Magudu, Zululand

Set in the far north western reaches of KwaZulu-Natal, Magudu lies between the Pongolapoort Dam and the Ithala Game Reserve in the heart of the rolling hills of Uphongolo Rural in Zululand.

Surrounding the rural town of Magudu - that is said to have once been the home of Magudu, the Rain Queen (a title that passes from mother to daughter) - are an ever-increasing number of game farms and bush and safari experiences that offer a true escape from it all. In fact it is the prominent mountain of Magudu that is referred to as sacred. Today there is a village that sits on the summit of the mountain, whilst a road wends its way to the top.

Whilst the village holds little fascination really for the traveller, beyond its association with the Rain Queen - a different one from the Limpopo province's Modjadji, though no doubt both have a similar function for their respective cultures - it is the experience promised by the private game farms of the area that attract visitors.

Magudu's ability to control the clouds and rainfall must contribute to the incredible beauty that this inland area has to offer. This part of the country is a series of mountains, wetlands and savannah that are not only beautiful, but an ideal stopover en route to the Jozini Dam or Swaziland border.

The chance to see rhino, giraffe, antelope, wildebeest, elephant, buffalo and leopard is what draws visitors to game farms around Magudu. In some cases a number of game farms have merged their borders to allow animals a larger area in which to roam and to visitors a more valid experience of animals in the wild.