Thumbs down for Zululand game parks

AS a foreign visitor to South Africa, and following a recent short visit to several tourist areas in northern KZN, I would like to make mention of some negative impressions I had of what was otherwise a wonderful holiday in that part of your beautiful country:

• Some of the roads in the iMfolozi-Hluhluwe Park were absolutely appalling and quite unsuitable for my hired car. As a foreign visitor I paid the full entrance fee, but was only able to use the tarmac roads, which were themselves in a very bad state of repair.

I would not recommend anyone doing this trip unless they have a 4×4 and even then it is not a comfortable experience. Other game reserves in South Africa which I have visited have good roads, so this was a great disappointment and I would not plan to visit this reserve again.

• Entrance to the iSimangoliso Cape Vidal area (near St Lucia) was an irritating and time-consuming process – sitting in a long queue of cars in the hot sun while two staff members laboriously took information (which was then duplicated at the gate office). Why can’t the administrating authorities institute a similar entrance system to those at the game reserves – quick, easy and efficient in the entrance office.

I do hope that on any future visit I will see an improvement in the above! But, apart from those issues, it was a great experience.

MARY M SAWYERS

Wales, UK