Phinda Game Reserve safaris, tours & holiday packages

More on Phinda Game Reserve holidays

Phinda has an unusual history. Situated on the eastern border of iSimangaliso Wetland Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the reserve was forged from a tract of neglected farmland in 1991, following a massive clean-up operation in which 15 tons of scrap metal was removed. The management then embarked on an ambitious programme of reintroductions. Lion, elephant, cheetah, rhino and buffalo were relocated to the reserve to supplement the then-skittish resident populations of leopard and various antelope.

Guests spending two nights in Phinda can reasonably expect to see all the Big Five (except perhaps leopard, which are quite erratic and skittish). A handsome local specialty is a nyala, a spiraled-horn antelope endemic to the eastern coastal belt of southern Africa. Other common ungulates include giraffe, zebra, greater kudu, impala, while a rare patch of sand forest protects the diminutive suni antelope and red duiker. Phinda's varied ecosystems are reflected in a bird checklist of 415 species, with raptors particularly well represented.

Guided bird walks in the sand forest offer the opportunity to seek out several localised specials, including Neergard’s sunbird, pink-throated twinspot and African broadbill. As with most private reserves, Phinda is closed to day visitors and all game viewing activities in from open-sided 4x4s driven by expert guides. The reserve management operates six stylish lodges, ranging from small and upmarket to tiny and ultra-exclusive.