Hlane Royal National Park is run by Big Game Parks, and all activities including safaris is bookable at the Activities Centre in Ndlovu Camp, or by contacting Big Game Parks Central Reservations. Safaris will begin from the activities centre.  All of Big Game Parks guides are trained in-house and have extensive knowledge of the park and animals, and enjoy sharing their knowledge with and learning from our guests.  Hlane has different segments with specific animals in each. This is to protect both the safety of the wildlife and tourists. Only selected guided game drives are able to visit the Lion Area for safety reasons.

The traditional leisurely African Safari or Game Drive has they are also known, will see you winding along bush roads in Land Cruisers and Land Rovers with canvas roofs. This open-aired method allows you to see more wildlife around the park.

The following game drives are available in Hlane:

• Sunrise Game Drive (2,5hr) – This tour will capture the best of the early morning sun as the wildlife begin to start their day. This tour is especially suited to photography with the morning light offering beautiful shots.  Tea/coffee and a snack are included on this tour.  Please note this activity is not available to guests staying at Bhubesi Camp, unless a group (min 6 people) activity and departure from Bhubesi is pre-arranged.
• Sunset Game Drive (2,5hr) – A great way to end the day is watching the sunset across the park in a beautiful spot. You will see the animals in their natural habitats, with nocturnal animals beginning to rise. A drink is included on this tour. Please note this activity is not available to guests staying at Bhubesi Camp, unless a group (min 6 people) activity and departure form Bhubesi is pre-arranged.
• Midday Game Drive (2,5hr) – This is an alternative for day tours and will see you a variety of wildlife. The midday game drives all include the Lion Area and have a minimum age of 6 years.
• Rhino Drive (1.5hr) – The ever popular Rhino Drive is a shorter 1,5 hour drive and excludes the Lion Area. This drive will focus solely on trying to find Whito Rhino, with the potential opportunity of being within a few metres of the rhino. Please note, not all rhino are approachable and guides are well trained in understanding the behaviour on the rhinos and have discretion. Due to the nature of this activity, minimum age is 13 years.
• Self Drive – Hlane offers numerous roads for self-drive, suitable for normal sedans in dry conditions.  All guests must be in camps or have departed the Park by sunset (18h00).  Find out more below.

Self Drive

Hlane’s terrain is perfect for self drive game viewing. There are numerous dirt roads, often dry due to the climate, and can be navigated in 4×4 vehicles or even sedans in good weather. Care must be taken in rainy season, when the clay-rich soils become tricky. As expected, self drive safaris come with the responsibility of treating animals with respect and quietly observing from a fair distance so not to disrupt them with your presence. Maps are available in the shop and at Reception.