The Isimangaliso Wetland Park in KwaZulu-Natal is one of South Africa’s greatest treasures. It’s also a global wonder and a proclaimed UNESCO World Heritage Site. Ecologically one of its kind and located well off the beaten track in Zululand, the Isimangaliso Wetland Park is a wonderworld of natural beauty and a must for anybody serious about discovering KwaZulu-Natal’s best gems.
Nelson Mandela is quoted on South African Tourism’s website for his appreciative comments about Isimangaliso Wetland Park: “The wetland park must be the only place on the globe where the world’s oldest land mammal (the rhinoceros) and the world’s biggest land mammal (the elephant) share an ecosystem with the world’s oldest fish (the Coelacanth) and the world’s biggest marine mammal (the whale).”
What makes the park exceptional is its diversity of ecosystems, each spectacularly scenic and creating opportunity for incredible leisure activities that focus on nature’s bounty. Isimangaliso Wetland Park incorporates extensive wetlands, breathtaking wilderness beaches, dunes and grasslands, and wildlife reserves. Discover the magic of the area whilst staying at one of these luxury lodges:
Makakatana Bay Lodge offers ‘the best seat in the house’ for an experience of Isimangaliso Wetland Park. Situated on the banks of lake St Lucia, it is the only privately owned lodge actually set within Isimangaliso Wetland Park. In order to enjoy all the nature activities on offer from the lodge, it’s best to stay for at least a few days. The To Do List includes game drives in the wetlands where hippo sightings are frequent, as well as beach outings and snorkelling, fishing and boating, horse riding and walking. Stay in one of just a handful of suites, delightfully hidden away in a sand forest.
Tucked away in a forest on the western boundary of Isimangaliso Wetland Park, Hluhluwe River Lodge is a wonderful family-friendly nature getaway on the scenic edge of the park. Walking trails, mountain bike trails, safaris in nearby Hluhluwe Imfolozi Reserve and beach trips to Cape Vidal and Sodwana Bay are among the activities on offer from the lodge.
Kosi Forest Lodge is an appealing hideaway concealed in a sand forest on the shores of the Kosi Lakes System which is in the north-eastern section of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park. Here, nature is at her best and guests are treated to canoe trips on the lakes, walks in palm forests and fabulous beach trips. Accommodation is in forest cabins with gorgeous open-air bathrooms.
Exclusive Thonga Beach Lodge is situated at Mabibi Bay on the Maputaland Coast of KwaZulu-Natal, an area that also forms part of Isimangaliso Wetland Park. It’s an idyllic world of unspoiled sandy beach, dune forest and glassy lakes, with giant turtles coming to these remote shores annually to lay their eggs. Luxury chalets are situated close to the beach. They are sublime holiday hideouts offering privacy and views of the forests or ocean.
Mail us to book your South African holiday, or call +27 21 797-7122 (international) or 0860 102 907 (local).
