The uMkhuze Game Reserve is, in a phrase, a trip highlight. Established in 1912, and now part of iSimangaliso Wetland Park, this reserve of dense scrub and open acacia plains covers some 36,000 spectacular hectares. It may lack lions, but just about every other sought-after animal is represented, as well as more than 400 species of bird, including the rare Pel’s fishing owl (Scotopelia peli).
The reserve has fabulous hides, some at waterholes; the pans, surrounded by fever trees, offer some of the best wildlife viewing in the country. It’s 15km from Mkuze town (18km from Bayla if heading north).
