North-West Zululand

Louwsberg

The Louwsberg Route is situated at medium to high altitude (300m - 1400m above sea level) in far northern KwaZulu-Natal. This range of altitude supports many plant species, and their accompanying birds. In fact, Ithala Game Reserve has the most species of trees of all the reserves in the province.

Three important Zululand rivers transect this route: the Bivane, Phongola and the Mkhuze. All three rivers are flanked by lush, sub-tropical vegetation and have cut impressive gorges and valleys through the predominantly dolerite and granite rock. The rivers act as corridors to birds, leading them up into the numerous smaller streams and valleys.

Up near the top of the route lies Bivane Dam. The area is well known for its plant diversity, which is unrivalled in Zululand. Many botanists visit this area annually to enjoy the number of endemic or rare plants. The birding is fantastic too. White-backed Night Heron, Mountain Wagtail and Half-collared Kingfisher occur on the dam edges, and are joined above by cliff-nesters such as Bald Ibis and Lanner Falcon. The woodland areas hold Jameson's Firefinch, Red-headed Weaver, African Hawk Eagle and Grey Penduline Tit. The grasslands support Short-tailed Pipit, Broad-tailed Warbler and Secretarybird.

Ithala Game Reserve is one of the flagship reserves of the KZN Wildlife. Ithala is the Zulu word for "a high place", and at 1400m, Ngotshe mountain towers over the reserve. Bordered in the north by the Phongola River, this 30 000ha reserve is home to Bald Ibis, Barrow's Korhaan, Long-tailed Widowbird and Secretarybird in the extensive grassland areas. Specials in the wooded valleys include Narina Trogon, Scaly-throated Honeyguide, Mountain Wagtail and a host of raptors including African Crowned, Martial, African Hawk and Verreaux's Eagle.

Mocking Cliff-Chat, Mountain Wheatear, Alpine Swift and Freckled Nightjar grace the rocks and cliffs around the main camp. Other endemic species include Jackal Buzzard, Cape Rock Thrush, White-throated Robin-Chat, Fiscal Flycatcher and Cape Longclaw.

Birding Sites

	Bivane Dam
	Bivane Dam was completed in 2000 and was built on the beautiful Bivane River to supply water to the sugarcane farms downstream at Phongola. Impala Irrigation Board owns the dam. The dominant feature of the area is rolling hills with exposed quartzite ridges, wooded drainage lines and steep cliffs and gorges and of course the open water of the dam.

	iGwala gwala Nature Reserve
	This small, privately owned reserve lies just outside Ithala Game Reserve and contains a wealth of biodiversity. Mixed woodland, riverine forest, cliffs, grassland and wetlands are all packed together in a pocket-sized hotspot.

Ithala Game Reserve

Ithala is situated between Ngotshe Mountain in the south and the Phongola River in the north and is 29 000ha in size. With an altitudinal difference in the reserve of 1000m, both lowland and highland birds are present. The topography is dominated by rolling hills and high cliffs, with wooded drainage lines, riverine forest, grassland and thornveld habitats predominating. This diversity of habitats has attracted about 330 species of birds.

Ngome Forest

Ngome Forest is situated on the southern slopes of high altitude mist-belt grasslands and contains a unique combination of coastal and upland plant and bird species. The Ntendeka Cliff, after which this declared Wilderness Area is named, towers above lush forest and cascading waterfalls. This area of Zululand receives an incredibly high, localised rainfall, and much of the surrounding land has been transformed into one of the country's most productive tea estates.

	Thangami Safari SpaSituated in thick valley bushveld, Tangami Safari Spa lies within the private ThakaZulu Game Reserve in western Zululand. The Black Umfolozi and Thaka Rivers have created a lush valley with riverine bush, dense thornveld and forest patches. Open grassland occurs on the hills, with wetlands being found on the floodplains.

Ulundi

Ulundi is situated in the centre of Zululand, between Melmoth and Vryheid, and has been the site of battlefields, royal residences and provincial government. It is situated in the White Umfolozi valley and is bordered by rolling hills and thorn-tree plains. It is an area not well explored, as some areas are remote and one could easily get lost in rural Zululand. The Cengeni Gate entrance to the Umfolozi Game Reserve is reached by driving through Ulundi. The area is not known for specific bird specials, but a general mix of thornveld and grassland species in some lovely habitat.

Birding Sites

	Ondini Cultural Site
	The Ondini Historic Reserve is located just outside Ulundi. It was the site of King Cetshwayo's royal homestead, and today is the headquarters of Amafa AkwaZulu Natali, the provincial heritage conservation body.

Ophathe Game Reserve

A spectacular rugged reserve comprising 8 825 ha proclaimed in 1991, is located in the heartland of Zulu history, at the north-eastern end of the Valley of the Kings (eMakhosini). Ophathe falls within the immediate catchment of the White Umfolozi River, with diverse topography as a result of altitudinal variations. The reserve varies in altitude from 987 m in the south-west to 270 m in the eastern section along the White Umfolozi River. The vegetation varies from bushveld dominated by acacia species, to mistbelt and highveld, including many spectacular krantzes with orchid and cycad colonies.

Emakhosini Heritage Park

The eMakhosini area is steeped in Zulu history. Directly translated from Zulu, it means "Place of Kings" and the area was home to a number of Zulu kings such as Dingaan. This birding spot covers the entire stretch of road from the main R34 tar road from Melmoth to Vryheid to the main tar road from Melmoth to Babanango. The surface is gravel, but is kept in a good condition. The bottom of the valley is covered in bushveld, and this merges to grassland and grassy slopes as one climbs up to Babanango

Zulu Rock Safaris

Zulu Rock Safaris is situated in the White Umfolozi Valley close to the impressive Nhlazatshe Mountain and contains a unique blend of bushveld, thornveld, grassveld and forest. The reserve straddles a mountain, the thornveld and grassveld occurring on the northern slopes and the forest patches on the boulder-strewn southern slopes. Bush clumps occur in between these two habitats. The reserve is privately owned, and birders are welcome.

	Mangeni Falls
	Mangeni Falls are situated on a tributary of the White Umfolozi River, west of Babanango. The waterfall has eroded back through soft sandstone and formed an impressive gorge which is wooded in places. The waterfall is surrounded by open grassland and rural settlements.

Phongola

The Phongola Route contains one of the oldest game reserves in Africa, the Phongola Game Reserve. Even the early conservation pioneers recognised the beauty and value of this area. Superb Sweet Lowveld Bushveld, the only example of this in the province, supports a vast array of species, including some that are rare in other parts of Zululand. These Phongola specials include Burchell's Starling, Bennett's Woodpecker, Levaillant's Cuckoo, Purple Roller, Magpie Shrike and Red-headed Weaver.

The area also contains eastern coastal plain endemics such as Rudd's Apalis, Pink-throated Twinspot, Lemon-breasted Canary and Neergard's Sunbird.

Raptors are plentiful, with 10 species of eagle and 4 species of Vulture being recorded. Special raptors include Osprey, African Fish-Eagle, Peregrine Falcon and Lappet-faced Vulture.

Jozini Dam offers good birding, as well as exciting Tiger Fish fishing. Interesting waterbirds recorded in the area include Pink-backed Pelican, Comb Duck, Lesser Moorhen, Painted Snipe, Caspian Tern, Black Coucal and Osprey.

The cliffs on the Lebombo Mountains support cliff-nesting species such as Black Stork, Peregrine Falcon and Rock Kestrel. This mountain range separates the coastal plain from the inland areas, and is an important flyway for migrating raptors.

Mkhuze Falls Game Reserve is situated at 300m above sea level and adds an impressive amount of specials to the route. Lowveld vegetation, hills and wetlands provide habitat for many species. Specials include raptors, waterbirds in the wetland, bush birds and a variety of game including the big five. Visitors could see Yellow-billed Stork, Martial Eagle, Bronze-winged Courser, Black Coucal, Eastern Nicator, Rudd's Apalis, Green-winged Pytilia, Narina Trogon and Little Sparrowhawk.

Birding Sites

	Hlatikhulu Forest
	Hlatikhulu Forest is situated on top of the Lebombo Mountains, north-west of the town of Jozini. The forest is quite extensive, and is protected by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife. The forest combines species of high and low altitude forests, and is one of the few places in North-west Zululand where this occurs. The forest is not particularly tall, and possesses a very thick understory.

Lebombo Cliffs

The Lebombo Mountain range stretches from about Phinda in the south to the Kruger National Park in the north and divides the coastal plain from the higher inland areas of the region. The mountains rise about 800m above the surrounding area, and are a well known landmark. Dry bushveld and grassland covers most of the mountains, but forest patches occur in ravines where they are protected from fire and receive more moisture. The easiest place to view birds on these cliffs is on the main tar road leading up into Tongaland.

Phongola Game and Nature Reserves

Although two different places, these two localities are treated in one write-up as the birdlife is similar and the two areas lie adjacent to each other. Open grassland areas provide habitat for Lilac-breasted Roller, Yellow-throated Longclaw and less commonly, Lemon-breasted canary.African Jacana, large flocks of White-faced Duck, Goliath Heron and Water Thick-knee are resident, and a breeding colony of Yellow-billed Stork have made the Nature Reserve one of the few places in South Africa where they do so. Flooded grassland can produce exciting species; Black Coucal, Lesser Moorhen, Rufous-bellied Heron and Greater Painted-snipe.

Mkuze Falls Game Reserve

Mkhuze Falls lies in the heart of the extensive bushveld biome of northern Zululand. Part of a huge private reserve, Mkhuze Falls takes its name from the waterfall in front of the main camp. The rivers are lined with forest, as are the many kloofs (mountain valleys). The more undulating areas are covered with mature bushveld. There are also a few wetlands, most notably the one just before the main camp.

Umfolozi

The Umfolozi Route is situated totally within the Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Park (HUP).This park is one of Africa's oldest, and is famous for the protection of White Rhino, which neared extinction only a few decades ago. Hluhluwe is covered under the Hluhluwe Route.

The two reserves, which are joined by the Corridor Reserve, cover an area of nearly 100 000ha, making it one of the larger reserves in South Africa. Its large size, range of habitats and the presence of large mammals have ensured a large number of bird species. 400 species have been recorded, making it one of the best birding spots in South Africa.

The Umfolozi section is situated at higher altitude, and is more open than the lower Hluhluwe section. Most of the reserve is characterised by rolling hills scattered with thorn trees, with riverine forest covering the drainage lines. The Hluhluwe section contains forest patches and more tropical plant species.

Raptors are one of the premier attractions, with 47 species recorded. Specials include large numbers of African White-backed Vultures, and Africa's largest eagle the Martial, in addition to Tawny, African Crowned, African Fish, Steppe, Lesser-Spotted, and African Hawk Eagles as well as the striking Bateleur.

Woodland and thornveld specials include Purple-crested Turaco, Striped Kingfisher, Lilac-breasted Roller, Yellow-billed and Ground Hornbill, Bearded Woodpecker, Flappet Lark, Red-breasted Swallow, Grey Penduline Tit, Burnt-necked Eremomela, Bushveld Pipit, Gorgeous Bush Shrike, Yellow-billed Oxpecker, Green-winged Pytilia and Long-tailed Paradise-Whydah.

Wetland specials include African Finfoot, Dwarf Bittern, Black Coucal, Saddle-billed, Woolly-necked and Black Stork, Pygmy Goose, Comb Duck.

Birding Sites

	Umfolozi Game Reserve
	This, the larger of the two parks in the Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Complex, is a well known and well visited birding destination situated in north-western Zululand. Althouggh probably better known as a "Big Five" park, the birdlife here is rich and varied.