The Greater St. Lucia Wetland Park is South Africa‛s third largest conservation area and was proclaimed as a World Heritage site in 1999. It offers a unique combination of a subtropical coastline with a classic African game park. The St. Lucia Wetland Park is located in the northern part of Kwazulu-Natal known as Maputoland and it stretches over 280km from Kosi Bay in the north to St. Lucia in the south. It covers an area of 328 000 ha. The St. Lucia lagoon, the Mkuze Park and the St. Lucia marine reserve, the Sodwana Bay National Park, Lake Sibaya and the Kosi Bay Nature Reserve are all part of the Greater St. Lucia Wetland Park.
The Greater St Lucia wetland park comprises some of the highest forested dunes in the world. The region is of global importance and boasts different ecosystems such as swamps and wetlands, lake systems, beaches, coral reefs, woodlands and coastal forests. Lake Sibaya is South Africa's largest freshwater lake, covering an area of 77km² and is an intense blue and crystal clear. The Kosi Bay Nature Reserve is part of the Coastal Forest Reserve between Mozambique and Sodwana Bay. The Mkuze River is one of the rivers that feeds Lake St. Lucia and forms the border of the Mkuze Nature Reserve. Lake St. Lucia is also fed with seawater and is therefore a unique lake system of fresh and salt water. The St. Lucia Wetland Park is a strip of one kilometer along the banks of the lake and includes the town of St. Lucia.
The area is at places densely vegetated and includes grassvelds (savannah), indigenous evergreen coastal bush, mangroves, sycamore fig forest trees, lavender trees and ferns. High summer temperatures, moderate winters and high summer rainfall are typical of the climate of this low lying coastal plain.
The Greater St. Lucia Wetlands Park was the first area in South Africa that was managed as an eco-tourism system. Facilities for camping and caravanning are available as well as huts and log cabins. Charters Creek, Fanies Island Mapelane and the St. Lucia Resort, Mjakaja Hill, the St. Lucia Village and the more luxurious Sodwana Bay Lodge are some of the other places that provide accommodation.
Large herds of animals inhabit the area, especially antelope, hippos, crocodiles and elephants. Many species of fresh water and sea birds are found in the lake areas of the St. Lucia Wetland Park. Fish is abundant and includes species such as cod, mullet as well as grunter. Interesting bird species include pelicans, fish eagles, flamingoes and herons. The St. Lucia Wetland Park area is known worldwide for turtles that breed on the subtropical beaches.
Activities that can be recommended include game fishing, rock and surf fishing, fly fishing and spear fishing. Game safaris, hippo cruises, walking trails, kayak safaris, night safaris and turtle breeding excursions are also offered. |
