Hluhluwe

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General Information

On the east coast of South Africa and in the heart of Zululand, is Hluhluwe, which was the home to the Zulu kings Dingiswayo and Shaka. The Hluhluwe and Umfolozi Game Reserve can be found here and was established in 1895, and is the oldest game reserve in the country. It is been said by some that these Zulu kings, encouraged the very first conservation laws in what is now the Hluhluwe and Umfolozi Game Reserve.

Not only is the Hluhluwe-Umfolozi area home to the Big Five, but it also offers spectacular tourist attractions such as sightings of whales, turtles, protected reefs and a pristine, protected coastline. Hluhluwe is visitor-friendly and convenient for exploring other game reserves of this area, such as the northern resorts of St Lucia and the Elephant Coast coastline further afield.

The Hluhluwe Umfolozi region is the traditional home of the Ama Zulu. These proud nations migrated to this rich land during the 16th Century and were the descendants from the Nguni people. The first Iron Age communities are reputed to have settled along the coast and in the lower-lying river valleys in Hluhluwe from 300 AD and there is evidence of metal working sites that date back to 1000 AD in the reserve itself.