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Eco-tourism delights
Elephant Coast
Zululand attractions include Sodwana Bay's beaches.
© South African Tourism
Did you know?
The Elephant Coast tourism hotspot, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, contains Africa's largest estuarine system.
Elephant Coast, KwaZulu-Natal, is an eco-tourism destination in every sense of the word. It's renowned for its wetland and wildlife conservation efforts, both of which are major Elephant Coast tourism drawcards.
It offers a host of eco-oriented pursuits, of which Big 5 game viewing, hikes and walks, scuba diving, and sea turtle tracking are the most popular Elephant Coast activities.
The Elephant Coast, KwaZulu-Natal houses 2 of South Africa's greatest natural institutions, the iSimangaliso Wetland Park and the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park.
iSimangaliso stretches 220km from Cape St Lucia to the Mozambique border and is a World Heritage Site. It is dominated by Lake St Lucia and the St Lucia Estuary with its network of coastal lakes, dunes, subtropical forests, swamps and wetland systems that are a haven for indigenous fauna and flora.
The park features several reserves, including the St Lucia Game Reserve, St Lucia Marine Reserve, the Sodwana Bay National Park, Maputaland Marine Reserve, False Bay Park and Mkuze Game Reserve, all of which offer exciting game experiences.
There are countless ways to explore iSimangaliso, including hikes, walks, forest and dune trails, boat cruises, canoeing and scuba diving the spectacular coral reefs at Sodwana Bay.
Inland, the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park is a conservation marvel. It is renowned for its efforts to save the white rhino from extinction and today features more than 1 500 white rhino. It is also home to lion, elephant, buffalo and leopard, providing an authentic Big 5 African safari experience.
The Elephant Coast's magnificent beaches are another major attraction, not only to visitors from around the world, but also to hordes of endangered loggerhead and leatherback turtles that come to lay their eggs in the dunes here between November and January.
Visit Kosi Bay and Sodwana Bay and do a night-time turtle tracking tour that provides a front row seat to one of nature's greatest shows.
Travel tips & Planning info
Who to contact
KwaZulu-Natal Tourism Authority:
Tel: +27 (0) 31 366 7500
Email: kznta@iafrica.com
Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife:
Tel: +27 (0) 33 845 1000
Email: webmail@kznwildlife.com
How to get here
Fly from any of South Africa’s major cities to King Shaka International Airport.
If you’re driving, from Johannesburg take the N2 freeway east past Ermelo to St. Lucia. From Cape Town, take the N2 freeway through Durban, and north on to St. Lucia.
From Durban, take the N2 north to St. Lucia.
Tours to do
Game walks and drives at reserves in the area; Big 5 game viewing at Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park; snorkelling and scuba diving at Sodwana Bay; tiger fishing and boat cruises at Lake Jozini; beachcombing and turtle tracking at Kosi Bay; tours around Lake Sibaya; visiting the Emdoneni Cat Rehabilitation Centre; kayaking safari at St Lucia; whale watching at St Lucia.
What to eat
Fresh seafood.
What's happening
Turtle tracking between November and January; whale watching from June to November.