Umfolozi Wilderness Trail

We met our guides - Nunu and Jabulani and our fellow trailists - 4 from Germany and a couple from Portland, Oregan.
With only the essentials on our backs, no cells, watches etc... we headed into the bush after enjoying watching an elephant on the river. There is something about walking on foot in the African bush - makes you feel vulnerable and more sane at the same time.
We slept in a tent in a tamboti tree stand near the white umfolozi.   Sipo was our camp cook and he produced some amazing food! The toilet was a spade!  (one lady got lost as she went too far into the bush to do her business and lost sight of camp! ooops!)

 Elephant on foot again.

The next day we went for a full out walk - with a record amount of white rhino sightings- large male sleeping only 60m away - and then a female and calf even closer - you know you are close when the guides both pick up stones to throw... in case..... Christo promises to sort some video to upload.  General game - giraffe, impala,zebra, etc and loads of rhino further away.  A breeding herd of buffalo and then closer in thicker bush was a few lone males - that made the heart pump!  We were really close to a black rhino but the thick bush made tracking it too unsafe.  That afternoon we got caught in a thunderstorm and hurried home - warm rain though - love it!

Nunu posing (means 'insect' in Zulu)

The next morning we were to leave camp but we had heard the lions walk past that night so decided to do a scout about for them - it was a coolish overcast day so they were likely still active - sure enough we found them - on the other side of the ridge and watched 9 lion - including a big male hunting blue wildebeest! Unsuccessfully!  Was a great end to the trail.  We really enjoyed our Zulu guides - they were super knowledgeable and gave us some nice Zulu history and culture.  We exited the park by driving the length of the reserve and managed to watch this cheetah and cub on a fresh impala kill - when we got there they were just cooling down! Super fresh!

The last plains before the gate we had 14 white rhino in a 'crash'!  It was a lovely end to our  Umfolozi/Hluhluwe visit!  Mkuze next!