Potential Trip?

[Dzombo]

Hi All,

I have made my booking for Kruger for December 2014.
Haven't paid yet.....

Was thinking to myself...
How about trying Hluhluew/Imfolozi

Went there as a day visator many many years ago.

So I have some questions.

Those of you who have been to Kruger and H.

How do they compare?
Are the Natal parks just as good from a game viewing perspecitive?

Is it easy to get petrol/diesel?
Does one need a 4 x 4?

When does booking open?

Is it easy to get accomodation?
Is the accomodation decent?

Any advice appreciated.

Thanks
Dzombo

[Sprocky]

Dzombo, your go to man on this question will be BC. Sure he will answer you in a flash!

[Richprins]

BC is the expert..!

December is HOT, so aircon would be a factor, IMO...that's all I think about!

But do you want birds, big 5, solitude, quick access, restaurant and shops, camping, etc.?

[Bushcraft]

Hi All,
I have made my booking for Kruger for December 2014.
Haven't paid yet.....
Was thinking to myself...
How about trying Hluhluew/Imfolozi
Went there as a day visator many many years ago.

So I have some questions.

Those of you who have been to Kruger and H.

1) How do they compare?
2) Are the Natal parks just as good from a game viewing perspecitive
3) Is it easy to get petrol/diesel?
4) Does one need a 4 x 4?
5) When does booking open?
6) Is it easy to get accommodation?
7) Is the accomodation decent?

Any advice appreciated.

Thanks
Dzombo

1) I prefer Kruger as it’s 12 times bigger than H&I, so I tend to get bored driving the same roads every day, hence never go for more than 3 nights, but I would give Kruger 9 and H&I 8.8 out of 10 for many different reasons.
2) It obviously depends on different sections of each park, but I would have to say that the south of Kruger is better than Imfolozi and way better than Hluhluwe. However if its wild dogs you are looking for then Imfolozi is better. If it’s leopard, then definitely Kruger, etc. I find that there’s a wilder range of general game in Kruger.
3) Only petrol at Imfolozi and both at Hluhluwe. Else one has to fill up in St Lucia or the town of Hluhluwe.
4) No, although there are 2 roads that can only be driven with a 4x4 and the general road conditions are worse than KNP, especially in the Imfolozi section.
5) Not sure, but I have booked 18 months in advance before, so would have to check their website for that (KZN wildlife).
6) Easier than KNP.
7) It depends on what you are looking for but IMO the accommodation at Hluhluwe is better and it is around the same, if not better for less, at Imfolozi. I have tried Hilltop in the Hluhluwe section twice, but my favourite by miles is Mpila camp in the Imfolozi section as there are no fences and there’s more game in the area, however there’s only electricity between 7am and 10pm every day, not that it bothers me though.

There’s the Imfolozi info thread and many other TT’s available which will give you even more information, or if you need more info here, just shout.

[Dzombo]

Dzombo, your go to man on this question will be BC. Sure he will answer you in a flash!

Ok, hopefully he will see my thread.

BC is the expert..!

December is HOT, so aircon would be a factor, IMO...that's all I think about!

But do you want birds, big 5, solitude, quick access, restaurant and shops, camping, etc.?

This past December was really hot in Kruger, so that's not much of an issue.
Got used to it.
Is there a pool (for the kids)?

What do I want?
Plenty of general game sightings (zebra, giraffe etc). Mainly to keep the kids from getting bored

And plenty of Elephant sightings....that's for me.

And other Big 5 would be good too.

Restaurant not really needed.
But a shop would be needed to restock with basics.

Quick access...not really an issue. An hour or two from the gate to the camp is fine.

And I also meant to ask.
Does one stay at the same camp for the whole trip (was thinking of 6 nights)
Or do you swap camps like in Kruger.

[Dzombo]

Hi All,
I have made my booking for Kruger for December 2014.
Haven't paid yet.....
Was thinking to myself...
How about trying Hluhluew/Imfolozi
Went there as a day visator many many years ago.

So I have some questions.

Those of you who have been to Kruger and H.

1) How do they compare?
2) Are the Natal parks just as good from a game viewing perspecitive
3) Is it easy to get petrol/diesel?
4) Does one need a 4 x 4?
5) When does booking open?
6) Is it easy to get accommodation?
7) Is the accomodation decent?

Any advice appreciated.

Thanks
Dzombo

1) I prefer Kruger as it’s 12 times bigger than H&I, so I tend to get bored driving the same roads every day, hence never go for more than 3 nights, but I would give Kruger 9 and H&I 8.8 out of 10 for many different reasons.
2) It obviously depends on different sections of each park, but I would have to say that the south of Kruger is better than Imfolozi and way better than Hluhluwe. However if its wild dogs you are looking for then Imfolozi is better. If it’s leopard, then definitely Kruger, etc. I find that there’s a wilder range of general game in Kruger.
3) Only petrol at Imfolozi and both at Hluhluwe. Else one has to fill up in St Lucia or the town of Hluhluwe.
4) No, although there are 2 roads that can only be driven with a 4x4 and the general road conditions are worse than KNP, especially in the Imfolozi section.
5) Not sure, but I have booked 18 months in advance before, so would have to check their website for that (KZN wildlife).
6) Easier than KNP.
7) It depends on what you are looking for but IMO the accommodation at Hluhluwe is better and it is around the same, if not better for less, at Imfolozi. I have tried Hilltop in the Hluhluwe section twice, but my favourite by miles is Mpila camp in the Imfolozi section as there are no fences and there’s more game in the area, however there’s only electricity between 7am and 10pm every day, not that it bothers me though.

There’s the Imfolozi info thread and many other TT’s available which will give you even more information, or if you need more info here, just shout.

Thanks for getting back to me.
I don't need fancy accomodation.
Just clean and tidy. So this sounds ok from my point of view.

Seems a long way to drive (I am coming from Jhb), so is a long way for 3 nghts?

How regular are elephant sightings?

[Bushcraft]

It’s a different feel to KNP, especially Mpila, which has more game all round than Hluhluwe, but remember there’s no fences, so any juniors need to duck inside after dark, as hyena and most times Bushpig’s, will definitely pull in, which adds big time to the night time action for me personally.

I feel that there’s more ellies in KNP, but the H&I ellies are a little.... so you could get an ellie sighting with a difference.

It’s not Kruger at all, but special in many other ways.

It’s a long drive from JHB, so probably better to do it as many do it i.e. JHB/Kruger/Imfolozi/Kruger/JHB.

Vinkie has done both from JHB, so hopefully he picks up on this thread and chips in with how he sees things.

[Toko]

Ellies and birding IMO better in the Hluhluwe section but Hilltop is not as exciting as Mpila! However, there are often Samango monkeys around, if you like them

And it might happen, that you don't encounter many elephants or lions!

Scenery is stunning

[Dzombo]

It’s a different feel to KNP, especially Mpila, which has more game all round than Hluhluwe, but remember there’s no fences, so any juniors need to duck inside after dark, as hyena and most times Bushpig’s, will definitely pull in, which adds big time to the night time action for me personally.

I feel that there’s more ellies in KNP, but the H&I ellies are a little.... so you could get an ellie sighting with a difference.

It’s not Kruger at all, but special in many other ways.

It’s a long drive from JHB, so probably better to do it as many do it i.e. JHB/Kruger/Imfolozi/Kruger/JHB.

Vinkie has done both from JHB, so hopefully he picks up on this thread and chips in with how he sees things.

So Mpila would be the place to stay at then??

I have heard that the eles aren't as chilled as the Kruger ones.

For 6 days, I would do one or the other.
Don't think I would squeeze in both. Too much driving.

Ellies and birding IMO better in the Hluhluwe section but Hilltop is not as exciting as Mpila! However, there are often Samango monkeys around, if you like them

And it might happen, that you don't encounter many elephants or lions!

Definately need to see Ellies
And my daughter (6 y o) wouldn't be hapy if I told her the chances of seeing I lion were slim

[Toko]

It's always different from my experience, last time (in Aug,) we had plenty elephant sightings, but only one good lion sighting (and another one far off) during five days. On other two day trips we struggled to find elephants