On Foot in and near Hlabisa
Hlabisa offers no guided village walk. The roads through it have no pavements and carry livestock and fast traffic, and there is no heritage trail to follow. The walking worth planning is in the bush nearby, and it comes with firm rules. Prices are in South African rand (R).
The Rule for Walking in the Park
Inside Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park (HiP), you walk only with an armed Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife ranger or within the fence of a camp. There are no self-guided bush hikes in the park or the hills around Hlabisa, and no commercial hiking or mountain-biking routes. Lions, elephants and rhino share the land, and rivers and dams hold crocodiles and hippos, so never step into water.
Easiest: the Umbhombe Trail at Hilltop Camp
This forest path inside the Hilltop fence is about 760 m long and takes 10 to 30 minutes on your own. Cheetah have been reported jumping the camp fence, so the path is not predator-proof. Keep your eyes up and your children close.
Half a Day: False Bay in iSimangaliso
False Bay Park lies on the western shore of Lake St Lucia, about 12 km east of Hluhluwe town. Its marked, self-guided trails include:
- the 9 km Dukandlovu loop through forest and lakeshore;
- the Mpophomeni trail, which takes 1.5 to 2 hours.
Go in the morning, stay on the marked paths and keep well back from the water, because hippos and crocodiles live here. The iSimangaliso gate fee is paid at the entrance.
With a Ranger: Guided Walks
Ezemvelo runs guided walks from Mpila and Hilltop camps in the morning and at 14:00. The price is R400 per person, charged as R800 for two people, with eight walkers at most. The tariff sets a minimum age of 13, and Mpila’s page says 12. Reserve at camp reception or on +27 33 845 1067.
Multi-Night: iMfolozi Wilderness Trails
These ranger-led trails cover remote country. They are catered, and the prices exclude the conservation fee.
| Trail | Nights | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Short | 2 | R3,350 |
| Extended Short | 3 | R5,250 |
| Base Camp, from Mndindini Trails Camp | 3 | R5,350 |
| Primitive | 3 or 4 | R3,450 or R4,100 |
| Explorer | 4 | R4,400 |
Groups of four are needed for the short and base camp trails, and six for the primitive and explorer trails. Walkers must be 14 with a parent or guardian, or 16 without. The trails date from the 1950s, when Ian Player and Magqubu Ntombela began leading them. The iMfolozi trails office is on +27 35 550 8478.
Walking Safely
Wear closed shoes in neutral colours and carry water. Malaria is seasonal in northern KwaZulu-Natal, so get prophylaxis advice from a travel clinic and use repellent at dusk. Drive to the start point in daylight, because carjacking is a risk after dark. A country-wide route is sketched in the 6-day South Africa itinerary .
Read more: park nights and trails from Hlabisa adds camp rates to the trail prices.
Trail details are on the Ezemvelo wilderness trails page , False Bay is described on the iSimangaliso page , and guided outings can be compared by searching GetYourGuide .