The iSimangaliso Wetland Park is one of the outstanding natural wetland and coastal sites in Africa. It’s diversity of ecosystems makes it a UNESCO World Heritage Site of importance.
The Park includes Lake St Lucia, the St Lucia and Maputoland Marine Reserves, the Coastal Forest Reserve, the Kosi Bay Nature Reserve and Mkhuze Game Reserve– some 328 000 hectares of pristine natural ecosystems, and the country’s third largest protected land mass. These ecosystems include scenically beautiful, pristine and extensive wetlands, breath taking wilderness beaches with coral reefs, dunes, interesting estuaries, grasslands and now rich wildlife reserves. It is a special place. Over 50% of the birds in KZN are located near the St Lucia Lake and its estuary. Near the lake, more than 2,180 species of bush and wild flowers have been documented and many mammal species inhabit the area, some recently re-introduced.
Here we cover just Sodwana Bay, the Eastern Shores and Cape Vidal, Lake Sibaya and Mabibi.
Sodwana Bay is one of the top 10 dive sites in the world. Home to South Africa’s best coral reef complex and the prehistoric coelacanth fish. It is part of the Maputoland and St Lucia Marine Reserves which form a continuous protected area, of some 150km’s long and extends three nautical miles out to sea. The 50kms of coral gardens, reefs and overhangs are home to over 80 percent of South Africa’s fish species. These high altitude reefs make diving a pleasure. It is the perfect breeding ground for many marine creatures and this combined with the generally good visibility provides a spectacle of colour and variety. On the Indian Ocean seabed there are several canyons that cut the continental shelf. In 2000, in Jesser Canyon, the prehistoric Coelacanth was found to be a resident. It was thought to be extinct.
There are 95 species of corals, as well as sponges and other invertebrates. There are over 1200 species of fish, including sharks, the manta ray, the rock cod and the potato bass. Shark diving is also good with regular sightings of Ragged Tooth Shark, Zambezi and Tiger Shark, even the Great White and occasionally during summer, the greatest of fish, the Whale Shark can be watched.
Where to stay? Mseni Beach Lodge*** has its own private access to the beach.
The Eastern Shores and Cape Vidal: Grassland is separated by Coastal Dunes, which home the shy Red Duiker and the endangered Samango Monkey. In the forest patches, forest birds abound, including the beautiful Narina Trojan, and the ‘Mvubu Trail” is a must for birders. The dunes themselves are of the late Pleistocene age having been formed over the past 25000 years. Many exceed 160m in height with the highest being the Mapelane dune at 183m’s, all are thickly vegetated with dense shrubbery and trees up to 30m high. What makes the eastern shores special is the variety of trails, both guided and self guided. Buffalo, hippo, common reedbuck, waterbuck, bush pig and zebra are regularly seen. Leopard spoor is frequently seen. Cheetah has been introduced here. The Wetland Park is home to a total of 53 snake species and 42 species of lizards.
Where to stay? Mabibi is a little piece of heaven. Superb diving, beach and a gem of barefoot luxury is at Thonga Beach Lodge*****. If you are on a budget there is both camping and wooden chalet accommodation at parks board run Cape Vidal, known for its fishing.
If you are on a budget or prefer self-catering, there is both camping and wooden chalet accommodation at parks board run Cape Vidal, known for its fishing.
The pristine protected beaches at Mabibi and Northwards, make this a perfect leather back turtle egg laying area. Feb is the perfect time of the year to watch the moving sight of a massive turtle, after swimming for thousands of miles, hauling herself from the water and up the beach to lay her eggs. A moving, lifetime memory.
The Sibaya Lake is the largest freshwater lake in South Africa and is bordered by enormous vegetation covered dunes which filter rainwater into the lake. No rivers feed it. It has several species of zooplankton that feed aquatic clams and terrestrial clams. 279 species of bird life, some of which are at risk of extinction, can be found. Up to 20,000 water birds can be observed at one time! A good way to view is from a kayak. Great fun too!
And this is just part of iSimanhaliso… Read the full story at https://www.thesaunter.co.za
