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KwaZulu-Natal Birdwatching

Our most recommended KwaZulu-Natal Birdwatching

St Lucia: Hippo and Crocodile Cruise on a 15-Seat Vessel

1. St Lucia: Hippo and Crocodile Cruise on a 15-Seat Vessel

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.

Hluhluwe-Imfolozi: Big 5 Full or Half-Day Safari

2. Hluhluwe-Imfolozi: Big 5 Full or Half-Day Safari

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.

iSimangaliso: Guided Walking Safari

3. iSimangaliso: Guided Walking Safari

After meeting your guide at the St Lucia Crocodile Centre, you'll begin your 2.5-hour tour of the famous iSimangaliso Wetland Park. iSimangaliso Wetland Park is a sprawling collection of stunningly-preserved natural ecosystems that span over 1,200 square miles; the park is centered around the vast Lake St Lucia, where you’ll have the change to see hippos, crocodiles, pelicans, and flamingos. After learning about crocodile breeding, feeding, anatomy, general ecology, and distribution, you’ll head off across trails through the game park with your expert ecologist guide. Take in information about the park’s famous residents, like blue wildebeest, zebra, impala, and waterbuck.  Continuing into the wilderness, become one with nature as you walk through picturesque trails. Common animal sightings include the red and grey duiker, waterbuck, impala, wildebeest, zebra, warthog, reedbuck, chameleon, and on very special occasions, leopard and hyena. Afterwards, you’ll head back to the starting point, having been enriched by the beauty of South Africa’s diverse ecosystems.

From St Lucia: Cape Vidal Full-Day Snorkeling Safari

4. From St Lucia: Cape Vidal Full-Day Snorkeling Safari

After pickup from your accommodations, your guide will take you on a safari drive in iSimangaliso Wetland Park. You'll have the chance to see many animals in their natural habitat including elephants, hippos, rhinos, hyenas, buffalos, zebras, wildebeest, antelopes, chameleons and if you're lucky, perhaps a leopard. Then head to the beach for 2 hours of snorkeling and discover over 50 different species of fish. If you're not a keen snorkeler, you can enjoy the beach on your own or go for a little birdwatching walk on the forest dunes of Cape Vidal with another guide. Your tour is conducted in a laid-back, yet professional manner and includes breakfast and a delicious African braai (barbeque) lunch.

From St. Lucia: iSimangaliso Sunset Safari

5. From St. Lucia: iSimangaliso Sunset Safari

Get picked up from your hotel in St. Lucia and travel to the iSimangaliso Wetlands Park, a huge protected area along the coast of South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal Province. The park’s centerpiece is the vast Lake St. Lucia, home to a large number of hippos, crocodiles, pelicans, and flamingos. Elephants, giraffes, and leopards inhabit the grasslands and forests of the nearby Western Shores and Charters Creek areas. To the north, Sodwana Bay is known for its colorful coral reefs. Upon arrival, gear up and set off on an exciting three-hour drive through the park's many ecosystems. Keep an eye out for the wide variety of species that call iSimangaliso home. As the sun begins to set, your guide will take you to the perfect spot to appreciate the African sunset. When darkness falls, take on the challenge of spotting chameleons and other nocturnal species, all of which are more active after nightfall. Get dropped off back at your accommodation in St Lucia.

Kosi Bay: Kosi Bay Mouth Kayak Tour

6. Kosi Bay: Kosi Bay Mouth Kayak Tour

Explore Kosi Bay Mouth from the best perspective possible: On a double sea kayak. Glide along the calm estuary's waters, following your expert guide along the way and looking out for the abundant wildlife. Paddle up close to mangrove islands and weave past traditional Thonga fish kraals or traps. Meet your local Thonga guide by the shore. After a safety briefing and some tips on how to streamline your paddling, head out into the water. Paddle across the Kosi Estuary, navigating through traditional Thonga fish kraals. Once on the southern shoreline, head over to see the remarkable mangrove islands with their twisting roots. Listen to your guide as their point out the diversity of mangrove species found in the Kosi Bay system and look out for some of the special bird species who call these islands their home.

Frequently asked questions about KwaZulu-Natal

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What people are saying about KwaZulu-Natal

Overall rating

4.8 / 5

based on 23 reviews

Short boat trip in the company of a few people and a guide who explains everything there is in the estuary. I recommend this activity because you can really see the hippos up close and the sunset over the estuary is superb.

Great guide, funny and informative. It is an experience to get so close to the hippos. Unfortunately, since it was very windy, we could only see a small crocodile. The organization on site worked great.

Very good guide, great organization, perfect breakfast and impeccable lunch We loved this day full of amazing surprises we highly recommend Alexia

Our guide was brilliant and so informative. We got so close to many animals.

Was great, but the prices are quite expensive. It is better to book on site