Vital Information about Bonamanzi Game Park
How far is the nearest town?
The town of Hluhluwe is a 15 minute drive from
Bonamanzi. The village has petrol/diesel facilities,
banking, a pharmacy and provisions for self-catering
guests.
Are there medical services?
The nearest hospital is at Richards Bay, an hour’s
drive from Bonamanzi. The nearest medical help is
fifteen minutes away in Hluhluwe where a doctor is
permanently on call for Bonamanzi Guests.
What about Malaria?
Bonamanzi is located in a low-risk malaria area. All
rooms have a cordless plug-in mosquito destroyer.
When is the best time to visit?
Any time of the year is good because Bonamanzi is a
true all year round destination. The weather is almost
always warm. Hot, humid days are broken by brief rain
showers in the summer months of November, December,
January and February. Winter months are mild and dry and
you can walk around in a T-shirt and shorts during the
day.
What about security?
Bonamanzi has trained security guards on duty 24
hours a day. A security boom monitors all vehicles
entering the property and the entrance gate to Bonamanzi
is locked at night.
How far are other wildlife reserves from Bonamanzi?
Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Park is renowned for Operation
Rhino where the white rhino was saved from extinction.
It is a fifteen minute drive to the Memorial Gate
entrance to this world-class game park which has all of
the Big Five; leopard, elephant, rhino, buffalo and
lion.
Mkuze Game Reserve is a 62km drive and Tembe Elephant
Park up in the northernmost corner of the province, a 2
and a half hour drive away.
How do you pronounce Hluhluwe?
This zulu word derives its name from a thorny rope
which is known as iHluhluwe by the Zulus. It is
pronounced “Shloo Shloo wee”.
What can you do in the Hluhluwe area?
Bonamanzi borders the False Bay section Lake St Lucia
World Heritage Site. This unique network of inland
lagoons reaches its widest point at the coral reefs of
False Bay. The False Bay park includes a sand forest
where plant life grows on an ancient dune ridge
resulting from a coastline formed in the crustaceous era
about 14 million years ago. False Bay is home to
pelican, flamingo, saddlebills, spoonbills, crocodiles
and hippo.
Bonamanzi offers walks out onto the Lake St Lucia
floodplains and birding boat cruises down the Hluhluwe
River.
Close by are living Zulu villages where you can
experience the culture, traditions, craft and music of
local Zulu people and sample local dishes at well
established restaurants. There is a wide variety of
top-quality Zulu craft for sale at a number of craft and
curio shops. This includes functional art and décor like
beadwork, traditional pots, wood-carvings and woven
mats. Basket weaving with the Ilala palm and dyes from
roots and berries has been revitalized into an art form
winning international recognition.
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