Discover EZEMVELO KZN WILDLIFE

Is this Africa’s most diverse holiday experience? Big Five wildlife, mountains, wetlands, marine parks and more... all supporting essential conservation work

A SPECIAL TRAVEL AFRICA SUPPLEMENT SPONSORED BY EZEMVELO KZN WILDLIFE www.kznwildlife.com

01 COVER__Final.indd 1 28/03/2017 19:35

Welcome worldA whole placein one Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife looks after a staggering 120-plus protected areas in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa, providing conservation management and ecotourism to help preserve this unique area and its wildlife for generations to come. From the waterways of iSimangaliso Wetland Park to the mountains of Maloti-Drakensberg Park, with a host of game reserves in-between, there is truly something for everyone

waZulu-Natal is the most and temperate climate evoke the nest of ecologically diverse of South English summer days on eternal replay; coral Africa’s nine provinces. It gardens that swirl with colourful sh, ancient is bounded to the east by a whale migration routes, frolicsome schools of magni cent 800km Indian dolphins and gigantic marine turtles that come KOcean coastline of wide sandy sun-drenched ashore nocturnally to nest; and, last but not beaches hemmed in by the world’s tallest forested least, this being Africa, there are also vast dunes. In complete contrast, its western border tracts of classic thorny savannah roamed by is formed by the formidable rock buttresses and lion, elephant and other safari favourites — burnished escarpment of the Maloti-Drakensberg including the world’s densest population of Park, a 200km-long montane wilderness whose both black and white rhinoceros. 3000-plus metre peaks are frequently dusted with The custodian of this natural abundance snow in winter. is Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, the government Between these extremes, KwaZulu-Natal agency mandated to administer KwaZulu-Natal’s hosts a rare and alluring biodiversity: enchanted remarkable tally of more than 120 protected mist-belt forests alive with monkeys, squirrels areas. The primary focus of Ezemvelo KZN and a blissful bewilderment of birdsong; Wildlife is the biodiversity and conservation grassy midlands whose so green contours management of KwaZulu-Natal’s myriad

2 Travel Africa Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife Supplement | www.kznwildlife.com

2-3 INTRO_FINAL.indd 2 28/03/2017 19:33 DID YOU KNOW? KZN IS HOME TO TWO UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITES

ASK YOUR TOUR OPERATOR TO BOOK YOU INTO AN EZEMVELO KZN WILDLIFE RESORT FOR MORE protected areas. These include trails. The many reserves set in and around the INFORMATION VISIT several reserves of global Maloti-Drakensberg Park oer scenic, guided WWW.KZNWILDLIFE. importance. Not only is Ezemvelo or self-guided walks into magni cent mountains COM KZN Wildlife the custodian of adorned with mysterious prehistoric rock-art two magni cent UNESCO World sites. The long pristine coastline protected Heritage Sites in the form of the Maloti- within iSimangaliso Wetland Park is a superb Drakensberg Park and iSimangaliso Wetland base for marine activities such as snorkelling, Park, but its world-class safari destinations – diving, turtle-tracking and whale-watching, Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park, Ithala and uMkhuze as well as close-up encounters with hippo and – have played a unique pioneering role in the crocodile. Wherever you travel, the birdwatching conservation of Africa’s endangered rhinos. is stunning, with more than 700 species recorded in the province. And when day ends, there is the secondary but nevertheless vital embalming peace and quiet that characterises all role played by of Ezemvelo KZN the province’s reserves. Wildlife is the management Tourists who stay overnight in the reserves, of South Africa’s largest rather than popping in for day trips, have the ecotourism operation. This added satisfaction of contributing directly to the Aincorporates a full 65 protected areas that oer conservation cause. Although Ezemvelo KZN overnight facilities of some sort, ranging from Wildlife is a parastatal body, partly subsidised luxury lodges and comfortable well-equipped by provincial government, some 40 per cent resorts to simple campsites set deep in the bush of its operating budget is generated by its own – even, in the case of the Maloti-Drakensberg business operations. Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife Park, a few caves oered as natural shelters is also an important employer in rural areas, to dedicated hikers. In total, Ezemvelo KZN paying salaries estimated to support more than Wildlife provides more than 2500 beds per night 30,000 people in communities that border its across its portfolio of reserves, as well as camping reserves. Furthermore, a levy on every tourist facilities with a total capacity of 10,000 people that pays to enter a protected area helps bolster per night. All these camps, resorts and lodges a carefully administered Community Levy Fund, provide exceptionally good value to foreign and while dedicated sta help assist and teach good local visitors alike, making them ideal bases biodiversity conservation practices to local for independent and moderately adventurous communities dependent on the sustainable use of outdoor enthusiasts to sample the wide range of natural resources — the very air that we breathe, experiences oered by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife. water we drink and land upon which we walk. And what a unique and wonderful range of The allure of the wild is reason enough experiences these are. At the likes of Hluhluwe- to explore KwaZulu-Natal’s wonderful and Imfolozi Park, the primary activity is Big Five uniquely diverse bouquet of protected areas. But game viewing, whether from the comfort by supporting the multifaceted custodianship of of your own car or in a guided 4WD tour, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, you also help maintain supplemented by guided game walks or (for these magni cent parks for the bene t of both the truly adventurous) overnight wilderness present and future generations. ●

www.kznwildlife.com | Travel Africa Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife Supplement 3

2-3 INTRO_FINAL.indd 3 28/03/2017 19:33

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT WWW.KZNWILDLIFE.COM

walking trails offers the opportunity to see zebra, half-a-dozen antelope species, and some Our heritage of its 300-plus recorded bird species. 15 HAROLD JOHNSON NATURE RESERVE The key parks and reserves of Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife… Set on the south bank of the Thukela, South Africa’s second-largest river, this uKhahlamba-Drakensberg. Walking and 1 TEMBE ELEPHANT PARK biodiverse reserve protects zebra, bushbuck, This remote reserve inland of Kosi horseback trails offer the opportunity to impala, blue and red duiker, almost 200 bird and Bay is managed in conjunction with the local get close to white rhino, giraffe and various more than 100 butterfly species. community and harbours all the Big Five. It is antelope. It is overlooked by Spioenkop Hill, site of an important Anglo-Boer War battlefield. renowned above all for its population of 250 AMATIGULU NATURE RESERVE elephants, which include some of the largest 16 Situated between the Tugela and tuskers ever recorded in South Africa. WAGENDRIFT NATURE RESERVE 8 Amatigulu river-mouths, this low-key reserve This low-key reserve near the base of provides the chance to see giraffe, zebra and the uKhahlamba-Drakensberg is traversed by a 2 NDUMO GAME RESERVE various antelope feeding on forested dunes Cited as South Africa’s single most walking trail from where a variety of antelope overlooking the sea. Activities include walking exciting birdwatching site, Ndumo protects the as well as 200 bird species might be seen. trails, canoeing, a 4WD trail, and birdwatching. lush Phongolo and Usuthu floodplains together MIDMAR NATURE RESERVE with a network of seasonal waterways and 9 UMLALAZI NATURE RESERVE perennial pans lined with fever trees. Its Centred on the Midmar Dam 17 The highlight of this small beachfront checklist of 430 bird species includes African in the midlands between Howick and reserve is a mangrove walkway from where broadbill, Neergard’s sunbird, pink-throated Pietermaritzburg, this recreational reserve is you can glimpse several species unique to this twinspot, Pel’s fishing owl and pygmy goose. popular with watersports enthusiasts. intertidal habitat, notably the amphibious mud- skipper fish, beautiful mangrove kingfisher and HIMEVILLE NATURE RESERVE 3 PHONGOLO GAME RESERVE 10 asymmetrically clawed fiddler crab. Gazetted in 1895, this is one of Africa’s This small pedestrian-friendly reserve at the base of the uKhahlamba-Drakensberg oldest conservation areas. It protects a tract DHLINZA FOREST RESERVE of classic African bush inhabited by elephant, is home to the endemic black wildebeest and 18 Set in the heart of Eshowe town, Dhlinza white and black rhino, buffalo, hippo, leopard, blesbok antelope and a reliable site for the protects the country’s most accessible patch crocodile, antelope and 350-plus bird species. endangered wattled and blue cranes. of mist-belt forest and associated wildlife such as the diminutive blue duiker, which is often MOUNT CURRIE NATURE RESERVE 4 MKHUZE GAME RESERVE 11 seen from a 125m-long aerial boardwalk. This annexe to iSimangaliso Wetland Park Birdwatching, rambling and angling are on offer at this scenic reserve protecting a is renowned for its photographic hides, which ONGOYE FOREST RESERVE give access to a steady stream of wildlife – such mosaic of undulating grassland, Afromontane 19 Primarily of interest to birdwatchers, as white rhino, nyala, zebra and occasionally forest and Protea scrub on the cool slopes of Ongoye is the only stronghold of Woodward’s elephant, black rhino and leopard – during the the 2224m-high Mount Currie. barbet, which is endemic to KZN. Other avian dry season. It’s a birdwatcher’s heaven. highlights are Narina trogon, spotted UMTAMVUNA NATURE RESERVE 12 ground thrush and African Set along the Eastern Cape border 5 ITHALA GAME RESERVE crowned eagle. Ithala protects a series of ancient hills in southern KwaZulu-Natal, this small but running north from the rugged Ngotshe ruggedly scenic reserve protects a forested cliffs to the meandering Phongolo River. The gorge carved by the Umtamvuna River and a inspirational scenery is complemented by cliffside breeding colony of the endangered some excellent game viewing – both types Cape vulture. of rhino are common – and the cliffside Ntshondwe Resort is a reliable spot for 13 ORIBI GORGE NATURE RESERVE nocturnal sightings of bushbabies and genets. This staggeringly beautiful canyon, carved by the Mzimkulwana River, is accessible 6 CHELMSFORD NATURE RESERVE by road or on walking trails. Its forested cliffs This reserve offers guided, self-drive or are home to samango monkey, bushbuck walking safaris into a game park stocked with and forest birds such as the Knysna loerie. endemic and near-endemic wildlife such as springbok, blesbok and red hartebeest, as well 14 VERNON CROOKES as the elusive oribi antelope. NATURE RESERVE The most important protected 7 SPIOENKOP NATURE RESERVE area on the south coast of KwaZulu-Natal Scenic Spioenkop protects a pretty protects a mosaic of grassland, forest and acacia-fringed dam at the base of the wetland habitats. A network of roads and

www.kznwildlife.com | Travel Africa Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife Supplement 5

4-5 MAP_FINAL.indd 5 28/03/2017 21:17 Accommodation

THE INSIDE TRACK ON... WHERE TO STAY So now you’ve arrived, where do you stay? Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife provides a variety of accommodation to suit all budgets; while most areas are easily accessible for self- drivers, walkers or those wanting a guided safari

Luxury lodges are available in Hluhluwe- Imfolozi Park, Ithala and Maloti-Drakensberg Park (Giant’s Castle and Royal Natal sectors). BUSH LODGES AND CAMPS These operate on a similarly exclusive basis to luxury lodges, sleeping up to 6 or 8 people in 3 or 4 bedrooms, but are more rustic in feel, particularly the bush camps. Bush lodges and camps are available in uMkhuze, Ithala, Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park and iSimangaliso Wetland Park (Cape Vidal).

CAMPSITES The most budget-friendly option o ered by ll the larger and most smaller Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife is camping and/or conservation areas under the caravan sites, which are generally aimed at custodianship of Ezemvelo KZN self-su cient travellers with their own tents AWildlife are serviced by clean, good- and gear. All sites have modern ablution blocks value accommodation. Full details of individual and some provide access to electricity and/or resorts, lodges and camps are available on the resort restaurants. Campsites are available in website www.kznwildlife.com, breaking down several sectors of the Maloti-Drakensberg Park into one or more of the following categories: and iSimangaliso Wetland Park as well as the following standalone reserves: Amatigulu, Harold HOLIDAY RESORTS Johnson, Umlalazi, Oribi Gorge, Mount Currie, The main form of accommodation in Ezemvelo Ithala, uMkhuze, Ndumo, Chelmsford, Midmar, KZN Wildlife is holiday resorts, which o er a Spioenkop, Phongolo, Wagendri and Ongoye. variety of self-catering units, ranging in some cases from simple standing tents to luxury log cabins or modern chalets in others. Some larger resorts also have amenities such as restaurants, grocery shops and  lling stations. Resorts exist in several sectors of the Maloti-Drakensberg Park and iSimangaliso Wetland Park as well as the following standalone reserves: Hluhluwe- Imfolozi Park, Amatigulu, Harold Johnson, Umlalazi, Oribi Gorge, Mount Currie, Ithala, uMkhuze, Ndumo, Chelmsford, Midmar, Spioenkop, Phongolo, Wagendri and Ongoye.

LUXURY LODGES ABOVE: Gqoyeni Bush Lodge, Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park These are exclusive and well-equipped lodges ABOVE LEFT: Sodwana Bay Lodge and Dive Resort, sleeping parties of up to 6 or 8 in 3 or 4 iSimangaliso Wetland Park CENTRE (CLOCKWISE FROM bedrooms. The lodges come with a self-catering TOP): The Zulu-inspired chalets at Didima Camp, Maloti- Drakensberg Park; Ntshondwe Lodge, Ithala Game kitchen and common lounges and verandahs Reserve; Wilderness trail, Maloti-Drakensberg Park; Cape (usually with a view), but some also provide Vidal Resort, iSimangaliso Wetland Park; Thendele Camp, a chef or o er access to a resort restaurant. Maloti-Drakensberg Park FAR RIGHT: Southern bald ibis

6 Travel Africa Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife Supplement | www.kznwildlife.com

6-7 WHERE TO STAY.indd 6 28/03/2017 21:19 GETTING AROUND The ideal way to reach most conservation areas under the custodianship of Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife is on a self-drive holiday. The main port of entry to the province is Durban, where the world-class King Shaka International Airport is serviced by regular flights from Johannesburg, Cape Town, Europe and beyond, and all the main car rental companies are represented. Most resorts can be reached in an ordinary saloon car but higher clearance and/or 4WD might be required for more remote parts of the Maloti-Drakensberg Park and northern iSimangaliso Wetland Park after rain. Once there, wildlife-orientated reserves such as Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park, uMkhuze and Ithala are normally explored on well-maintained ASK YOUR roads, though most offer guided day and/or TOUR OPERATOR night drives, as well as guided game walks. TO BOOK YOU INTO AN EZEMVELO KZN Montane and beach reserves such as WILDLIFE RESORT Maloti-Drakensberg Park and iSimangaliso Wetland Park are more easily explored on foot, FOR MORE following well-marked self-guided or guided INFORMATION VISIT walking and hiking trails. WWW.KZNWILDLIFE. COM WILDERNESS TRAILS The most exciting way to explore the game reserves of KwaZulu-Natal is on wilderness trails, which offer a thrilling opportunity to escape the modern world and come face-to- face with rhino, elephant and other wildlife in the company of an experienced and well- trained guide. Wilderness trails also provide a great introduction to smaller wildlife such as birds, butterflies and lizards, while soaking up the magnificent tranquillity of the African bush and nights around the campfire below dazzling night skies pinpricked by countless stars. The most famous venue for wilderness trails is Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park, where a 300- sq km tract of Imfolozi inaccessible to cars has been set aside for the purpose. Trails range from three to five days in duration and run from mid-February to early December. For keen hikers, whose main interest is scenery rather than wildlife, there is also the five- day Giant’s Cup Trail, which runs along the foothills of the Maloti-Drakensberg Park between Sani Pass and Bushman’s Nek.

www.kznwildlife.com | Travel Africa Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife Supplement 7

6-7 WHERE TO STAY.indd 7 28/03/2017 21:19 Mountains

Stretching 200km long and almost 3500m high, the Maloti-Drakensberg Park is an area of great natural and cultural significance, providing endless attractions for outdoors enthusiasts of all persuasions

BEST FOR WILDLIFE GIANT’S CASTLE RESORT Set below the spectacular 3314m-high basaltic protrusion known as Giant’s Castle, this lodge is recommended to wildlife enthusiasts as the best place to see the stately eland antelope and cliff- dwelling raptors such as the majestic lammergeyer. Main Cave, only 30 minutes’ walk away, is a fine prehistoric rock art site containing more than 500 individual paintings.

8 Travel Africa Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife Supplement | www.kznwildlife.com

8-13 ATTRACTIONS_FINAL.indd 8 28/03/2017 21:30 ASK YOUR TOUR OPERATOR TO BOOK YOU INTO AN EZEMVELO KZN WILDLIFE RESORT

BEST FOR SCENERY BEST FOR HIKERS THENDELE CAMP DIDIMA CAMP

Arguably boasting the most scenic location in South A good base for enthusiastic hikers, Didima stands Africa, Royal Natal Park’s Thendele is set below the below Cathedral Peak, a striking 3005m-high outcrop Amphitheatre, a towering 5km-long arc of burnished whose summit can be reached on a tough guided day sandstone tumbled down by the 949m Thukela Falls, hike from the base. The innovative multimedia Didima the world’s second tallest waterfall. An inspirational Rock Art Centre provides an engaging introduction setting and network of relatively flat trails makes it to the region’s prehistoric rock art, and several actual an excellent base for relaxed ramblers. rock art sites are within walking distance.

DISCOVER… Maloti-Drakensberg Park The Maloti-Drakensberg Park ranks among one of Africa’s largest and most pristine wilderness areas. A forbidding range of jagged basaltic peaks bordering Lesotho, it is known to the Zulu – who live in its long eastern shadow – as ‘uKhahlamba’ (The Barrier of Spears). And while it attains a cloud-scraping elevation of 3482 metres, you need to think laterally rather than vertically to grasp its true enormity. Take a map of South Africa, trace your nger slowly along the crescent formed by the upper Maloti- Drakensberg Park and absorb the fact that this entire 200km-long chain of peak a er peak is breached by just one solitary road in the form of the unsurfaced Sani Pass. The rest is pure wilderness. An amalgamation of more than a dozen reserves administered by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, the 2500-sq km Maloti-Drakensberg Park is the largest protected montane wilderness anywhere in Africa. It is also sub-equatorial Africa’s most important watershed, being the source of South Africa’s two largest rivers, the Orange and Tugela, and a major hydroelectric scheme. In 2000 Maloti-Drakensberg Park was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage GROWING WILD Site, one of only 35 such sites recognised The park is the centrepiece of the Drakensberg for both its natural and its cultural signi cance. Alpine Centre, a hub of floral biodiversity whose 2153 The Park’s cultural signi cance is less identified plant species include a wealth of beautiful immediately apparent, but equally immense. This flowering proteas, aloes and red-hot pokers. Thirty is the world’s largest and most spectacular open-air per cent of these plants occur nowhere else in the prehistoric art gallery, containing a total of 500 world, and more than 100 are globally threatened. painted sandstone shelters whose 40,000-odd For birders, it is South Africa’s premier site for individual images provide rich insight into the endemics and near-endemics such as southern hunter-gatherer cultures that inhabited the region bald ibis, yellow-breasted pipit, for millennia prior to the 19th century. Drakensberg prinia, Gurney’s sugarbird and Drakensberg The impenetrability of the upper Maloti- rockjumper. Other wildlife includes Drakensberg Park ensures that it is feted by hikers. troops of Chacma baboon, whose But its vast montane vistas o er much to outdoors fearsome doglike bark can be heard enthusiasts of all persuasions. And while the park echoing through the cliffs and gorges, forms one cohesive ecological unit, the rugged the spectacular Cape eland (which is the topography means that it is divided into a dozen or world’s largest antelope) and various so sectors, each with its own access roads and a set smaller ruminants. of attractions su cient to occupy you for days. ●

www.kznwildlife.com | Travel Africa Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife Supplement 9

8-13 ATTRACTIONS_FINAL.indd 9 28/03/2017 21:31 Wildlife

BEST FOR LOCATION HILLTOP CAMP This award-winning lodge has a scenic location near Excellent value for self-drivers and the Memorial Gate entrance to Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park. Ideally suited to self-caterers, it also has a restaurant self-caterers, Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park is and other amenities, including a craft shop, filling the rhino capital of the world. With the station and satellite TV. It is well located for game drives in a valley where rhinos and elephant are rest of the Big Five also abundant, this common, and also offers thrilling guided bush walks. former Zulu hunting ground is a classic safari destination

BEST FOR GAME DRIVES MPILA CAMP The main resort in the south of Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park has a good location for game drives but provides exclusively for self-caterers. Guided night drives and game walks are also available.

BEST FOR BUSH EXPERIENCE BUSH LODGES

Three unfenced self-catering lodges in the Imfolozi sector cater for small parties seeking a full-on bush experience. Gqoyeni Bush Lodge has a wooden deck overlooking a deep natural waterhole at the confluence of the Gqoyeni stream and Black Imfolozi River. Hlatikhulu Bush Lodge also lies alongside the Black Imfolozi, while Masinda Luxury Lodge is smarter and stands on a rocky ridge. All are suited to self-drive visitors, but guided game drives can be arranged.

10 Travel Africa Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife Supplement | www.kznwildlife.com

8-13 ATTRACTIONS_V2.indd 10 28/03/2017 21:23 ASK YOUR TOUR OPERATOR TO BOOK YOU INTO AN EZEMVELO KZN WILDLIFE RESORT

DISCOVER… Hluhluwe- Imfolozi Park Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park is the world’s ultimate rhino-viewing destination, with a sizeable population of rhino roaming its 960 sq km. A docile grassland-loving creature rhino – Africa’s second-largest land mammal – the white rhino is a common sight here, while the odds of seeing the grumpier and more secretive thicket-loving black rhino is about the best of any reserve cohabited by both species. There’s more to Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park than rhinos, however. Scenically, it’s an undulating landscape of spike- thorned acacia trees and cactus-like candelabra euphorbias interspersed with grassy green valleys owed through by jungle-lined streams and rivers. Wildlife is everywhere. This is a classic Big Five safari destination, home not only to plentiful elephant and bu alo, but also healthy populations of lion and leopard. Look out for packs of African wild dog, lo y gira e, harrumphing hippo and handsome antelope such as the greater kudu and nyala. Birdwatchers will also be in their element, with a checklist of almost 400 species headed by conspicuous large raptors such as the lappet-faced vulture, martial eagle and bateleur. There’s some history here too. Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park is probably the oldest park in Africa – a former hunting ground of King Shaka Zulu set aside in 1895 as two game sanctuaries – and was home to what were then the last viable South African populations of white and black rhino. Worth visiting in its own right or in conjunction with nearby iSimangaliso Wetland Park, Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park has a good road network ideally suited to DIY safaris, whether you follow your whim or adhere to one of two prescribed self-guided auto-trails. Guided night drives from Mpila and Hilltop resorts o er your best chance of sighting thick-tailed bushbaby, leopard, spotted hyena and a host of smaller predators, and guided game walks are conducted daily from both rest camps. World-famous guided overnight Wilderness Trails run in a sector closed to vehicular tra c. ● OPERATION RHINO It’s astonishing to think that the white rhino, the most numerous of the world’s five rhino species, would almost certainly be extinct today were it not for a bottleneck population of fewer than 30 individuals accorded special protection in Imfolozi back in 1916. By the early 1960s, rhino numbers in this area had grown to a point where overpopulation was a genuine cause for concern. And thus was born the celebrated ‘Operation Rhino’, which has led to the ongoing translocation of thousands of individuals from Hluhluwe- Imfolozi Park to other conservation areas in KwaZulu-Natal, elsewhere in South Africa and even further afield. Today, South Africa harbours more than 90 percent of the world’s estimated 20,000 white rhinos, and every one of these is descended from Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park’s original herd.

www.kznwildlife.com | Travel Africa Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife Supplement 11

8-13 ATTRACTIONS_V2.indd 11 28/03/2017 21:23 Wetlands

DISCOVER… One of the most diverse parks in the world, iSimangaliso iSimangaliso Wetland Park encompasses coral reefs, lakes, rivers, forests and stunning beaches, Wetland Park as well as being home to a plethora of wildlife Protecting the vast unspoilt northern coast of KwaZulu-Natal, this 2500-sq km UNESCO World Heritage Site, incorporates an astonishing diversity of habitats including four separate Ramsar sites. South Africa’s largest freshwater lake lies within the borders of iSimangaliso Wetland Park, as does the continent’s largest estuarine system. The world’s most southerly coral reefs lie o its shores, while the interior supports rare patches of fragile sand forest and large tracts of classic African savannah – and it’s all hemmed in by a pristine string of sandy beaches set below the world’s tallest (up to 170m high) forested dunes. This habitat diversity is re ected by a higher count of vertebrate species than any other African conservation area. In addition to 129 terrestrial and aquatic mammals, the park supports 525 bird, 128 reptile, 50 amphibian and 991 marine and 48 freshwater  sh species. You could spend weeks exploring iSimangaliso Wetland Park. Literally. For general game viewing, uMkhuze Game Reserve is a great self-drive safari destination whose trio of hides are a favourite with wildlife photographers and birdwatchers. A more popular tourist focus is jungle-swathed St Lucia Village, from where boat trips onto the shallow St Lucia Estuary o er a good chance of spotting hippo, crocodile and charismatic birds such as the African  sh eagle, mangrove king sher and trumpeter hornbill. iSimangaliso Wetland Park’s remote northern sector comprises a serpentine strip of beaches, where marine turtles nest below a spectacular ribbon of forested dunes. Here, you’ll  nd Sodwana Bay’s Seven-Mile Reef, whose overhangs, drop-o s and mushroom rocks have earned it a A RARE SITE reputation as one of the world’s most beautiful dive In 1999, when iSimangaliso (then St Lucia) Wetland Park was inscribed sites. Further north, Lake Sibaya, South Africa’s as one of South Africa’s first three UNESCO World Heritage Sites, largest natural freshwater body, supports plenty President Nelson Mandela proudly declared that it “must be the of hippo and a wide diversity of aquatic birds. only place on the globe where the world’s oldest land mammal (the Finally, abutting the Mozambican border, rhinoceros) and the world’s biggest terrestrial mammal (the elephant) you reach Kosi Bay, a scenic wetland of share an ecosystem with the world’s oldest fish (the coelacanth) and interconnecting lakes and channels that funnels the world’s biggest mammal (the whale)”. into an estuary whose mouth o ers unusually calm snorkelling conditions and protects some 150 marine  sh species, including the bizarre devil  re sh. A notable feature of Kosi Bay is the complex maze of  shing traps set in place by the local Thonga people – a highly sustainable traditional form of natural resource management. ●

12 Travel Africa Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife Supplement | www.kznwildlife.com

8-13 ATTRACTIONS_V2.indd 12 28/03/2017 21:23 ASK YOUR TOUR OPERATOR TO BOOK YOU INTO AN EZEMVELO KZN WILDLIFE RESORT

SIX OF THE BEST ISIMANGALISO LODGES

Loggerhead and leatherback turtles can be found swimming CAPE VIDAL RESORT around the coral reefs of iSimangaliso Wetland Park, coming Idyllically located below tall forested dunes, this rustic ashore to nest on the area’s protected beaches. camp overlooks a stunning beach on an important whale migration route, but the surrounding bush also hosts buffalo, hippo, reedbuck and a fantastic selection of freshwater, marine, forest and grassland birds. MAPHELANA CAMP These self-catering log cabins south of the Imfolozi river mouth are ideally located for birdwatching, rambling and surf fishing. SUGARLOAF AND EDEN PARK CAMPSITES Fringed by jungle yet within walking distance of well-equipped St Lucia village, these atmospheric campsites form a great budget base for boat trips on the estuary and exploration deeper into the reserve. MANTUMA CAMP Recommended to wildlife enthusiasts, this unpretentious self-catering camp lies in uMkhuze, a fine self-drive safari destination populated by black and white rhino, elephant, giraffe and a wide range of antelope.

SODWANA BAY RESORT Offering access to the world’s most southerly coral reefs, this well-equipped camp, set in a patch of dune forest close to the beach, is a popular base for divers, snorkellers and fishermen. KOSI BAY RESORT Tucked up close to the Mozambican border, this stunning off-the-beaten-track resort services a lush wetland system of interconnecting lakes and channels known for their excellent snorkelling, fantastic birding and Thonga fish traps.

www.kznwildlife.com | Travel Africa Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife Supplement 13

8-13 ATTRACTIONS_V2.indd 13 28/03/2017 21:23

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT WWW.KZNWILDLIFE.COM

6 JOIN A GUIDED 4 SNORKEL THE WORLD’S GAME WALK SOUTHERNMOST CORAL REEFS Pull on your walking boots and brave Set offshore of iSimangaliso the early morning cool in search of Wetland Park’s Sodwana Bay, the relatively placid white rhino and these beautiful submarine altogether more pugnacious black formations are home to a rhino – a thrilling experience on colourful swirl of reef fish foot, but not for the faint of heart! comprising up to 400 species, Available in Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park including the magnificent and Ithala game reserve. firefish, which looks like a psychedelic marine porcupine. 7 CRUISE ST LUCIA ESTUARY Affordable launch trips on Africa’s 5 MARVEL AT THE largest estuarine ecosystem are PREHISTORIC ALFRESCO ART not be missed: yawning hippo More than 500 rock shelters in grumble in the shallows, crocodile the Maloti-Drakensberg Park are rest up on the shores and many adorned with ancient paintings water-associated birds are on show, of humans, wildlife and surreal from the spectacular African fish semi-human therianthropes. eagle and goliath heron to eagerly Picking favourites might be a sought rarities such as half-collared fool’s game, but don’t miss the and mangrove kingfisher. Kamberg’s superb Game Pass Shelter – nicknamed the ‘Rosetta Stone’ due to its significance 8 MOTOR UP THE SANI PASS in helping scholars crack the The only motorable track to breach code of the art’s underlying the 200km Maloti-Drakensberg shamanistic symbolism. Park escarpment is the 4WD-only Sani Pass, which leads through a chilly afro-alpine landscape of tussocked grass, mossy boulders and clumped heather inhabited by high-altitude endemics such as Drakensberg rockjumper and mountain pipit. Snow is a distinct possibility in the midwinter months of June and July.

9 WATCH WHALES BREACH AND DOLPHINS PLAY Between June to October, boat trips with registered permit holders offer near guaranteed sightings of humpback whales offshore of iSimangaliso Wetland Park as they migrate along the continental shelf between Antarctica and their more northerly calving grounds. Also often encountered are southern right, dwarf minke and sperm whale, and bottlenose and spinner dolphin.

2 MORE TO TRY… ● Ride a mountain bike around Maloti-Drakensberg Park or iSimangaliso Wetland Park. ● See some large Nile crocs up close at St Lucia Crocodile Centre.

www.kznwildlife.com | Travel Africa Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife Supplement 15

14-15 ACTIVITIES_FINAL.indd 15 28/03/2017 21:29

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT WWW.KZNWILDLIFE.COM Parting shot

Hide and seek Tembe Elephant Park is home to the Mahlasela Hide, site of the renowned Tembe webcam, which overlooks a pan that usually attracts several herds of tuskers daily.

TA.magazines Trade desk: To book your stay: ask your @TravelAfricamag +27 33 845 1003 African travel specialist +44 (0)1844 278883 [email protected] or tour operator to book This special Travel Africa [email protected] Central reservations: you into an Ezemvelo KZN supplement was published by: Editor/ Production Phil Clisby +27 33 845 1000 Wildlife resort. Gecko Publishing Ltd Contributing editor Philip Briggs [email protected] www.kznwildlife.com www.travelafricamag.com Designer Pascal Don

16 Travel Africa Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife Supplement | www.kznwildlife.com

016_PARTING SHOT_FINAL.indd 16 28/03/2017 21:38 advert print.pdf 1 2016/07/06 01:57:59 PM

Settle into the Rhythm of the Wilderness with Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife

Discover the joy of the open air - strap on your hiking boots ...

Didima Resort Giant’s Castle Resort Thendele Resort

Glide through warm seas, soak up hot sunshine on soft warm sand, dump your phone ... Let the warm sea and hot sun remove your cares and stresses; treat yourself to a balmy break at one of our beach resorts. Only a few hours drive from Durban or Johannesburg.

Go WildEzemvelo and Make KZN yourWildlife Reservation Now! T: +27(0) 33 845 1000 E: [email protected] EzemveloEzemvelo KZNKZN Wildlife Wildlife Online booking: bookings.kznwildlife.com

www.kznwildlife.comwww.kznwildlife.com Conservation, Partnerships & Ecotourism

IBC_EKZN.indd 1 28/03/2017 11:36 advert OCT 2016 copy.pdf 1 2016/10/07 03:57:39 PM

Settle into the Rhythm of the Wilderness with Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife

Feel the thrill of game sightings, smell the new dawn, be part of wild Africa ... The accommodation is clean and comfortable; experience in a KZN bushveld game reserve, only a few hours drive from Durban or Johannesburg.

Go Wild and Make your Reservation Now! T: +27(0) 33 845 1000 E: [email protected] Online booking: bookings.kznwildlife.com Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife

www.kznwildlife.com Conservation, Partnerships & Ecotourism

OBC_EKZN.indd 1 28/03/2017 11:37