Doddle Diary 2: Day 14: Kosi Bay to Hluhluwe-iMfolozi National Park and Day 15: Hluhluwe-iMfolozi National Park

Fish traps in the Kosi Bay Estuary

We stayed in a community project campsite just outside of the Kosi Bay Estuary National Park. Very basic, but do-able. However our stay in Kosi Bay was not cosy - a gale blew all night and we learnt some basic facts of life: roof-top tent + gale force wind = zero sleep! Not much fun at all, but the scenery the next morning was spectacular so we forgot our weariness. The estuary is impressive and there seems to be a huge number of people who go down there to fish and dive / snorkel.

Kosi Bay Estuary

We moved on to Hluhluwe and into the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Nation Park where we had booked a chalet at the Hilltop Camp. The park is huge with a terrific number of animals. The game viewing is excellent and we have been very lucky - we came across a hyena about two minutes out of camp this morning and saw a group of seven lion lazing around on the river bed. Inbetween we saw so much that we have become quite used to seeing rhino, wildebeest, buffalo, giraffe, warthog, impala, kudu, elephant, etc. etc. We went on an 'official' game drive this evening and asked the guide about the huge number of rhino that they have. Apparently they have about 200 black rhino and over 2000 white rhino. They have lost some to poachers, but not many and they have a very active anti-poaching unit. Unfortunately what the guide says seems to make sense - as long as so much money is involved, they will not be able to stop the poaching. Very sad.