Sailing between the hippos and the crocodiles

Hippos and crocodiles are the ever-inspiring neighbours of the inhabitants of the village of St. Lucia. It is located in the far south of the Greater St. Lucia Wetland Park (renamed St. Lucia iSimangaliso Wetland Park) bordering the Indian Ocean. The hippos and crocodiles live in a large lagoon on the west side of the village where daily boat trips are organized. The lagoon is connected to the ocean and feeds the entire iSimangaliso Wetland Park. The village can only be reached via a bridge over this lagoon.

St. Lucia is an excellent starting point for a few days of excursions in that area, such as swimming and snorkeling in Cape Vidal, safaris in the Umfolozi/Hluhluwe park, a night safari in the iSimangaliso Wetland Park or horseback riding along the coast.

Kosi Bay Nature Reserve, which is part of the park, covers an area of beaches, mangrove forests and lakes. Here, children can snorkel in crystal clear waters, make a boat ride, walk on many hiking trails or have a chat with the local Tsonga fishermen while collecting their nets in the estuary.

The St. Lucia iSimangaliso Wetland Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and offers a refreshing alternation with the traditional flat landscape of many African parks.

Step aboard a boat and spot the hippos and crocodiles. Don’t forget your camera as you can admire them up close. After two hours you will return and will be brought back to your lodge.

From St. Lucia you can leave for Durban and enjoy “Chilling or surfing by the sea in Durban”. You can also choose the building block “Ziplining in the Drakensberg Mountains”.