The Elephant coast
Experience the wonders of one of the last wildland in the world, the Elephant Coast!
This part of KwaZulu-Natal stretches from the Isimangaliso Wetland Park in the south to Kosi Bay on the border with Mozambique in the north. This unique region boasts 21 different ecosystems, offering a diversity found nowhere else in the world. with its 220-kilometer stretch of protected coastline and some of the highest forested dunes on the planet.
This beautiful and wild part of KwaZulu-Natal got its name because of the largest herd of African elephants in Africa that have been living in the sand forest in this region for centuries. It is known as the joy and heart of the Zulu Kingdom. It is easy to understand why – it is a land of pristine wetlands, swamps, many freshwater lakes, sand forests, dunes, rolling bushvelds, breathtaking unspoiled wild beaches, amazing wildlife and the southernmost corals in Africa.
Due to its diversity and importance for preservation, part of the coast was proclaimed South Africa’s first World Heritage Site in 1999 – the iSimangaliso Wetland Park. “iSimangaliso” in Zulu means “The land of wonder.” Despite facing challenges the conservation efforts in this region are vital for protecting endangered species like the rhino and maintaining the biodiversity of this remarkable ecosystem.
Hightlights of elephant coast
infolosi-HLUHLUWE RESERVE
In the heart of the Zulu kingdom, in the savannas of Kwazulu-Natal is the oldest nature reserve in Africa and home of the Big 5. Once the hunting ground of King Shaka Zulu it was declared a nature reserve in 1895.
On the banks of the mighty Umfolozi rivers it consists of 960 km² (96,000 ha) of hilling hills, savanna and incredibly diverse wildlife.
Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park is a magnificent stretch of wilderness with ancient trails weaving through thornveld and mighty rivers, showcasing the rich culture of humans and nature living together in this historical park.
lake st Lucia reserve
Lake St Lucia also known as Lake Saint Lucia, stands as the largest estuarine lake in Southern Africa, covering an impressive area of approximately 350 square kilometers (140 sq mi). This remarkable body of water is home to over 800 hippos, 1200 Nile crocodiles and an abundance of birdlife, making it the largest estuarine system in Africa. The estuary falls within the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, a World Heritage Site, solidifying its significance. This massive lake stretches 80 kilometers in length and spans 23 kilometers at its widest point, affirming its grandeur.
ISIMANGALISO wetland park
Isimangaliso wetland park is a place of wonder, magnificent scenery and wildlife. The incredibly beautiful and preserved series of beaches, coral reefs, lakes, marshes, woodlands, coastal forests, savannas and pastures that stretches all the way from Kosi Bay, virtually on the Mozambican border, to Cape St Lucia in the south Collectively form the UNESCO World Heritage. There is a wealth and diversity of wildlife in the sea and the land that makes this area one of the largest hot-spots of biodiversity on the planet.
Home to the largest population of hippopotamus in the world, sea turtles, dolphins, the Nile River crocodile and well over 500 South African bird species. Elephant, black and white rhinoceros, giraffe, buffalo and a range of antelopes.
mapumaland marine reserve
The Maputaland Marine Reserve lies within the iSimangaliso Wetland Park and extends from roughly 11 kilometres. The reserve is a biodiversity hotspot and a sizzling, humid, abundant wilderness that lies in the extreme northeast of South Africa right up against Mozambique’s border.
Proclaimed a national park in the decade of 1950, Sodwana reef is situated in the Maputaland Marine Reserve, it is the only dive area along the ISimangaliso coast and the southernmost coral system in Africa. regarded as one of the top dive sites in the world with a 50 kilometre reef complex.