The road narrowed, and dry grass and thorny scrub leaned over the dusty track, as two rhinos stepped quietly out of the undergrowth. A cow and her almost fully grown calf. The pair stood almost motionless in the middle of the road, ears swiveling, eyes calm but watchful. For a few moments, there was silence in the car. I realized I was holding my breath. Then, as if remembering they had somewhere to be, the pair continued across the road and disappeared into the dense green undergrowth. We had only just arrived in Hluhluwe–iMfolozi Park, and already the place was living up to its reputation.
Three hours north of Durban, in South Africa’s central KwaZulu-Natal, Hluhluwe–iMfolozi Park holds layers of history that few safari destinations can match. Long before fences or maps defined it, these rolling valleys were the royal hunting grounds of King Shaka Zulu. Once a year, he would send his young warriors to hunt vast numbers of animals, in a display of power and endurance.
By the mid-1800s, a different kind of hunter had arrived, scouring the region for ivory, hides, and rhino horn - decimating populations. Soon after, cattle farmers posed another threat. Droughts pushed livestock and wild game into closer contact, leading to outbreaks of disease. In a misguided attempt to protect their herds, the farmers shot thousands of wild animals.
By the time the land was proclaimed a protected reserve in 1895, it had endured decades of upheaval. Still, the declaration was groundbreaking. Hluhluwe and iMfolozi, two separate sanctuaries at first, were later joined by a corridor in 1989, creating today’s 238,000-acre park. That corridor wasn’t just a cartographic convenience, it allowed wildlife to move more naturally, safeguarded genetic diversity, and laid the groundwork for modern conservation.
Hluhluwe–iMfolozi is perhaps most famous for saving a species – the rhino. By the early 20th century, the southern white rhino had been hunted to near extinction. Fewer than 50 animals remained in the wild, and most of them were here.
In the 1950s and ’60s, a visionary young ranger named Ian Player led “Operation Rhino,” an ambitious project to capture and relocate animals to other reserves across South Africa and eventually beyond. Using pioneering immobilization techniques and loading rhinos onto trucks, trains and, at times, even planes, Player and his team gave the species a second chance.
The award winning documentary "Operation Rhino" circa 1965, is the story of the relocation of rhino in the Umfolozi Game Reserve, KZN, South Africa. (Sensitive viewers should be warned that there are some hunting scenes which may be found upsetting).
The world's black rhino numbers have increased but there's bad news for others
The operation became one of the most celebrated conservation efforts of the 20th century. Today, almost every southern white rhino alive can trace its lineage back to Hluhluwe–iMfolozi. That success reshaped global conservation practice and earned the park its reputation as the cradle of rhino conservation.
Conservation victories are rarely permanent. Demand for rhino horn, driven largely by illegal markets far from Africa, has fueled relentless waves of poaching. In recent years, KwaZulu-Natal has been one of the hardest-hit provinces in South Africa, and Hluhluwe–iMfolozi has carried much of the burden.
Today, the park and its partners employ a range of defense measures - traditional rangers patrol on foot, rapid-response anti-poaching units are deployed, and advanced technology, including thermal and infrared detection is utilized. Park systems integrate surveillance with field operations, allowing for a quicker, more coordinated responses.
The challenges are immense, poaching syndicates are sophisticated and well-funded, but Hluhluwe–iMfolozi holds the fort. Its continued survival is a reminder that conservation requires not just success stories but constant vigilance.
While rhinos may be the headline here, they are far from the only draw. Hluhluwe–iMfolozi is the only state-run park in KwaZulu-Natal where visitors can see the Big Five: lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, and both white and black rhino. On a single day’s drive, you might spot elephants feeding in the forest, lions stretched out in the sun beside a dirt track, or cheetahs streaking across open slopes. Wild dogs, hyenas, zebras, giraffes, and a full complement of antelope, from graceful nyala to sturdy waterbuck, add to the spectacle.
Birders will find hundreds of species, from the vivid flash of the purple-crested turaco to the soaring silhouette of a martial eagle. And the landscape itself is unforgettable: ridges rising and falling like waves, river valleys carving through thickets, and thornveld that shifts from golden at dusk to luminous green after rain. Though often it’s the smallest details that linger most, the spiral horns of a kudu silhouetted against the sunrise, or the sudden iridescent dart of bee-eaters along a riverbank.
Visitors can self-drive through a well-maintained network of loops, but guided drives offer a deeper level of experience. In a park where dense vegetation can make sightings tricky, having an expert’s eyes on board often makes the difference between simply glimpsing at shadows or getting to see the full drama unfold.
On the park’s western edge lies Rhino Ridge Safari Lodge, the first luxury private lodge to be built in Hluhluwe–iMfolozi. As part of the Isibindi Africa collection, the lodge was designed to blend into the surrounding landscape, with natural stone, timber, and glass opening to views of sweeping valleys and beyond. The aesthetic is contemporary African; more grounded than glamourous, more connected to the landscape than ostentatious.
While guests can settle for the rhythm of morning and afternoon game drives, the lodge’s real impact lies in its ethos. Eighty-five percent of the staff are hired from nearby communities, and profits are channeled back into conservation and development via the Isibindi Foundation. Projects include anti-poaching initiatives, wildlife monitoring, school support, and food security programs. Guests here aren’t passive observers; they can choose to visit and contribute to these efforts, turning a dream safari into tangible support for people and wildlife alike.
For Brett and Paige Gehren, the husband-and-wife team behind Isibindi Africa Lodges, this has been the mission for nearly three decades: building sustainable lodges that protect ecosystems while empowering local people. As they like to say, “We aren’t just offering the safari of a lifetime—we’re offering a future.”
Why It Matters
That first roadside rhino sighting set the tone for our visit. It was a reminder of both fragility and resilience, how close we had come to losing this species, and how determined people had helped save it.
Traveling here is more than tourism. By visiting Hluhluwe-iMfolozi and by staying in lodges committed to conservation, travelers become part of the story, one that insists that these animals and landscapes survive. This is KwaZulu-Natal’s flagship reserve, and the place that changed the fate of a species. Long before “rewilding” became a buzzword, Hluhluwe-iMfolozi showed the world what committed, determined conservation could achieve.
