St Lucia, South Africa

Tours

Witness hippos, Nile crocodiles, and hundreds of bird species onboard a cruise departing from St Lucia. This two-hour safari gets you up close to the residents of the estuary. Discover St Lucia iSimangaliso Wetland Park, one of the largest Estuarine systems in Africa. Travel aboard an exclusive 15-seater vessel with experienced and knowledgable skippers and rangers onboard. They will be happy to answer any questions you may have and furnish you with some incredible facts and information on the area.

Experience the rolling hills of the Savannah grasslands and a magical African sunrise. Sit back and relax while your ranger takes you to the best areas within the park. With trained eyes and years of experience, your ranger will undoubtedly deliver some magnificent sightings. Learn more about this fascinating park and the incredible history of when King Shaka used the lower Umfolozi as his personal hunting grounds or how the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park single-handedly saved the rhinos from near extinction. The park is home not only to the African Big 5 (lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, and buffalo) but also includes cheetahs, wild dogs, and many more. Enjoy breakfast and lunch at one of the numerous scenic picnic areas within the park. The tour concludes with a drop off at the Nyalazi Gate or alternatively, drop off back at your accommodation in St. Lucia.

Start with pickup from your accommodation at 7:00 PM or 8:00 PM and embark on a night drive safari at the iSimangaliso Wetland Park. Spend 3 hours in the park and try to spot a variety of nocturnal species who are more active at night. See nocturnal mammals such as bush babies and aardvarks. Go in search of the elusive leopard, who prefers to hunt at night. If you are lucky, witness a herd of elephants congregate in the beautiful glow of moonlight or hear the pounding of buffalo hooves as they gallop across the plains in darkness. Many of the species of the park tend to be bolder at night, so the chances of spotting rare species are higher on a night drive safari. Search for the animals with an expert guide. All vehicles are fitted with spotlights which will allow you to get the best views of any species you find. Gaze at the beautiful night sky and note the constellations throughout the safari.

Explore the Eastern shores of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park on a sunset Jeep tour. Enjoy a unique perspective of the numerous ecosystems within the Eastern Shores from the comfort of your Jeep seat and keep an eye out for local fauna, including elephants, leopards, hyenas, and more. End your day with a twist on a safari at sunset. Venture through the iSimangaliso Wetland Park as you sit back, and get ready to enjoy possible sightings of Leopard, Buffalo, Hyena, Elephant, Rhino, Hippos, Zebra, Warthogs, and numerous species of Antelope. Marvel at the park as the sun sets and the nocturnal animals become active. Discover South Africa's very first-world heritage site the iSimangaliso Wetland Park. On this sunset drive, enter the Eastern side, commonly known as the Eastern Shores.

Enjoy an open game drive safari in South Africa's first UNESCO World Heritage Site. Start with pickup from St Lucia or Durban, and after a brief introduction, enter the iSimangaliso Wetland Park. While on safari, enjoy the spectacular natural beauty of the park as you explore numerous loop roads, outcrops, and lookout points. With knowledgeable and experienced guides, discover an abundance of wildlife species in the park. Search for Africa's Big 5 game animals: lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant, and Cape buffalo. Spot other animals such as waterbuck, impala, wildebeest, zebra, warthog, reedbuck, chameleon, giraffe, and hyena. Enjoy a stop at Cape Vidal, a protected bay and beach area. Take some time for snorkeling or swimming in the waters surrounding this resort destination (weather dependent), and enjoy some lunch on-site (Lunch is included on the Full Day Option Only). See the highest vegetative dunes on the African continent and enjoy plenty of scenic photo opportunities throughout the day.

This day tour is focused on the Unesco site, the Isimangaliso Greater St Lucia estuary, which is South Africa's third largest protected area covering 280km of coastline. The main stop is the Boat Safari on the St Lucia estuary which will be guided by the local expert guide.

Meet your friendly instructors in Cape Vidal, just an hour drive through iSimangaliso Wetland Park from St. Lucia. The park is a protected area that runs along the coast of South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal Provice, and is home to an abundance of hippos, crocodiles, penguins, flamingos, elephants, giraffes, and leopards, spanning across the various landscapes. The adventure begins with a safety briefing on the beach and time to get kitted out with all the snorkel gear. Next, head into the water for a 1 to 1.5-hour exploration of Cape Vidal’s underwater world. Follow your instructor as you go in search of marine life, with the opportunity to see stingrays, octopus, butterfly fish, sturgeon fish, and many more. By the end of the trip, you will have spotted around 50 different species of fish. Back on dry land, warm up with a cup of tea, coffee, or hot chocolate as you page through the fascinating fish ID book to point out what you have seen.

See the Unesco World Heritage Site of the ISimangaliso Wetlands Park, then witness traditional arts, crafts, and performances at the DumaZulu village. Depart from Durban and head north along the coast to northern KwaZulu-Natal. The first stop will be DumaZulu Cultural Village in the heart of Zululand. Experience a village depicting traditional Zulu culture, with beehive huts arranged in a circle around a cattle kraal. Enjoy a welcome from a local guide who will explain the traditions and customs of the Zulu people including basket-weaving, and spear and shield-making. Feel free to purchase some decorative beadwork from the locals. View the village Sangoma perform traditional bone throwing, dancing, and singing of the Zulu tribe. Next we will stop at the small town of St Lucia inside the iSimangaliso Wetlands Park. Board a riverboat for a 2-hour guided tour of the estuary. Encounter a unique ecosystem of pristine coastline and magnificent scenery. Keep an eye out for hippopotami, and maybe see one of the estimated 1,000 crocodiles. The Park also has wildlife like lions, zebra, elephants, leopards, giraffes, black and white rhinos, and fish eagles. After St Lucia we will take a slow drive to Durban

The tour departs from Durban heading northward along the coast to northern KwaZulu-Natal. The first stop is the town of St Lucia and the estuary inside the iSimangaliso Wetlands Park. There you will board a river boat for a 2 hours guided tour of the estuary. The local guide will inform you of the reserves history and its incredible wildlife. Previously known as the Greater St. Lucia Wetland Park, iSimangaliso Wetlands Park was declared South Africa's first Natural World Heritage Site and is considered South Africa's third largest park with 280km of near pristine coastline and 328 000 hectares of magnificent scenery. The protected area is home to one of the largest population of hippopotami in SA, an estimated 1000 crocodiles as well as a wealth of plant, bird and animal life. The park was proclaimed a world heritage site because of the rich biodiversity, unique ecosystems and natural beauty occurring in a relatively small area. Animals occurring on the park include, lion, African elephant, leopard, black and southern white rhino, buffalo and in the ocean, whales, dolphins, and marine turtles including the leatherback and loggerhead turtle.

This is a 2.5hour drive from Durban to St Lucia. When we arrive in St Lucia you go into a boat cruise. What a memorable tour this is as you cruise on the Hippo & Croc Boat Cruise marvelling at hippos, crocs, birds and other wildlife down St Lucia Estuary. On this Hippo & Croc tour, the local guide will inform you of the Isimangaliso’s history and its incredible wildlife. Excellent tour if you have limited time but still need to see & experience Isimangaliso Wetlands Park. The Hippo and Croc Boat Cruise in St Lucia Estuary offers a thrilling way to experience the rich wildlife of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park in South Africa. On this guided boat tour, you will glide along the estuary's waters, home to one of the largest populations of hippos and Nile crocodiles in Africa. As you navigate the serene waters, you'll have the opportunity to see these magnificent creatures up close, along with a variety of bird species such as fish eagles, kingfishers, and herons. The knowledgeable guides provide insightful commentary on the ecosystem and its inhabitants, enhancing your understanding and appreciation of this unique environment. The cruise is perfect for nature enthusiasts and photographers, offering stunning views and unforgettable wildlife encounters.