My friend and I recently spent the afternoon at Gwahumbe Game Reserve and Spa. Just an hour’s drive from Durban, this private reserve overlooks the confluence of the Gwahumbe and Umsunduze Rivers forms part of the greater Gwahumbe Valley. This river system joins the Illovo River in the southern midlands of Kwa Zulu Natal and ultimately flows into the Indian Ocean south of Durban.
The area covers 3000 ha of riverine forest, valley bushveld, plateau grassland, and majestic cliff faces. Ranging from 700 m above sea level to 400 m in the river valleys, the topography is reminiscent of northern Kwa Zulu Natal but enjoys a milder climate and is malaria-free.
Although the weather was gloomy on this particular day, there was still so much to do and we received the warmest welcome from the spectacular staff.
We started the day with an amazing lunch by the fireplace. Gwahumbe Reserve offers a delicious mixture of elements from the European and African art of cooking. On this particular day, I had an amazing fish dish and I wasn’t disappointed.
After lunch, we were ready for our drive. I was looking forward to this the most as I hadn’t been in Africa for a year so this was my first drive in 2017.
Our guide was incredibly knowledgeable and passionate. He knew some of the animal’s stories to heart, like how a snake died in the middle of the road and he had to move it. I could have listened to his stories for hours.
It was through him that the animal’s personalities were revealed, and it was these stories and knowledge (like why the rhino insisted on wrestling in front of us and the sad story about the baby giraffe that passed away) that really brought the park to life for me.
We stopped to admire a beautiful waterfall ♥️
Other activities available for day visitors include: Game Drives & Self-Drives (4×4 or 2×4); Guided and Non-Guided Walks; 4×4 Routes; Mountain Biking & Trail Running; fishing, spa day or a visit to the restaurant.
It’s all about nature at Gwahumbe Game Reserve & Spa, so you will want to fill your days with game drives, birding, and hiking this is the place to visit!
To book your stay visit www.gwahumbe.co.za
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Gorgeous, thanks for the reminder!
We used to do extended scout camps here so the entire troop could stay busy for a week, small groups going on single night hikes while the younger ones learnt and played at a main camp.
Such awesome times, I hope you slid down that natural rock slide, I’ve even still got a scar from a small stone stuck in someones ‘claylight'(spelling?)
Best memory was taking a shortcut through the hippo enclosure (I was a lazy navigator and it almost cost us our lives)