iSimangaliso: Outdoor Activities

• Birding (hot spots info, guided or self, hikes, walks, drives)
• Boat Cruises (Hippo & Croc tour) on the lake, 2 hrs, educational, special events)
• Bicycle tours (around St Lucia bring own or rent, guided or self)
• Bowls - we have club, visitors welcome
• Crocodile and Reptile Park at St Lucia
• Deep- Sea Charters for fishing or ocean mammal trip
• Deep- Sea Kayak Fishing or adventure, surf lessons, wave riding
• Fishing: Surf, Rock, Lake, Fly, drop shot as long as it is permitted.

• Hiking & walking trails ( self-guided or guided, 20 min to a few days)
• Game Watching (2 reserves & 1 park within 100km - guided or self-drive)
• Horse Safaris - from 2 hour beach/bush or a few days safari in the wetlands
• Kayaking on lake St Lucia (only guided)
• Night Drives into the Wetland Park guided only
• Turtle Tours (Nov - Feb) Hatching and nesting process
• Visit Cape Vidal - Picnic /snorkel/ birding/ fishing ski launch site/ walks/ fishing
• Visit Mission Rocks - Picnic/ tidal pools/ walk up view point dune/ fishing
• Whale Watching - deep-sea boat based (Advantage Charter only permit holder)

• Zulu Culture - visit traditional kraal or history tour through township
• Golf at Monzi (15km) 9 hole course shared with wildlife
• Plant nurseries: Manukelana Nursery for indigenous only plants and other at Monzi
• CaneRat Home industry and tea garden at Monzi
• Read a book, sleep late and relax in the shade of a tree.

Birding

St Lucia is excellent in summer with many visitors and breeding and very good in winter months too. Within a 35 km area we have 5 Hot spots with different habitat. You can access all the spots yourself or get a qualified local bird guide for a few hours to help with "specials". Our entire family (including the dog Jack) are keen birders but also call on the guides for expertise. We have a growing garden bird list, the nearest hotspot is 50m. Go on the lake in a kayak for birding with a guide. Visit www.birdlife.org.za for lists etc. and other birding information.

For more information on birding in KwaZulu-Natal, visit the BirdLife South Africa birding routes website .

Boat Cruises

Known as Hippo & Croc tours on Lake St Lucia. The boats are big flat bottom ferry type, accessible to disabled persons, wheelchairs and small children. The tours are informative and educational for about 2 hours. Snacks and drinks for sale on the boats.

Crocodile and Reptile Park

In St Lucia, entrance fee payable. Open daily. It is an educational museum tour with live crocodiles of different ages and different types, a snake park and cycad garden. Saturdays at 14h00 there is an educational snake talk with live specimens and at 15h00 they feed the big crocodiles. Confirm at reception about the snake demo. In season a tea room is in operation.

Fishing

St Lucia offers a spot for most types of fishing. Sea, surf, rock, lake, fly-fishing etc. Ensure you have your permits and licence on your person, also keep a list with minimum size and bag limits handy. Fishing kayaks may launch at Cape Vidal, it is safest there.

You need your Certificates of Fitness (for boat) and Competency (skippers licence) to launch in the lake or sea at St Lucia and Cape Vidal. There are many skippers that offer deep-sea fishing at St Lucia.

Ocean Adventures

These are boat based deep-sea trips that take you for about 2 hours looking for sea mammals (dolphins, flying fish etc.) It is an activity for those who have never been on a boat in the sea, a once in a life time adventure experience. (No persons with back problems or pregnant ladies). You will get wet so wear shoes and clothes that can get wet.

Walking Trails

There are 5 trails that you can walk without a guide that covers different habitats in and around the town. Ensure you have enough water and shoes that can get wet if you walk to the lake (marchland).

The trails vary from 15 minutes to 2 hours and you may encounter Zebra, Blue Wildebeest, Impala, Warthog and many species of birds.

Do not cycle in the iGwalagwala Trail, as there are many blind curves and people walking. The other trails are safer to cycle in the nature reserve area.

You have to book a guide (one with a gun) if you want to hike inside the Wetland Park through KZN Ezemvelo/Wildlife. These hikes are between a few hours to a few days.

Game Watching

Drive yourself or go with a tour operator from St Lucia or meet another operator at the gates.

Game is most active at dawn and sunset, especially during hot days. Colder, cloudy, rainy days also provide good viewing all day. Ensure you have enough petrol.

Hluhluwe/Imfolozi Game Reserve has 2 entrances, Nyalazi gate about 60km and Hilltop gate about 90km. Entrance fees are payable at all the gates, domestic visitors take your id for discount. Gate times: Summer (1 November) 05h00-19h00/Winter (1 April) 06h00 - 18h00. Take your lunch and picnic (even braai) at one of the picnic spots. More information on the tours here.

uMkhuze Game Reserve has 2 entrances, from the N2 the eMshophi gate 143km and the Ophansi gate 148km from the Sodwana road. Entrance fee is per vehicle and per person. Gate times: Summer (1 October) 05h00-19h00/Winter (1 April) 06h00 - 18h00. The reserve has 6 hides with 420 bird species. A walk with a guide through the Sycamore Fig forest and a visit to Nsumo pan are favourite experiences.

iSimangaliso Wetland Park (Cape Vidal & Mission rocks) entrance is at St Lucia. Gate times: Summer (1 November) 05h00-19h00/Winter (1 April) 06h00 - 18h00. Entrance fee is per vehicle and per person. The area east of the lake is called Eastern Shores and includes Cape Vidal and Mission Rocks. There are a number of game viewing roads (one-way loop roads), picnic spots and a water pan. The roads offer access to varied habitats like grasslands, lakes, pans and coastal dune forests. Speed limit is 60, drive slowly and do not kill the animals, birds and beetles that cross the roads or use it themselves. Beware of monkeys stealing your food, DO NOT FEED THEM.

Mission Rocks offers a lookout point atop a vegetated dune, picnic area, and toilet ablution and beach access. Best to go at low tide so the rocks are clear of water and the tidal pools are visible. Snorkeling for more experienced swimmers as there are many rocks. Lovely picnic area with ablution. No shops, take everything with you, beware of sharp rocks.

Cape Vidal has a tiny bay and is a popular beach for swimming and snorkeling and fishing. Picnic sites and toilet and shower ablutions are available for day visitors. Take everything with you especially water to drink. Do not drive into unmarked or no entry roads, it will take hours to find you when you get stuck or lost. Walk to the whale watch tower along the primary dune along the sea. It gets very crowded over long weekends and peak season and 120 vehicles are allowed into the park at any given time.

Horse Safaris

Horse rides on the beach for 2 hours and you do not have to know how. Safaris are also available into the wetland park, beach and bush or just bush. Safaris are available for up to a few days, sleeping in a tented camp inside the park. Booking is essential.

Kayaking on Lake

On Lake St Lucia - guided only. Big 2 person kayaks with all safety equipment provided and an experienced guide. 2-3 hour paddles, past crocs and hippos, birders should try this. Usually 07h00 to 14h00, weather and wind permitting. You do not need to be super fit or young, ladies welcome.

Night Drives

Guided only, into the Wetland Park on a game viewing vehicle. From about 20h00 to 23h00 at night.

Experience the forests at night and see other wildlife. Some tour operators include refreshments.

Turtle Tours (seasonal from November to February)

Leatherback and Loggerhead Sea Turtles nest on our beaches and 2 tour operators are chosen to guide tours on the beach at Cape Vidal.

The tours are from early evening to early morning depending on the tides. The tours include night drives to and from Cape Vidal, driving on the beach northwards and snacks and refreshments and a walk on the beach. From January the eggs hatch and a few lucky people witness the scurry to get to the water and other see the enormous females dig and lay eggs, conceal it and return to the sea. More information on the tours here.

Whale Watching (seasonal from June to November)

St Lucia has one permit holder for Whale watching only, Advantage. This is a deep-sea boat based trip. No pregnant women and those with spine and back problems or small children. Trips are weather permitting and you have to sign an indemnity form. Trips start very early in the morning and is about 2 hours. Be totally blown away by the size of the Humpback Whales, see flying fish and dolphins too.

Zulu Culture

Visit traditional kraals with people acting and practising a previous way of living.

Go on a historical storytelling tour to Khula village, 7km from St Lucia, and see living today entwined with tradition and Zulu Culture. Tours can include a visit to a church, school, clinic, crèche, sangoma, mat weavers, and children dancing, just ask.

There are craft stalls and markets along the roads, be very careful when you stop at the small remote ones. Make sure your craft is real Zulu craft and not an item from a neighbouring country sold throughout South Africa. St Lucia has 2 craft markets in town.

Sodwana Bay - Scuba Diving

This activity can only be done at Sodwana Bay only about 175 km from St Lucia. There are many reefs and experienced guides, skippers and trainers. Bring your own equipment or rent. You need a vehicle that can drive on sand to get the accommodation, lots of potholes the last few kilometres from Mbazwana, although I've seen a Mercedes do it successfully. Day visitors fee is payable and there is a restaurant on the beach with ablutions.

Sea Escapes Dolphin Viewing

P O Box 1501, Sodwana Bay 3974 Tel: 083 459 4222 or 082 853 2905

www.SeaEscapes.co.za

Maphelane

The highest vegetated dune in the Wetland Park is 183m at Maphelane. This is a popular spot with fishermen and nature lovers. You will need an off-road vehicle. Belongs to KZN Ezemvelo.

Monzi

About 12 km from St Lucia, a farmers community and holiday accommodation. Monzi also boasts a 9 -18 hole golf course shared with wildlife, country house (lunch & bar), Cane Rat home industry and tea garden, Maywood Plant Nursery and Cane Cutters Exotic Bird Park with restaurant, wine cellar, Pet shop and petting farm animals.

Richards Bay

Visit the small craft harbour area with many restaurants and craft shops. Be very careful at the Boardwalk Shopping Centre in town specifically the parking areas. The centre has many restaurants, shops and Ster Kinekor Cinema. There are also very popular birding spots in Richards Bay and a guide is essential for safety reasons and to get access to some areas, which are on private land. The beaches are very crowded in season.

Hluhluwe

This little town is about 87 km and you can easily make a day trip there. Visit Ilala Weavers Basketry export showroom and museum, there is also a restaurant. Visit the cheetah and other cat breeding projects at Emdoneni. Visi the traditional Zulu kraal Dumazulu, 3 shows per day. En route, stop at Zamimpilo Craft Market for Zulu pottery, mats and other wooden craft as well as fruit in season. The market is operated and managed by women of the community, many of them making the craft for sale, themselves.

Contact Information

More Info contact Imelda: Tel/Fax Int.(+2735) Local (035) 590-1033e-mail info@stluciawilds.co.za