• E N R O U T E / / F A M I L Y T R A V E L
The kids who couldn ’ t quite believe what they were seeing
Clockwise from left : The entire Hluhluwe-iMfolozi experience is up close and personal . The road through the park . Levi , Indigo and Keala enjoying a cool-off on the beach in neighbouring iSimangaliso Wetland Park . Sunset fishing in northern KZN .
No sooner had we entered the park through Memorial Gate in the north than we heard the sound of trumpeting elephants from the main road leading up to Hilltop Camp , where we were staying ; then we saw them . No matter how many times I encounter these magnificent giants I ’ m always in awe of the graceful , quiet footsteps that belie the elephant ’ s sheer size . The immediate sighting and proximity of the herd wasn ’ t lost on the
kids , either , who couldn ’ t quite believe what they were seeing . From that moment on , my youngest ( Levi , aged two ) quickly learnt a new word : “ I spotted something , daddy !” he would say , pointing out the window every few minutes . You don ’ t have to search too far for wildlife in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi , especially toward the end of the dry season in September , when the vegetation thins out and the animals gather around water sources . Driving to our well-equipped and spacious camp just 20 minutes after seeing the elephants , two SUV-sized white rhino blocked the road , grazing slowly in front of the vehicle on fresh green shoots that had sprung up after a recent rain . We switched the engine off and waited in silence as they passed us by , their heavy breathing and chewing audibly close to our windows . It was a truly unforgettable moment , and one of the reasons we had chosen to bring our kids here . The park is synonymous with its world-renowned Save the Rhino campaign , which started in the 1960s when less than 100 rhino roamed the planet . The programme has made significant inroads into growing the rhino population since then , and is often referred to as the birthplace of rhino
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