A very special slice of Africa, the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park offers ecotourists some of the most diverse wildlife and outdoor experiences imaginable.
In addition to Lake Santa Lucia, a unique 38,000 ha expanse of lake, islands and estuary, the park incorporates an astonishing variety of habitats ranging from the Ubombo Mountains to grasslands, forests, wetlands, mangroves and vegetated dunes, with magnificent beaches and coral reefs.
The Greater St Lucia Wetland Park stretches along the Zululand coast from Mapelane in the south to Sodwana in the north.
From Mapelane, the park extends northwards and incorporates the St. Lucia Game and Marine Reserves, False Bay Park, Cape Vidal, Sodwana Bay, Mkuzi Game Reserve and Maputaland Marine Reserve.
The 260,000 ha park is internationally recognized and a World Heritage Site.
This diversity gives rise to a multiplicity of fauna and flora, unmatched in South Africa. It is home to a large number of Nile crocodiles and hippos, as well as rhinos (both black and white), elephants, buffalo, giraffe, waterbuck, kudu, nyala, impala, duiker, and reedbuck, among many other species.
While swimming in the lake is prohibited due to the presence of crocodiles, recreational options abound.
You can snorkel in coral reefs or walk miles along golden beaches; explore great dunes and walk through magical coastal forests; or wander across grassy plains as the wind carries the whistles of alert reedbucks.
You can try your hand at canoeing while enjoying a nature trail, and if you fancy snorkeling, angling or sailing, this is the place to indulge.
Migrating whales that romp along the shoreline, leatherback sea turtles, and loggerheads, which nest on the beaches at night in summer, add to the park’s special attractions.