Biyela is one of those “statement” lodges that has you excited the moment you walk through the door! For one thing it’s the stunning view that catches your eye as you enter the lodge, towering over the White Umfolozi river winding its way beneath the lodge’s main deck. For another it is the breath-taking contemporary architecture and design which dazzles the eye – quite simply this is one of the most modern and impressive new game lodge builds seen in this country!

In fact, Biyela is quite a sprawling affair as it’s built in 3 distinct tiers across a steep hillside overlooking the river. At the very top and boasting the most spectacular views are 5 of the lodge’s 12 luxurious villas (known internally as the “honeymoon” suites) They look down over Biyela’s middle tier incorporating the main lodge pool deck, the river far below as well as enjoying stunning views of the rolling hillsides beyond. The lodge’s middle-tier in turn consists of the lodge’s main public areas with another 3 villas alongside – whilst not quite as high up, the views here are still extremely impressive. Finally, and lowest down on the hillside virtually at river level, are Biyela’s final 4 villas. As you can imagine these lower rooms have a completely different feel being in much closer proximity to the water and enjoying much more up-front and personal views of passing animals – you may even enjoy unforgettable encounters with elephants coming to drink at your private plunge pool!

Talking of plunge pools, 10 of the 12 villas are so equipped with the remaining 2 having gorgeous day-bed sala areas instead. In the heat of the Zululand summer, these pools are an absolute winner! If you feel more sociable there’s also the main lodge’s stunning infinity pool with its gorgeous views and close proximity to the bar! To be honest though, most guests are likely to spend much of the midday hours in and around their own villas as these are without doubt some of the most attractive rooms around! Hugely spacious and airy, the villas boast floor to ceiling folding panoramic glass doors and windows that make the absolute most of the surrounding views. Relax on your roomy deck or put your feet up in your own inside lounge area enjoying some air-conditioned comfort – the choice is yours! Whilst all the classy furnishings and décor touches complement the extremely contemporary architecture and finishes on show (raw and polished concrete ceilings and floors featuring prominently), one touch that we love is how a small thatched “pyramid” has been incorporated over the bed area, giving a knowing wink towards the more traditional game lodge aesthetic. In short, these are some of the most stunning rooms around!

A very similar look and feel is also exhibited in the lodge’s main public areas. The spacious lounges and dining area flow out onto a multi-level outside deck featuring a fire-pit area as well as the infinity pool. And the good news continues in that the quality of food and service is up to the same lofty standards as the lodge facilities, Guests consistently rave about the superb food and wonderfully friendly personal service on offer at Biyela! And if you need even more pampering, then head to the lodge’s  Spa for a blissful massage!

Game drives take place on the 6 000 hectares of the mFulawozi Wilderness reserve that have so far being incorporated into the adjacent Hluhluwe-Umfolozi reserve which lies over the river, the oldest proclaimed game reserve in the country dating back to 1895! The new reserve is the result of 5 Zulu chieftains (all descendants of Shaka) who have agreed to give over some 16 000 hectares of pristine  bushveld under their control to conservation and up-market eco-tourism by in effect extending the already huge 96 000 hectares of the famous public reserve.  In fact, the names of the 2 stunning new lodges that are the first tangible results of the venture – Biyela and Mthembu – are taken from 2 of the chiefs making up this “Big 5”.

Interestingly, this area was originally the royal hunting ground for the Zulu Kingdom with King Shaka an early visionary in his appreciation of the need to conserve the area’s wildlife. Later a reserve was proclaimed back in 1895, the earliest game reserve in the country. Famously, this is the birthplace of white rhino preservation, with the species literally being bred back from the edge of extinction from a group of around just 30 white rhinos that remained. Operation Rhino back in the 1950s and 60s, a project driven by the park's warden, the legendary conservationist Ian Player, managed to boost numbers over the years to more than 20 000 before the recent poaching scourge again took its toll. Interestingly the site of the stables for Ian Player’s horses in those early years lies on the mFulawozi Wilderness reserve land.

Given this background, you’re definitely in the right place to see white rhino (sightings of the much rarer black rhino are also common) but that’s definitely not all as the rest of the Big 5 is also present and correct (as well as cheetah and wild dog) Big cat sightings are probably less common than the greater Kruger area on the whole, but game drives here can be immensely enjoyable and satisfying – from the lovely riverine scenery and large amounts of rhino, elephant and nyala on view, not to mention the superb birding (particularly in the summer months when the migrants arrive from up north) One thing to note is that as an almost brand new reserve (only opened in 2019) and bordering onto the adjacent wilderness area of the public reserve, animals can be skittish around vehicles – this however is rapidly improving as they become more habituated to the presence of game vehicles.