The Dlinza Forest
Visitors can lose themselves in the Dlinza Forest in Eshowe, KwaZulu-Natal. This indigenous forest is home to rare birds and insects and is a favourite bird-watching destination. A tree-top boardwalk offers a fascinating view of the forest while numerous trails wander below the canopy.
Vervet Monkey - Mpumalanga
Who to contact
For further information on accommodation options and leisure activities in Eshowe contact the Eshowe Tourism Association on +27 (0) 35 474 1141.
How to get here
The Dlinza Forest is easly accessed from Kangella Road in Eshowe, KwaZulu-Natal. The entrance is just beyond the Eshowe High School.
Best time to visit
Any time of year. For butterfly enthusiasts, autumn is best.
Where to stay
Accommodation, ranging from basic budget backpackers to luxury lodges, is available in Eshowe.
DID YOU KNOW?
Dlinza Forest was traditionally used as a burial ground for slain Zulu warriors.
The Dlinza Forest is found outside the small town of Eshowe and is one of 2 beautiful indigenous forests in this section of the KwaZulu-Natal province.
The 250-hectare forest, established in 1947, is crisscrossed with walking trails, but the most fun way to explore this natural attraction is via its 10-metre high aerial boardwalk.
The Dlinza Forest aerial boardwalk is especially popular among bird watchers and rare species such as the Spotted thrush and Delegorgue's pigeon are amongst those that can be spotted. Butterflies also abound in autumn with 70 recorded species, including the Mocker Swallowtail, Mother of Pearl and Gaudy Commodore.
Though filled with rare plants and birds, the forest's most endangered citizen is the Dlinza Forest Pinwheel, a snail that only occurs here.
This forest in KwaZulu-Natal has extensive picnic facilities and walking trails, but can also be explored by car on the Royal Drive, which passes through the middle of the forest.
Visitors can learn more about local plants and their medicinal uses from plaques dotted throughout the forest, filled with fascinating facts. The early morning is an especially good time for a meander as the forest's many birds and frogs create a mesmerising cacophony of sound.
The town of Eshowe sits at the centre of the Zululand Birding Route and the Dlinza Forest certainly does the area justice. The forest is rare in that it is situated within an urban area making accommodation easy to find. Children can play in the forest and clamber along the wooded walkway while looking out for Vervet monkeys and a pair of Crown eagles that nest here.
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