The iSimangaliso Wetland Park (previously St Lucia Wetlands Park) offers ecotourists some of the most diverse wildlife and outdoor experiences imaginable.
Enter your destination in South Africa + what you want to search for:
Hotels in Durban
iSimangaliso Wetland Park is situated on the east coast of South Africa about 275 kilometers (170 mi) north of Durban. It is South Africa's third-largest protected area, spanning 280 kilometers (175 mi) of coastline, from the Mozambican border in the north to Mapelane south of the St Lucia estuary, and made up of around 3,280 sq km pristine natural ecosystem.
The iSimangaliso Wetland Park is one of the juvels of South Africa's coastline, with a unique mosaic of ecosystems - swamps, lakes, beaches, coral reefs, wetlands, woodlands, coastal mangrove forests, and savanna - supporting an outstanding diversity of animal, bird and marine life. The park takes in a 60-kilometer river mouth that creates a huge estuary, Lake St Lucia, running parallel to the coast and separated from the sea by the world's highest forested sand dunes. The lake is part of the St Lucia estuarine system, the largest estuaruine system in Africa. The park incorporates the whole of Lake St Lucia, the St Lucia and Maputaland Marine Reserve, the Coastal Forest Reserve and the Kosi Bay Natural Reserve. The Park is due to be integrated into a transfrontier park straddling South Africa, Mazambique, and Swaziland. This is in turn planned to become a part of the Greater Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area, which includes the Kruger National Park.
Animals occurring in the park include elephants, leopard, black and white rhino, buffalo, more than 800 hippos and 1,200 Nile crocodiles, and in the ocean, whales, dolphins, sharks, and marine turtles including leatherback and loggerheaded turtle. There are large outcroppings of underwater reefs which are home to brightly coloured fish and corals. Some of the most spectacular coral diversity is located in Sodwana Bay. Occasionally gigantic whale sharks can be seen gliding through the water. There are more than 530 species of birds who use the wetland and other areas of the park. Among these are 20,000 greater flamingos and 40,000 lesser flamingos, as well as thousands of ducks.
There is plenty to do in the iSimangaliso Wetland Park. Game and bird viewing include self-guided and guided walking trails or drives on the numerous trails and loop roads within the park. Guided night drives in the Eastern Shores and uMkhuze provide an interesting insight into the nocturnal habits of iSimangaliso's wildlife. Fishing has long been a favourite past-time for visitors to the Park, and options range from deep-sea fishing to surf, rock and fly-fishing. For the more adventures, kayaking on Lake St Lucia or Lake Sibaya or a horse ride on St Lucia's beaches or on the eastern shores or False Bay are possible. Scuba diving and snorkelling are excellent ways to experience the underwater world of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park.
The iSimangaliso Wetland Park has a wide range of accommodation options to suit the budget and requirements of all its visitors. Campsites can be found at Kosi Bay, Mabibi, Sodwana Bay, uMkhuze, False Bay, Cape Vidal, Lake St Lucian and Maphelane. Various self-catering options, ranging from safari tents to log cabins and more exclusive bush lodges are available at Kosi Bay, Sodwana Bay, uMkhuze, False Bay, Cape Vidal and Maphelane. Guests requiring catered accommodation can stay in Sodwana Bay or any of the three fully catered facilities in the Coastal Forest section of iSimangaliso.
Hotels in Durban