Blog - Bushwillow Collection

Where Nature, Comfort, and Soul Meet: A Boutique Forest Escape at Bushwillow Collection

Wed, 04 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0200

A Stay Rooted in Nature
Located within the Kuleni Game Park, just 20 minutes from Hluhluwe, Bushwillow Collection offers three uniquely styled, self-catering chalets—each with its own private plunge pool, vibrant interiors, and expansive glass doors that let the forest breathe into your space. Here, you wake to the soft rustle of nyala grazing nearby, and fall asleep to the lullaby of cicadas and distant owl calls.

Whether you’re a naturalist seeking rare bird calls, a writer chasing stillness, a couple craving seclusion, or a family yearning for wild adventure, Bushwillow is your sanctuary.

The Spirit of Sand Forest
This rare biome—the Sand Forest—is a place of quiet magic. Ancient trees rise from sandy soils, their roots entwined with centuries of stories. Walk the trails and you may encounter giraffe, zebra, or the delicate duiker. Join a guided Spider Walk at night to discover the forest’s hidden nocturnal life, or take a bushwalk at dawn to feel the pulse of the land beneath your feet.

Gateway to iSimangaliso’s Wonders
Just beyond the forest lies the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Africa’s most biodiverse treasures. Here, coastal dunes, coral reefs, estuaries, and savannahs converge in breathtaking harmony.

Spend your days:

- Snorkeling in Sodwana Bay, home to vibrant marine life and coral gardens.
- Watching hippos and crocodiles from a boat on Lake St Lucia.
- Exploring the 900-year-old fig forest in uMkhuze Game Reserve.
- Witnessing turtle nesting under the stars or whale watching in season.
- Visiting Zulu cultural villages and learning from the communities who have long called this land home.

Supporting Local, Living Lightly
At Bushwillow, we believe in travel that gives back. We source locally, support community artisans, and collaborate with guides and conservationists who know this land intimately. Your stay helps sustain the people and ecosystems that make this region so extraordinary.

A Place for All Seasons of the Soul
- For the creative soul, there is silence, space, and inspiration in every leaf.
- For the romantic, there is privacy, starlit dinners, and the intimacy of the wild.
- For the adventurer, there are trails, tides, and thrilling encounters.
- For the family, there is wonder, laughter, and stories to take home.

Come Home to the Forest
Bushwillow Collection is not just a destination—it’s a feeling. A breath of fresh air. A return to what matters. Come, let the forest hold you. Let the wild remind you. Let comfort and soul meet in the heart of nature.

Book your stay and begin your journey where the bush whispers, and the soul listens: [www.bushwillow.com](https://www.bushwillow.com)

BREEDING PATTERNS IN ZULULAND (NYALA)

Jana Beets-Tippett — Sun, 18 Oct 2015 00:00:00 +0200

Nyala (Tribe Tragelaphini):

How do I know I am looking at a Nyala?

Males shoulder height is 112cm. White markings on face, with band on chest and white spots on haunches, they have got a greyish-brown coat and look like they have got socks on! Females are much smaller than males and have no horns (or socks!). Their coat is reddish with white stripes.

Are they territorial?

No, both sexes live in overlapping home ranges and are not territorial. As part of a dominance display males horn and paw the ground and trash with their horns. This is when they raise the crest of hair along the back to emphasize their size, erect the tail with the whiter underpants fanned out, and lower the head to point the horns at the rival.

How long is gestation period?

Gestation period lasts for 220 days (7 months), and they breed all year-round.

What is the parent/offspring behaviour like?

Calves will stay hidden 10-18 days; we call this the lay out period, whilst the mother goes off foraging. After the calves are big and strong enough they will accompany their mother by browsing through the bush.

BREEDING PATTERNS IN ZULULAND (PART 1)

Jana Beets-Tippett — Mon, 21 Sep 2015 00:00:00 +0200

Red Duiker (Tribe Cephalophini):

How do I know I am looking at a Red Duiker? They are cover-dependent antelopes of small to medium size, females slightly bigger than males. Stocky build with short legs, pointed hooves, rounded back, short tail, head proportionally large, small ears, black-slanted horns on both sexes, colour reddish brown.

Are they territorial? All Duikers rub their preorbital glands against tree branches, and other objects in their territories. Males and females mark in the same manner, but males do it far more frequently. Duikers do not maintain dung middens, but defecate at random throughout their territory.

How does reproduction work? Whether most Duikers breed perennially or seasonally remains unknown, but Red Duikers are thought to breed year-round in Southern Africa.

What is the parent/offspring behaviour like? Gestation period for Red duiker is unknown, but estimates of gestation vary widely and are often conflicting. Weight at birth is approximately 10% of the mother’s weight. Duikers have the typical hider-calf system.

Blue Wildebeest/Gnu (Tribe Alcelaphini):

How do I know I am looking at a Blue Wildebeest? They have a shoulder height of +/- 150cm, large, long head. Bridge of the nose covered in thick black hair. Horns curve sideways from the boss and then upwards and inwards. They have a long dark beard and throat fringe, dark vertical stripes on neck and shoulders and long black tail.

Are they territorial? Their territorial behaviour is the most complex and extra-ordinary of all bovids and has given the nickname “clown of the bush”. Bucking, cavorting, spinning like a top, leaping in the air, racing around in circles, kicking up the heels, shaking the head, pawing the ground and rolling, hardly seems functional activities and yet they are all part of wildebeest territoriality. The general pattern in Wildebeest society is a division into breeding herds, bachelor herds and territorial males. During the rut season bulls rarely leave their territories except to drink, because of the risk of returning to find another male has taken over. However, at the end of the rut they are less aggressive and territorial and may wander away for a few hours or even temporarily join a bachelor herd.

How does reproduction work? Few tropical mammals have such a restricted birth season as the wildebeest. Some 80%-90% of the calves are dropped during a 3 week birth peak. The timing of the calving and rutting is geared to the climate in such a way that both occur under favourable conditions. Given an 8 – 8.5 month gestation, the timing of the reproductive cycle represents a favourable compromise with the environment.

What is the parent/offspring behaviour like? The 3 week calving peak begins abruptly. Not many calves are born ahead of time. Wildebeest society is more structured at this time than any other season. There are groupings of pregnant cows and of cows that have calved, groups of yearlings newly separated from their mothers, and the bachelor herds, which are usually excluded by territorial bulls from the calving grounds. Each mother recognizes her own calf, initially by scent alone. Calves begin to nibble grass at 4-6 weeks and are weaned at 7–8 months. At about 4 weeks the horns first appear and grow into straight spikes, developing the characteristic wildebeest curves only at 12 months.

Keep an eye out next week for Part 2 of the Breeding season in Zululand were we will have a look at the Greater/Thick-tailed Bush baby and Nyala, both of which show extremely interesting breeding patterns.

References:

‘The Behaviour guide to African Mammals, Richard Despard Estes’

‘An introduction to the Larger Mammals of Southern Africa, A wildlife handbook’

Birding in False Bay Park

Ryan Tippett — Sat, 22 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0200

The main attraction for birders is without doubt the pristine sand forests and the reserve protects some of the finest remaining stands. There are two types of sand forest in the reserve – Tall forest with large trees and an open understory, and shorter, dense forest with smaller trees and very thick undergrowth. Both contain many exciting species.

The big advantage here, over most other Zululand reserves is that the key habitats can be accessed on foot, either along the roads or the well-appointed walking trails.

A morning spent birding in the forest should produce many typical forest birds like : Dark-backed Weaver, Yellow-bellied Greenbul, Red-capped Robin-chat, Crowned Hornbill, Tambourine Dove, Crested Guineafowl, Square-tailed Drongo, Black Saw-wing, and Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird, amongst others. Trumpeter Hornbills and Black-bellied Starlings are often heard as they move across the forest and remember to keep a look out for Crowned Eagles as they display high above the canopy

The winter months bring altitudinal migrants that are mostly absent during summer. These include White-starred Robin, Chorister Robin-chat, Dark-capped Yellow Warbler, Grey Cuckooshrike and Dark-mantled Crested Flycatcher.

The summer months bring in the migratory birds, including African Emerald Cuckoo which can be heard everywhere but is remarkably hard to see. Scan any exposed dead trees for Broad-billed Rollers. Their raucous calls usually give them away.

Many of the regions specials can be found here without too much difficulty. Eastern Nicator, Bearded Scrub Robin, Rudd’s Apalis, Gorgeous Bushshrike and African Yellow White-eye are all quite common. Green Malkoha, Narina Trogon and Olive Bushshrike, while also common, are more often heard than seen.

Pink-throated Twinspots are present in good numbers but are sometimes difficult to find. They like forest clearings with grassy patches. Watch for them as they fly off from the pathways in these areas. It’s a good idea to learn to recognise their thin insect-like calls.

Sunbirds are well represented at False Bay with several species occurring. Neergaard’s Sunbirds are conspicuous when calling, but can be difficult to observe because they never sit still for too long. Plain-backed Sunbirds have been seen in the reserve. They are undoubtedly rare here, but I have seen them on two separate occasions in the tall climax sand Forest. Both sightings were of calling males. Look for them on the Ingwe and Mpophomeni trails.

False Bay is one of the very best locations for the peculiar African Broadbill. They are most easily detected in the early morning when they utter their strange frog-like calls during display. They are best searched for in the densely wooded drainage gullies along the entrance road and on the 10km long Mpophomeni trail.

Other special or scarce species to search for include Southern Banded Snake Eagle, Retz’s Helmetshrike , Sooty Falcon, Cuckoo Hawk, Grey Tit Flycatcher, African Pygmy Kingfisher, Brown-backed Honeybird and Woodward’s batis.

The open water at False Bay is actually the north western extension of Lake St. Lucia. Look out here for both Greater and Lesser Flamingos and Pink-backed and Great White Pelicans. All of which can form large aggregations on the lake when conditions are right. Pied Avocets are also regular in large numbers, especially during winter. Many Caspian Terns breed here during winter but at least some birds are present all year round. Be alert for the endangered Saddle-billed Storks as they stride purposely along the shore. At least one pair is resident on this part of the lake.

The narrow strip of grass and scrub between the water and the forest is good for Black-bellied Bustard, and with luck, Swamp Nightjar. This grassy strip is widest in the south, below the Dukandlovo Rustic Camp. Scan this area for Collared Pratincoles and Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters in summer. All three Longclaw species occur here, and the Rosy-throated Longclaw can be plentiful after the rains.

I have an extensive knowledge of the reserve and have actively birded in this reserve for the last 10 years. Should you want a guide, book your stay at Bushwillow Collection in either the Lodge, Boutique or Cottage and I will be delighted to look after your birding needs.

FUN FACT FRIDAY: THE BUSHWILLOW TREE

Ryan Tippett — Fri, 10 Jul 2015 00:00:00 +0200

The Bushwillow tree is common in Northern Kwa-Zulu Natal. It does not usually grow in groups, but where there is one there are often others close by. It is a deciduous tree (drops its leaves at the end of the growing season). It never gets very large or conspicuous, but can grow up to 12 metres high if the conditions are ideal. It is found in sand forest areas and survives well in sandy soils.

Bushwillow is a fairly fast growing tree but it is sensitive to very cold and frosty conditions. The Combretum family typically has simple leaves, small flowers and characteristic four winged pods, with a seed in the middle. It flowers in early spring (September - November). The flowers are small, yellowish and closely packed in long oblong, cylindrical spikes and have a lovely fragrance. The four winged pods are seen from December as green and through to August when they are ripe, turning reddish-brown in colour.

Traditional Uses: The wood is hard and durable but because of its small quantities it is not really used for furniture or buildings: it is often used for axe handles and walking sticks. The seeds are poisonous and the boiled leaves produce a red dye, which is used in basket making. Other parts of the plant are used medicinally; extracts of the leaves and roots are used for the treatment of wounds, snakebite, constipation, stomach ailments and high fever. This tree is still important in traditional medicine today. Fresh or moistened dry leaves are used as dressings for wounds.

The leaves are eaten by cattle and various Game species. The Flowers attract a lot of insects and many species of Butterflies breed on this tree.

Why call it "Bushwillow Collection"? Apart from the fact that the tree occurs in good numbers around Bushwillow, we can also imagine that the wings on the pod indicate the points of a compass, and the seed in the pod is Bushwillow.

Just as the seed is at the centre of the pod, so is Bushwillow at the centre of things to do in the area, allowing one access to the attractions all around the region. Bushwillow is a good place to base one’s self to explore, whether it is Sodwana Bay in the north, St Lucia in the south, Hluhluwe Umfolozi Park in the west or False Bay in the east. Oh, and Bushwillow is easy to say, and hopefully remember for the great time spent exploring the area!

FUN FACT FRIDAY: ZULULAND AND ZULU CULTURE, A BRIEF INTRODUCTION

Jana Beets-Tippett — Fri, 26 Jun 2015 00:00:00 +0200

Below are a few facts about some of the different customs in Zulu culture. This addresses some of the common questions that Bushwillow guests have about the Zulu Nation.

Cattle: It is said that a Zulu man loves his cattle almost more than himself, and is prepared to risk his life for their protection. Traditionally, cattle represent wealth, power and status to the Zulu people.
Greeting: Among the Zulu people the person with the higher standing greets first. The greeting ‘Sawabona’ literally means ‘I see you’. The answer is ‘Yebo, Sawabona’ which means ‘Yes I see you too’
Shaking Hands: The traditional hand shake consists of three clasps. Initially the two people shake hands in the Western style, then each folds the fingers around the others thumb, finally they revert back to the initial handshake.
Give and Take: Only the right hand is used to give or take. The palm of the left hand is held under the right lower arm during this procedure to show that nothing is hidden.
Ilobolo: The term ‘Lobola’ is the corrupted version of the isiZulu word ‘ukulobola’ which means ‘paying the bride wealth’. Strictly speaking, by doing so, the Zulu man is not buying a wife but compensating her father for the trouble of her upbringing and the loss of her labour. Nowadays the bride wealth is at least 11 cattle, for a young woman of average standing.
Inkosi: The term ‘inkosi’ is the general expression for the head of the family, a chief or a leader.

So, next time you are in Zululand, practice your greetings and you will see happy faces from the Warrior Nation that is proud of its culture and land.

Information and pictures taken from ‘The Zulu, an A-Z of the Culture and Tradition’

FUN FACT FRIDAY: THE TOAD TREE

Ryan Tippett — Fri, 01 May 2015 00:00:00 +0200

This small and distinctive tree with its bizarre looking fruit is very noticeable on the morning bushwalks. They never grow to huge proportions, most are around 3m tall but they can attain 10m in good conditions.

The unusual fruit, which gives the tree its name, has a rough warty skin. Inside you will find a rich orange-coloured pulp that is often eaten by Zulu children. Many animals, including the endangered Black Rhino relish the taste of the fruit.

The leaves are relatively large and shaped like little surfboards. The leaves and stems contain copious amounts of milky white latex. Unlike many other plants, this latex is not toxic at all. The local Tonga people make a drink by mixing the latex into cow’s milk to make it curdle. This sticky latex has also been used to stop bleeding when applied to a cut!

Traditional healers, known as Sangomas use the bark of these trees as in ingredient in treating fevers.

DIGITAL DETOX AT BUSHWILLOW!

Liz Simon — Fri, 24 Apr 2015 00:00:00 +0200

Our brains are naturally wired to connect, so its not easy to turn away from these kinds of stimuli. But the connection that comes from technology is often an unfulfilling, ersatz version of connection. Its siren call (or beep, or blinking light) can crowd out the time and energy we have for REAL human connection. Worse, there is evidence that it can begin to actually rewire our brains to make us less adept at real human connection!

Did you know 80% of people suffer from "email apnea"? This means that every time we look at an e-mail or whats app message, or sms/text, we hold our breath for a short burst of time. It might sound trivial, but it's not. Disrupting your body's breathing pattern can knock your body's balance of oxygen, nitric oxide, and carbon dioxide out of whack, which can, in turn, play a part in exacerbating stress related conditions.

Come to Bushwillow for a digital detox! We did have wifi, but after a few month's we realised that guests no longer talked to each other, they were in a state of "continuous partial attention" - an expression to describe the state of always being partly tuned into everything while never being completely turned in to anything!

Some guests have complained, but most have been grateful for the opportunity to escape and reconnect with people and nature and disconnect from the digital world. No wifi, no TV, no DSTV, no radio..... if you ask nicely we can play some soothing music :-)

I was surprised to discover recently that there are now Digital Detox holidays that one can choose to go on! Count us in!

FUN FACT FRIDAY: HOW TO MAKE SCORPIONS GLOW IN THE DARK

Ryan Tippett — Fri, 17 Apr 2015 00:00:00 +0200

Scorpions show up brightly under UV light after dark, this can make them quite easy to find. Even small scorpions can be seen as far as 15 meters away with the help of a UV torch. Scorpions have a special section in the exoskeleton called the hyaline layer, that gives off this eerie glow. Depending on the species this colour can show up as fluorescent green, yellow or purple. Scorpions that have recently shed their skin do not glow until their exoskeleton hardens.

It is not yet fully understood how or why scorpions fluoresce. One theory is that it may serve for attracting and identifying mates.

FUN FACT FRIDAY: PINEAPPLES OF HLUHLUWE

Jana Beets-Tippett — Fri, 10 Apr 2015 00:00:00 +0200

Not many people know that a pineapple takes up to 18 months to reach full maturation. It grows best in temperatures between 15°C to 30°C. To ensure they are picked at their peak of maturity for ripeness and flavour, the sugar content of the pineapple is tested out in the field using a refractometer (a device for measuring the refractive index of the fruit).

The plant grows about 90cm tall. It bears 30 to 40 stiff, sword-shaped waxy leaves clustered tightly around a thick fleshy stem.

In Hluhluwe, South Africa the suckers are planted and picked by manual labour. The plants require a well-drained subsurface soil and regular fertilization. The sandy soils in Hluhluwe are perfect for pineapple production and the Hluhluwe farmers are proud of their sweet, juicy pineapples!

Stay at Bushwillow Collection to sample the pineapples. On your arrival, you shall be welcomed with a refreshing glass of fresh juice. If you stay at our Lodge, we try to incorporate pineapple recipes regularly, whether it be during breakfast or a 3-course evening meal. We welcome any new pineapple recipes!