Ubizane Wildlife Reserve Revamp – Ubizane Wildlife Reserve is situated four kilometers from Hluhluwe Town, and on the access road to Hluhluwe-Umfolozi National Park. A mere two and a half hour’s drive from Durban’s King Shaka airport makes this a very accessible destination to experience the local bush life, including the Greater St Lucia World Heritage Site.
At the summit of Ubizane, Zulu for the Place of Calling, is where the Chiefs used to summon the people by beating drums and sounding huge Kudu horns. As the sun sets over plains below – one can almost hear the echoes of those horns….
The property showcases two uniquely diverse accommodation establishments, Zululand Tree Lodge, a Luxury Lodge dramatically set high up on stilts between the Fever Trees, and Zululand Safari Lodge, stretched out across rolling lawns under Acacia Canopies, a delightful family-friendly Self-catering Lodge, ideal for breakaways from urban life with the family.
The Ubizane Wildlife Reserve Revamp includes extensive improvements being made, including an electric fence to protect guests and wildlife alike. Their security and anti-poaching team have managed to curb the poaching of small game by means of snares, and Ubizane are proud to say they have reached the point of control.
Another area of focus is the eradication of alien species growing in the reserve, and a positive outcome of the eradication of Chromelina is the proliferation of the shy Red Duiker, which belongs on the Endangered Red Data List. Since the implementation of the eradication of this invasive plant, the Red Duiker has been sighted on a regular basis .
As part of the plan to ensure the continued health of the wildlife population, Ubizane Wildlife Reserve have undertaken an animal exchange program. This will enable them to introduce new bloodlines into their animal populations, such as Giraffe, Nyala and Zebra.
Ubizane Wildlife Reserve can cater for conferences and weddings.
One response to “Ubizane Wildlife Reserve Gets a Revamp”
My father Peter Herbert who bought Ubizane from Mr Hammer as a cattle farm in the 1960’s and transformed it into his vision of a wildlife conservancy. We had many wonderful years visiting this magical place and seeing the growing population of wildlife being introduced and his vision being realised. In particular the Rhino and Giraffe introduction. Giraffe were brought by boat from Namibia via Cape Town and Durban.
Together with Cape Hotels he built The Lodge which was later sold to Southern Sun while retaining the Ranch separately. Part of the Lodge was destroyed by fire.
When he died in 1989 sadly the Ranch was sold.
He particularly loved the fever tree forest.
To see Ubizane undergo this restoration and the reintroduction of the different species is very heartwarming. His vision and the conservation continues.
We have so much historical paperwork relating to this conservation journey.
Very special memories also.
I would someday like write about the creation of a cattle farm into a conservation project. Something Phinda had done so successfully.
To create a conservancy that stretches from Mkuze to St Lucia and Hluhluwe/Umfolizi.