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4 day Imfolozi Wilderness Trails

Elephant Eye , Copyright  Lezel de Abreu 

4 day Imfolozi Wilderness Trails

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

Imfolozi Wilderness Area 

Within the boundaries of the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park, and for the greater part lying wedged between the White and Black Umfolozi rivers, lies the “jewel” in the crown of South Africa's wilderness areas. The wilderness area covers some 30 000 hectares of iMfolozi's total area of 66 000 hectares. The wilderness is an area where the earth and it’s inhabitants are not disturbed by man, and where man himself is but a visitor who does not remain. In this area access is only permitted on foot, canoe or horseback. There are no roads and the only tracks are those made by animals. Managed so that its pristine character is not altered in any way, it is an area in which the sights and sounds of nature dominate. 

More about the nature of the trail... 

It is important to have the correct perspective when embarking on a trail. Although there is the opportunity of seeing the Big Five in iMfolozi, this is not the main aim of a trail. The focus of these trails is to introduce the trailists to the concept of Wilderness; it's ethic, philosophy, principles and values. We aim to facilitate an experience that embraces some of the fundamental values of Wilderness; solitude, timelessness, freedom from a world where man is in control, and a place where the sounds and ways of Nature pervade. Game viewing is part of it, but there is much else which we will enjoy and discover on a Wilderness trail in iMfolozi. The objective of a trail is to have a wilderness experience, and visitors embarking on an iMfolozi wilderness trail experience the primitive wilderness in which they observe all facets of the bush, both great and small. They discover the many intricate patterns of nature that would otherwise elude them when driving around in a car. 

Highlights

A wonderful opportunity to visit the Wilderness area of the Imfolozi Game Reserve and walk with the big five in one of the most beautiful areas of KwaZulu Natal. Various trail options available. 



Hluhluwe Imfolozi Game Reserve, Copyright  KZN Parks 

Imfolozi Game Reserve, Copyright  KZN Parks 

Rates Included
Rates Excluded
Itinerary Details

4 day Base Trail

Duration: 3 Nights Camp: Mndindini- 2 beds per (3mx3m) tent; shower & toilet with piped water; fridge for drinks. Staff: Trails Officer; Field Ranger; Cook After booking in at Mpila camp, trailists are sent to Mndindini Trails Camp where they settle into their tents. The guests may begin arriving at Mndindini at 15:00 where they are greeted by a Field Ranger and Cook. At approximately 17:00 the Trails Officer arrives to meet the guests and do a trails briefing. On the following 2 days the guests leave the camp in the morning after breakfast and spend the entire day in the wilderness area. Trailists carry only daypacks with their personal affects, water and lunch. On the final day the group goes on a morning walk and returns to Mndindini for lunch. The guests then pack and leave. Departure time is 15:00.

5 day Primitive Trail

Duration: 4 nights Camp: No set camp- the Trails Officer chooses a site for the trail to camp for the night. The guests sleep under the stars. Light weight tents are provided for bad weather. Staff: Trails Officer; Field Ranger This trail is fully catered (all equipment; bedding; food), the guests are required to assist with food preparation, camp setup and take turns to keep watch at night. After booking in at Mpila Camp by 10:30 the group is met by the trails staff and trailists pack their backpacks. Trailists then receive a light lunch and briefing before setting off. The trail spends 4 nights and 3 full days in the wilderness area. On the last day the trail finishes by 10:30. No special diets are catered for.

3 day Short Trail

Departure Days: Friday; Sunday Duration: 2 nights Camp: Both nights are spent at a satellite camp within the iMfolozi wilderness area. The toilet consists of a spade; toilet paper and matches and there is a bucket shower in a tree with warm water. Bedding consists of 2 mattresses in a 3mX3m dome tent. This trail is fully catered- bedding, food, backpack and water bottle are provided. Staff: Trails Officer; Field Ranger; Cook. Visitors book in at Mpila Camp by 12:00. (No Lunch is provided on the day of booking in) and are then met by the trails staff and receive a trails briefing. The group then packs their bags and carries them approximately 7km to the satellite camp. (Guests who overnight at Mpila before the trail can organize to have the bulk of their personal affects carried in to the satellite camp by donkey in donkey bags which will be made available on request. These bags must be packed and ready at Mpila camp by 16:00 the day before the trail. The group walks out on the third day carrying only their personal affects and lunch. The trail finishes after lunch on the third day.

4 day Extended Short Trail

Departure Day: Tuesday Duration: 3 nights Camp: All three nights are spent at a satellite camp within the iMfolozi wilderness area. The toilet consists of a spade; toilet paper and matches and there is a bucket shower in a tree with warm water. Bedding consists of 2 mattresses per 3mX3m dome tent. This trail is fully catered- bedding, food, backpack and water bottle are provided. Staff: Trails Officer; Field Ranger; Cook. Visitors book in at Mpila Camp by 12:00. (No Lunch is provided on the day of booking in). They are met by the trails staff and receive a trails briefing. The group then packs their bags and carries them approximately 7km to the satellite camp. (Guests who overnight at Mpila before the trail can organize to have the bulk of their personal affects carried in to the satellite camp by donkey in donkey bags which will be made available. These bags must be packed and ready at Mpila camp by 16:00 the day before the trail. The group walks out on the fourth day carrying only their personal affects and lunch. The trail finishes after lunch on the fourth day. With the extended short and short trails, if an entire trail is booked out by one group and if the trail bookings allow for it the group would be able to book 2 consecutive trails to allow for a longer trail of either 4 nights or 5 nights depending on the combination.

5 day Bushveld Trails

Duration: 2 nights Camp: Mndindini- 2 beds per 3mx3m tents; shower & toilet with piped water; fridge for drinks. Staff: Trails Officer; Field Ranger; Cook After booking in at Mpila camp the visitors are sent Mndindini Trails Camp where they settle in to the tents. The visitors begin arriving at Mndindini at 12:00 where they are greeted by a Field Ranger and Cook. At +14:00 the Trails Officer arrives to meet the guests and do a trails briefing. The group then goes out for an afternoon walk. On the following day the visitors leave the camp for a morning walk after a light breakfast. They return to Mndindini for brunch. The group then has the ‘heat of the day' to themselves. Trailists carry only daypacks with their personal affects, water and snacks. After an afternoon snack the group goes on an afternoon walk. On the final day they go on a morning walk and return to Mndindini for brunch. The guests then pack and leave- departure time is 11:30 am. The morning and day walk split are due to the intense heat of the summer months. Trailists can arrange to join the Mpila night drive. (normal night drive fees apply).

Note:

All trails require a minimum number of four participants to be booked on the trail in order that the trail go out as scheduled. If this minimum number of participants is not booked, the trail will be cancelled timeously and any payments made, refunded. However participants have the option of paying the minimum charge for four people to ensure the trail takes place. Prices exclude daily conservation levy.

Trail Options



Access

All trailists are expected to get themselves to and from Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park by means of their own transport. The closest public transport ends at Empangeni, approximately 100 km from Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park, but our consultants can arrange for car hire or chauffeured transfers.




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