Zulu Nyala is small by game reserve standards, a mere 4,500 acres. The small size makes it easy to spot the animals. However, after a few days of driving the same roads we started seeing the same animals. The reserve is also too small to sustain lions. There is one cheetah, but we did not get to see her. But all that said, it’s a beautiful property.
We stayed six nights at the Zulu Nyala Heritage Lodge. It has immaculately landscaped grounds and a very attentive staff. It was the slow time of the year and it wasn’t crowded at all. The only strange thing was you were locked in the compound. We could not walk off the property. They wouldn’t even allow us go a few feet on the other side of the gate. They no doubt have their reasons, but it became a running joke on the trip.
There were two game drives a day, early morning and late afternoon. They also offered off-site excursions. We went to St. Lucia for a river boat ride, the Indian Ocean, and a delicious lunch. We also visited Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park, the oldest proclaimed nature reserve in Africa and Bayete Zulu Game Reserve to see the famous Rambo and Rachael.
Brace yourself for a lot of photos and some videos!
When we saw the first zebras at Tembe we were excited, after a few days here we saw so many of them we barely blinked an eye and just drove by without stopping. Isn’t that how life is?
Cape Buffalo
Tall, graceful, beautiful and Amelia’s favorite.
White rhinos video. Another plus of a smaller reserve is it’s easier to protect the animals from poachers. Zulu Nyala hasn’t had the need the shave the rhino horns.
We saw these three often it was easy to identify them because one was missing a tusk.
Video of the one tusk gal eating
Wildebeest
Reflections
Lilac Breasted Roller and a curious Burchell’s Coucal
Herd of impalas
Yellow Fever Trees
Video of the rain from our room
Our table in the dining room, watching a Zulu dance performance.
Excursion to St. Lucia
St. Lucia estuary
A nice two hour boat ride on St Lucia river. The water was too high to spot crocodiles, but we did see Hippos!
St. Lucia Main Beach. No way can you pass up a chance to get in the Indian Ocean even with a shorebreak and fierce waves.
St. Lucia Main Beach dunes
The hippos stay in the river during the day and roam the streets of St Lucia at night. Many a drunk have left the bars and bumped into one. It’s such a fright they have to change their underwear.
Epauletted Fruit Bat hanging out in a strip mall.
Excursion to Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park
Impala greeting us at the entrance to Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park.
We waited and waited for this lion to move. He would stand up, look around then lay back down in the grass. Eventually we gave up and continued searching for more animals.
Red-billed Oxpeckers on the zebras eating ticks.
The warthogs were fun to watch roll in the mud then rub against the cement wall.
A youngster
Rhinos with shaved horns
Vervet Monkey, notice the robin egg blue body part? Amelia wouldn’t let me get more descriptive. 😁
Chacma baboons terrorizing the Hill Top restaurant at Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park.
Dung beetle
Excursion to Rambo and Rachael
It was amazing being in the presence of these giants. They are in their early 40s and quite comfortable around people in this controlled environment.
This was crazy!
We got to feel Rambo’s ears and then feed him. The guide insisted we touch his tongue! When we pulled our hand out it was slobbery.
Video of us feeding Rachael.
Left to right: Dennis, Amelia, Marianne, Nolte, myself, Monte, and Oscar.
Many thanks to Oscar, Rob, Ray and Marianne for the fabulous pictures we poached off of google photos!
Wow! First of all, the photos are amazing (love the first photo of the Zebra). And love all the videos! How cool you got to be right there with the elephant and feed her! I am in awe! Your trip was super hands on and quite an adventure. I’m so happy to got to experience South Africa!
Thanks Sharon! It was everything you said it would be and more!
I can totally understand the feeling of seeing the same animals over and over – we experienced that at Yellowstone. But…there were no power lines! No telephone lines! It looks as though you were truly out in the wild and back in time. Thank you for sharing!
Your pictures and videos are amazing! I wonder if the animals complained that they kept seeing the same humans every day.
😂 my guess is yes!!!