indd 3 28/03/2017 19:33 FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT WWW.KZNWILDLIFE.COM walking trails offers the opportunity to see zebra, half-a-dozen antelope species, and some Our heritage of its 300-plus recorded bird species. 15 HAROLD JOHNSON NATURE RESERVE The key parks and reserves of Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife… Set on the south bank of the Thukela, South Africa’s second-largest river, this uKhahlamba-Drakensberg. Walking and 1 TEMBE ELEPHANT PARK biodiverse reserve protects zebra, bushbuck, This remote reserve inland of Kosi horseback trails offer the opportunity to impala, blue and red duiker, almost 200 bird and Bay is managed in conjunction with the local get close to white rhino, giraffe and various more than 100 butterfly species. community and harbours all the Big Five. It is antelope. It is overlooked by Spioenkop Hill, site of an important Anglo-Boer War battlefield. renowned above all for its population of 250 AMATIGULU NATURE RESERVE elephants, which include some of the largest 16 Situated between the Tugela and tuskers ever recorded in South Africa. WAGENDRIFT NATURE RESERVE 8 Amatigulu river-mouths, this low-key reserve This low-key reserve near the base of provides the chance to see giraffe, zebra and the uKhahlamba-Drakensberg is traversed by a 2 NDUMO GAME RESERVE various antelope feeding on forested dunes Cited as South Africa’s single most walking trail from where a variety of antelope overlooking the sea. Activities include walking exciting birdwatching site, Ndumo protects the as well as 200 bird species might be seen. trails, canoeing, a 4WD trail, and birdwatching. lush Phongolo and Usuthu floodplains together MIDMAR NATURE RESERVE with a network of seasonal waterways and 9 UMLALAZI NATURE RESERVE perennial pans lined with fever trees. Its Centred on the Midmar Dam 17 The highlight of this small beachfront checklist of 430 bird species includes African in the midlands between Howick and reserve is a mangrove walkway from where broadbill, Neergard’s sunbird, pink-throated Pietermaritzburg, this recreational reserve is you can glimpse several species unique to this twinspot, Pel’s fishing owl and pygmy goose. popular with watersports enthusiasts. intertidal habitat, notably the amphibious mud- skipper fish, beautiful mangrove kingfisher and HIMEVILLE NATURE RESERVE 3 PHONGOLO GAME RESERVE 10 asymmetrically clawed fiddler crab. Gazetted in 1895, this is one of Africa’s This small pedestrian-friendly reserve at the base of the uKhahlamba-Drakensberg oldest conservation areas. It protects a tract DHLINZA FOREST RESERVE of classic African bush inhabited by elephant, is home to the endemic black wildebeest and 18 Set in the heart of Eshowe town, Dhlinza white and black rhino, buffalo, hippo, leopard, blesbok antelope and a reliable site for the protects the country’s most accessible patch crocodile, antelope and 350-plus bird species. endangered wattled and blue cranes. of mist-belt forest and associated wildlife such as the diminutive blue duiker, which is often MOUNT CURRIE NATURE RESERVE 4 MKHUZE GAME RESERVE 11 seen from a 125m-long aerial boardwalk. This annexe to iSimangaliso Wetland Park Birdwatching, rambling and angling are on offer at this scenic reserve protecting a is renowned for its photographic hides, which ONGOYE FOREST RESERVE give access to a steady stream of wildlife – such mosaic of undulating grassland, Afromontane 19 Primarily of interest to birdwatchers, as white rhino, nyala, zebra and occasionally forest and Protea scrub on the cool slopes of Ongoye is the only stronghold of Woodward’s elephant, black rhino and leopard – during the the 2224m-high Mount Currie. barbet, which is endemic to KZN. Other avian dry season. It’s a birdwatcher’s heaven. highlights are Narina trogon, spotted UMTAMVUNA NATURE RESERVE 12 ground thrush and African Set along the Eastern Cape border 5 ITHALA GAME RESERVE crowned eagle. Ithala protects a series of ancient hills in southern KwaZulu-Natal, this small but running north from the rugged Ngotshe ruggedly scenic reserve protects a forested cliffs to the meandering Phongolo River.