Lake St Lucia owns a sense of place like no other – one of the most abundant, naturally-endowed and beautiful pieces of real estate on earth. If the iSimangaliso Wetland Park is a miracle (which ‘iSimangaliso’ translates to from the Zulu) then the Lake is the heart that sustains that miracle. It is the focal point of the UNESCO World Heritage Listing and has been a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance since 1986. It is 80km long and 23km at its widest point.
Aside from the lake and dune ecosystems, the Park protects a marine zone of warm tropical seas, coral reefs and endless sandy beaches; the papyrus and reed wetland of the uMkhuze swamps, on the north of the lake; and, on the western shore, dry savannah and thornveld. Any one of these would justify conservation, but their confluence around the Lake St Lucia makes this a world-class wilderness.
Sustaining life, in abundance
More than 50% of all water birds in KwaZulu-Natal feed, roost and nest in this Estuary. Of the 155 fish species that have been recorded in the Lake St Lucia estuarine system, 71 species use Lake St Lucia as a nursery area – and at least 24 of these are important in marine line fisheries. More than 2 180 species of flowering plants have been documented here and it is home to many species of antelope such as waterbuck, reedbuck, kudu, nyala, impala and duiker.
Accommodation in St Lucia
The St.Lucia EcoLodge is nestled between the St. Lucia Estuary, the Indian Ocean and the iSimangaliso Wetland Park and is an ideal point from which to explore South Africa’s first World Heritage Site. The region is blessed with an all round summer, making it comfortable throughout the year.
The St. Lucia EcoLodge has been a favourite with South African and overseas leisure and business visitors for the past eighteen years. A lodge of this nature is a rare find on the sought after Elephant Coast of KwaZulu-Natal and is within easy reach of the major cities and the newly booming metropolitan areas of Richards Bay and Empangeni.
The lodge adjoins the rich diversity of Zululand's wetland lakes and forests, while the sea and game reserves are a mere stones throw away. In fact hippo, leopard and a myriad of smaller mammals are residents or frequent visitors to the gardens of St Lucia!
WHAT IS AN ECO-LODGE?
- An eco-lodge offers travelers a nature-based experience.
- An eco-lodge is almost always located in remote locations.
- An eco-lodge helps travelers understand the importance of preserving local flora and fauna.
- An eco-lodge is usually in the heart of an unspoiled natural environment.
- An eco-lodge offers the traveler the opportunity to truly connect with the surrounding wilderness.
- An eco-lodge aims to improve the welfare of the local population by supporting local suppliers and workers.
- An eco-lodge uses systems that protect the environment from pollution and degradation.
- An eco-lodge often uses energy-saving systems and possibly renewable energy technologies.
- An eco-lodge employs or has access to nature interpretation guides that have received training in biology or have an excellent local knowledge of the natural habitat.
- An eco-lodge provides books, posters, maps, photographs, orientation presentations or other means of informing guests and visitors about the biology of the region.
- An eco-lodge helps to educate guests, staff, and visitors about the importance and value of a healthy ecosystem and describes how best to enjoy the area without affecting it.
- An eco-lodge contributes to the local economy and helps to demonstrate that ecotourism is a more sustainable way to earn income in the long term.
Things to Do in St Lucia
Cape Vidal lies within the iSimangaliso Wetland Park World Heritage Site about 30 km north of the town of St Lucia. It is a three-hour drive from Durban.
Cape Vidal offers the best of two worlds - it is situated on the exquisite Zululand coast with all its amazingly rich marine life, and it provides direct access to the Eastern Shores Nature Reserve with its populations of elephant, rhino, buffalo, crocodile, hippo and reedbuck to name but a few.
The beach and off-shore areas at Cape Vidal fall within the St Lucia Marine Reserve which is visited seasonally by humpback whales during their migrations, as well as loggerhead and leatherback sea-turtles that come to the beaches north of Cape Vidal from November to February to nest. Other marine “big game” includes the huge whale shark, marlin, sailfish and dolphin.
Cape Vidal lies on the edge of the St Lucia Marine Reserve which extends from 1 km south of Cape Vidal to the Mozambique border, and three nautical miles out to sea. Six loop roads off the main St Lucia to Cape Vidal road provide excellent game viewing and bird watching.
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