Day 85 Richards Bay, South Africa

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What we did
We arrived in Richards Bay, South Africa around midday and opted for one of the included tours; a game drive through Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park. The port itself is highly industrial, serving as a major hub for coal exports. Viking took thoughtful precautions: face masks were provided, and protective carpets were laid over the ship’s flooring near the gangway. Even the short walk to the buses left a noticeable layer of coal dust on our shoes, though we did observe that the roads in the area seem to be improving.

From there, we set off on a 90-minute drive to the park. Upon arrival, we had a quick comfort break before climbing into our open-air safari vehicle, which seated ten passengers plus the driver. The park was buzzing with activity; numerous jeeps crisscrossing the landscape, with drivers in constant radio communication to share wildlife sightings. Over the course of the two-hour drive, we were lucky to see an incredible range of animals: Cape buffalo, warthogs, nyala, antelope, rhinos, lions, and elephants. At one point, a pair of lionesses drew quite a crowd, with multiple jeeps converging and creating a bit of a safari traffic jam as everyone tried to capture the perfect photo. The weather was comfortable, and from our perch in the back row, we had a fantastic view of it all.It easily ranked as one of our favorite included excursions so far.

Our bus guide, Moses, added another layer to the experience by sharing insights into local Zulu traditions, especially marriage customs. Zulu men are allowed to have as many wives as they want, however they must pay the bride's family 11 cows. The wedding celebration lasts three days and everyone in the village is invited. Each wife gets their own round house. On the bus, we looked for round houses which indicated how many wives a man had. Married women had to cover their hair to indicate they were married. Moses' father has 3 wives and 16 children. As we parted ways, he mentioned there was a chance we’d see him again in Durban, as many guides make the two-hour journey to lead excursions there. Sure enough, the very next day, there he was again. Our guide once more!