Richard's Bay, S. Africa - Safari Time!

Hello Everyone,

We pulled into port at Richards Bay, South Africa on schedule at around noon on Sunday, 29 Mar 2026. We finally got a break in the weather, with the high temps only in the low 80s. There was a light overcast too, so the sun didn't burn us up either.

Arrival in Richards Bay

Richards Bay is a large port on the NE coast of South Africa. Unlike others we've been to, this one has negligible container traffic. Rather, it's a purpose-built deep water port optimized for bulk carriers. The primary commodity moving through here is coal - some 55-60 million tons per year of it!

In yesterday's port talk, the cruise director was very blunt about setting expectations for the conditions at the port. We were to dock immediately adjacent to one of the coal yards, and she warned us that the port would be very dirty, with lots of coal dust/mud on the ground and lots of dust in the air. Here's what it looked like as we arrived. Our berth was in front of all the white buses, and you can see a big cloud of coal dust headed right for our spot!

Coal Dust Headed for Our Berth

They asked us to keep our balcony windows closed for the day and warned us not to put any of our belongings out there, to prevent them from becoming covered in dust. They gave us each face masks to wear when we left the ship, although the buses were right adjacent to the gangway, so most of us didn't really feel the need to use them. They told us to wear shoes we didn't mind getting dirty, and they also put down carpet protectors at the entrance to the ship and asked us to thoroughly wipe our feet before coming back on board. Still, we managed to track a lot of coal dust into the ship. The crew was also busy just as we arrived in port, bringing in all the deck chairs, cushions, and outside tables. After we left the port last night, the housekeeping staff worked through the night, hosing down the decks, cleaning windows, and generally shaking off all the coal dust coating our pretty white vessel. A herculean effort, to be sure!

Coal Yard Adjacent to Our Pier

We refueled while we were docked here, but instead of using tanker trucks like they have in the past, this time we got our fuel from an oiler moored alongside us. I had a great view from my balcony. Yes, I braved the dust to get this picture! But the worst of the dirt was on the port side, and my room is starboard.

Refueling in Port

Safari Time!

The highlight and my sole excursion for the day was a game drive in the Hluhluwe–iMfolozi (shloo-SHLOO-way eem-foh-LOH-zee) Park. It is a 960 km² protected reserve about an hour and a half north of Richards Bay, and the oldest proclaimed game reserve in Africa (established in 1895). It is best known as the birthplace of modern rhino conservation and today supports one of the largest populations of both white and black rhinos. The park combines rolling, forested hills in the north with open savanna and river valleys in the south, offering excellent opportunities to see the Big Five (lion, elephant, buffalo, leopard, and rhino) plus a whole lot more.

We boarded buses and set out for the park. It took nearly two hours to get there due to a combination of poor roads and heavy traffic. We transferred to open air 4x4s, each of which could seat 10 people. We had just two hours to drive around (some would term it a "Ferrari Safari"), and there were about 20-25 4x4s for our party, plus more for other tourists, so it was more crowded than other safaris I've been on. Still, we got to see a wide variety of birds and animal, and at some amazingly close distances. 

This male impala apparently got the word from central casting and decided to strike a nice pose for us.

Male Impala

Female Impalas

We got closer to other elephants, but this was the best picture I got. I'm pretty sure, but not certain, that it was a cow.

Female African Elephant

Prison Donkeys

We got very close to these cape buffalo. This guy had a huge set of horns. They can be unpredictable, so I was just slightly nervous being this close.

Cape Buffalo

Cape Buffalo Herd

We followed these female lions for quite some time. They were on the prowl, looking for dinner, and we were hoping to see a chase. But although they crept up on more than a few warthogs and antelope, they never got close enough to make an effective charge. Every time they got close, vervet monkeys would sound an alarm, the antelope would spy the lions and bolt, or the warthogs would run for cover in the heavy brush.

Female Lions

Lioness

These Nyalas are a species of antelope that I don't recall seeing on previous visits to Africa. My other trips were all to Tanzania, much farther north than this, and nyalas don't live up that way. What was striking about these was how very different the females and the males appeared.

Male Nyala

Female Nyalas

The Hluhluwe–iMfolozi Park is widely credited as the place that saved the southern white rhino from extinction. By the late 1800s, uncontrolled hunting had reduced the species to fewer than ~20 individuals, all confined to this area. Because the reserve was formally protected in 1895, those last animals survived there. Then, starting in the 1950s–60s, conservationists launched Operation Rhino, capturing and relocating animals from Hluhluwe–iMfolozi to other reserves across South Africa and internationally. That effort rebuilt the global population from a tiny remnant to thousands of animals today, making it one of the most successful wildlife conservation recoveries ever.

Consequently, I saw an order of magnitude more rhinos here than in my other three Africa trips combined. Interestingly, few had horns. I learned that many of the rhinos in the park are intentionally dehorned as an anti-poaching measure.

White Rhino

So, white rhinos and black rhinos... Both are grey... What gives? The names are basically a historical accident, not a real color distinction.

“White rhino” comes from the Afrikaans/Dutch word “wyd” (pronounced “vate”), meaning “wide”. Early English speakers misheard “wyd” as “white”, and the name stuck. It referred to the animal’s wide, square mouth, not its color. Once “white rhino” became common, people needed a way to distinguish the other species, so they simply called it the “black rhino”, even though it isn’t black.

So the way to tell them apart is by the mouth. White rhinos have a wide, square mouth built for grazing grass (like a lawnmower). The black rhino has a pointed, hooked lip that is designed to grab leaves and branches

White Rhinos

There were a lot of birds in the park, but I got very few pictures because our guide (at the annoyingly urgent pleas of the many first-timers in our vehicle) was singularly focused on finding the "Big Five" and drove past a lot of good photo ops of other animals. I found it frustrating, but when you're in a group, majority often rules. This starling was along the side of the road, just below my seat, so I did manage to get a good shot of it.

Cape Glossy Starling

Another photo op that we repeatedly passed up was warthogs. But I finally managed to get a decent shot of this big tusker.

Pumba (Warthog)

The scenery overall was beautiful, especially toward the end of the drive. The sun was beginning to go down and we entered that "golden hour" when the light is especially good for photos. Unlike the wide open plains of the Serengeti, this park had lots of elevation changes and little river valleys. It's getting near the end of the wet season here, so the vegetation is lush and plentiful. That makes it harder to spot the animals, but it's side of Africa I hadn't seen until now.

Mountain Vista

Golden Hour

By the time we got back to the car park two hours later, the sun was setting and it was time to make the 1.5 hour trek back to the city. I culled through my pictures from the day, snoozed a bit, and listened to some music on the way back. The weather today was the best we've had for any excursions yet - very comfortable temps in the low 80s, lower humidity, and a nice breeze. I don't think I sweat a drop all day!

We arrived back at the ship with just enough time for me to shower, change, have a late dinner, and hit the rack.

Tomorrow we'll be in Durban, South Africa. My excursion there will just be a quick tour of the city. Stay tuned to see how it goes!

Until Next Time,

Jim