When is the best time for a safari in KwaZulu-Natal?

Safari in Zululand runs all year. The dry winter months, roughly May to September, thin the bush and draw game to water, which makes viewing easier. Summer brings green landscapes, newborn animals and migratory birds.

Is the safari malaria-free?

Yes. The private reserves we work in, including Phinda and Manyoni, sit in malaria-free northern KwaZulu-Natal and Zululand, and none of our itineraries require anti-malaria medication. Southern Mozambique is extremely low risk. Most guests simply use repellent, long sleeves at dusk and a mosquito net.

How large are the groups?

Every expedition is private. You travel with your own party and your own guide, never folded into a shared tour, and the group size is set by you.

Each expedition is designed and quoted individually after a consultation, so inclusions are confirmed in writing for your itinerary. Private guiding, lodges, game drives and road transfers from Durban or Richards Bay can all be built in.

Elephant walking through lush bush on a private game reserve in Zululand, KwaZulu-Natal

SAFARI

Into the Wilderness

Enter Zululand's private reserves where seven distinct ecosystems converge, creating landscapes more diverse and verdant than the arid bushveld found elsewhere in Africa. This is the East Coast advantage: Big Five territory where mountain, river, wetland, and coastal forest meet savanna. Malaria-free, accessible, and breathtaking. We curate access to conservation sanctuaries where walking safaris and photographic expeditions reveal Africa as it was meant to be experienced: intimate, immersive, unparalleled.

Begin Your Journey

SAFARI STYLES

Track on foot, or by lens.

Photographic Safaris

Track wildlife from expertly modified game-viewing vehicles, designed for optimal photography and comfort. Professional guides position you for the perfect shot while sharing their deep knowledge of animal behavior and the bush.

Walking Safaris

Experience the wild at ground level with armed rangers and trackers. Walking safaris engage all your senses: the scent of the bush, the sound of distant animals, the intricate tracks in the sand, offering an intimate and humbling connection to the African wilderness.

PRIVATE RESERVES / CONSERVATION SANCTUARIES

Where the Big Five meet the coast.

Phinda Private Game Reserve

Forming an exquisite part of a 30,000-hectare wilderness in northern KwaZulu-Natal, Phinda embodies &Beyond's pioneering conservation ethos. Seven distinct ecosystems (from mountain, river, and wetland to forest, grassland, and woodland) create an unparalleled diversity of habitats. Home to the Big Five and rare species including cheetah and black rhino, Phinda offers intimate wildlife encounters in one of Africa's most biodiverse private reserves. The reserve's commitment to community empowerment and sustainable tourism has become a model for conservation across the continent.

Big Five • Sand forest • Seven ecosystems • &Beyond conservation

Manyoni Private Game Reserve

A 23,000-hectare conservation triumph in Zululand, Manyoni represents one of South Africa's most successful wildlife restoration projects. Formed by removing fences between multiple properties, this Big Five reserve now protects lion, elephant, rhino, buffalo, and leopard in their natural habitat. Manyoni's wilderness camps offer an authentic bush experience, where the emphasis is on conservation, tranquility, and genuine connection with nature rather than luxury for its own sake.

Pangolin walks • Rhino Sanctuary • Authentic Conservation Experience • Black Rhino Range Expansion Project

Estuary and coastal forest of iSimangaliso Wetland Park near Lake St. Lucia, KwaZulu-Natal

Makakatana & iSimangaliso

Where safari meets the sea. Makakatana Bay Lodge sits on the western shores of Lake St. Lucia within the Greater iSimangaliso Wetland Park, South Africa's first UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here, Big Five game viewing transitions seamlessly into hippo-filled estuaries, pristine beaches, and ancient coastal forests. This is Africa's ecological treasure chest: elephant emerge from fever tree forests, leopard hunt along lake edges, and at night, loggerhead turtles nest on deserted shores. An extraordinary convergence of ecosystems found nowhere else on earth.

UNESCO World Heritage • Hippo estuaries • Turtle nesting • Safari meets the sea

START YOUR JOURNEY

Ready to enter the wilderness?

Tell us the season, your appetite and the people travelling. We will design a safari expedition that matches your rhythm and ambition.

Begin Your Journey

FIELD NOTES

Questions travellers ask

When is the best time for a safari in KwaZulu-Natal?: Safari in Zululand runs all year. The dry winter months, roughly May to September, thin the bush and draw game to water, which makes viewing easier. Summer brings green landscapes, newborn animals and migratory birds.
Is the safari malaria-free?: Yes. The private reserves we work in, including Phinda and Manyoni, sit in malaria-free northern KwaZulu-Natal and Zululand, and none of our itineraries require anti-malaria medication. Southern Mozambique is extremely low risk. Most guests simply use repellent, long sleeves at dusk and a mosquito net.
How large are the groups?: Every expedition is private. You travel with your own party and your own guide, never folded into a shared tour, and the group size is set by you.
What is included?: Each expedition is designed and quoted individually after a consultation, so inclusions are confirmed in writing for your itinerary. Private guiding, lodges, game drives and road transfers from Durban or Richards Bay can all be built in.

COMBINE THIS WITH

Surf the point breaks of the North Coast and Durban, a short drive from the reserves.
Submerse the reefs of Sodwana Bay, an easy reach from Phinda and Manyoni.
Soul the Zulu battlefields and living heritage of Zululand.