Sightseeing around Hlabisa

What There Is to See

Hlabisa is a small rural village with no museum, gallery, cinema or heritage site. Sightseeing here means the landscape along the R618 and the viewpoints, hides and visitor centres in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park (HiP), reached through Nyalazi Gate about 21 km away. This is a short list, and it suits travellers who already plan to visit the park. Prices are in rand (R).

Waterhole Hides

  • Bhejane Hide: north-west of Mpila Camp in the iMfolozi sector.
  • Mpapha Hide: west of Mpila, raised above a waterhole beneath a rocky outcrop. Do not sit on the rocks in front of it. The name is also spelled Mphafa.
  • Thiyeni Hide: a waterhole hide inside HiP, good for birds.

Leaving your vehicle at a hide is at your own risk. Go quietly, and be back at the car before dusk.

Hilltop Camp

Hilltop Camp stands on a ridge in the Hluhluwe sector. Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife lists a restaurant, a bar lounge and a curio shop there, with views over forested hills. Ask at the gate or the camp about day-visitor access to the restaurant before you plan a meal around it.

Centenary Centre

The Centenary Centre, near Nyalazi Gate and about 12 km from Mpila, has displays on how game capture changed conservation in the park. It also has bomas used for injured or relocated animals. Tours of the game capture complex run only in capture season. The Vulamethlo Craft Market is on site, and a take-away is open 08:00 to 16:00 daily.

The R618 Landscape

The R618 runs through Hlabisa between Nongoma and Mtubatuba, and the drive shows rolling hills and rural Zulu homesteads. Pull over only where the road is clear and the spot feels safe, and avoid driving after dark, because carjacking is a risk and livestock use the road.

Royal Connections and the Reed Dance

King Misuzulu kaZwelithini was born in 1974 in the Hlabisa area, but the Zulu king does not live in Hlabisa. The royal palaces are near Nongoma, about 49 km away, and they are private, not visitor sites. The Umkhosi woMhlanga (Reed Dance) takes place in early September and moves between royal venues. In 2026 it was held at iNgwavuma and uPhongolo. Public access is partial, so check the official programme.

Basketry in Museums

The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York holds a lidded ilala-palm basket by Beauty Ngxongo of Hlabisa, made around 1990. The Constitutional Court Art Collection in Johannesburg holds six Hlabisa baskets. Both are far from the village, so view them online or on a future trip.

Park Fees

A day in the park costs about R300 to R320 for an international adult on the 2025-26 tariff. A new tariff year starts on 1 November, so confirm the fee before you go.

Read more: things to do around Hlabisa covers drives, walks and craft shopping.

Hide and camp details are on the Mpila resort page , Hlabisa’s background is on Wikipedia , and park safaris can be compared on GetYourGuide .