This region offers ideal climatic conditions for wildlife and is well known for it's success in breeding rhino, having supplied thousands to conservation areas throughout Southern Africa. Hluhluwe/Umfolozi Game Reserve, once the hunting grounds of the Zulu kings and where you will find practically every species of game including the Big Five. The white rhino, in particular, was once considered to be one of the most endangered animal species in the world. The Greater St Lucia Wetlands, a patchwork of conservation areas, include forested dunes, swamps, islands and woodlands. Lake St Lucia, where thousands of migrating flamingos flock, has hippo and crocodile.
The Mkuzi Game Reserve is excellent for game-viewing and birdlife is prolific. More than 300 species of bird have been recorded.
Further north, smaller game reserves can be found. These include the Pongola Game Reserve, sanctuary to a large variety of wildlife species which include giraffe, hyena, leopard and buffalo, to name but a few. On the border of Mozambique lies Ndumo Game Reserve where rhino, giraffe, warthog, zebra, kudu, nyala and impala are found. Adjacent to this is the Tembe Elephant Park. As the name suggests, this park is home to a herd of elephants that originated from Mozambique. The elephants were left to freely migrate back and forth over the border.
Near to Tembe Elephant Park and only about 2kms from the Mozambique border, in the north eastern corner of KwaZulu-Natal, lies Kosi Bay, one of natures last frontiers. It is in fact an estuary, combining a chain of lakes, marshes and swamp forests that stretch for 18kms. Teeming with fish, it is popular for surf angling, fly-fishing and boat fishing.
On KZN’s North Coast, Ballito is a mega-tourist-friendly seaside resort with wonderful, safe, shark net-protected beaches. Tidal pools ranging from kiddies’ paddling numbers to a full Olympic-sized pool offer safe bathing for all levels of swimmer and even non-swimmers. There is a lovely long boardwalk offering easy scenic beach walking and a more rugged trail all the way up to Salt Rock includes a short tunnel best attempted at low tide. The surfing is great at nearby Salmon Bay.
Stanger is situated on the KwaZulu Natal North Coast and occupies a central place in the history of the Zulu people. It was here in Stanger where Shaka Zulu, the great warrior-king and founder of the Zulu nation lies buried. Apart from his two royal kraals named kwaBulowayo, he also built a capital called kwaDukuza, at the site of present day Stanger.
Dominating the traditional beehive shaped huts was Shaka’s own royal hut. On the afternoon of 24 September 1828 Shaka Zulu was stabbed to death by his two half brothers, Mhlangana and Dingane, with his own invention, the short stabbing spear. The following day the body was wrapped in an ox hide and buried in an empty grain storage pit, together with some personal possessions.
In 1851, the Norwegian Missionary Society established a station on the banks of the Mpangeni River. The river was named after the Mpange trees growing along its banks, and the settlement that formed around the station took the slightly anglicised name of the river.
Eshowe
Eshowe is blessed with this abundant natural diversity, the residents boast that that there is a tree in flower every day of the year in their town. This lush environment and refreshing climate has always attracted human habitation and no less than four Zulu kings have at some stage lived here, though Eshowe probably owes its modern beginnings to the Norwegian missionaries who established a station here in the mid-19th century. During the Anglo Zulu War of 1879 British soldiers used the mission as a fort and were besieged by the Zulu army for 10 weeks.
The Pongolapoort
Nature Reserve lies 40Km to the east. The
Ithala Game Reserve, westward, is closer in a straight line, but on tarred
road about 80Km away. The Reserve was proclaimed as such on 13 June 1894
by Pres. Paul Kruger of the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek, and thus the oldest
reserve on the African continent. About 20'000 Ha was set aside for ths
purpose. The Reserve was taken over by farmers when the Anglo-Boer War changed
the political landscape, and the reserve deproclaimed in the early 1900s.
Part of the original Reserve area was again declared a conservation area
only as recently as 1978.
The Pongolapoort Dam, also known as the Jozini Dam, lies within Pongola
Nature Reserve in the valleys below the Lebombo escarpment. The dam was
built in 1970 for the irrigation of farm land, especially sugarcane. It
is stocked with Tigerfish, much to the delight of fishermen.
Boating is allowed on the dam, and there are dam cruising services available.
Sunset cruises are very popular.
Set in the heart of Zululand, the oldest game reserve in Africa where Zulu kings such as Dingiswayo and Shaka hunted and put in place the first conservation laws, where today the "big five" of African legend stalk the verdant savannah. Established in 1895, game viewing is the prime attraction. Viewing hides overlook waterholes enabling visitors to see animals at close range. As the home of Operation Rhino in the 1950s and 60s, the Park became world renowned for its white rhino conservation. Other areas of focus for which Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park is famed include wilderness trails which originated in Imfolozi in the 1950s and its renowned Game Capture unit recently upgraded into the Centenary Capture Centre, a bench mark for animal capture and sustainable utilization throughout Africa. The Park covers some 96 000 ha and contains an immense diversity of fauna and flora. Hluhluwe is characterised by hilly topography, and this northern section of the park is noted for its wide variety of both bird and animal life. Apart from game-viewing drives, there are two self-guided auto trails which provide information on both the management and natural history of the reserve. Guided walks are also available, particularly rewarding in the early morning and late afternoon.
The beach at Sodwana Bay Copyright: South African Tourism
Maputoland in the north east corner of the province nothing has changed over the centuries. One of South Africa's most beautiful and unspoilt areas. This narrow strip of land approximately 70 kilometers long and just 50 kilometers wide is home to different eco-systems. Dense evergreen forests of towering fig trees stand in a lush undergrowth of ferns and wild orchids hanging from the trees. Palm savannahs with thousands of wild date and lala palms dot the white sand of the undulating landscape. Swamp forests with large raffias and tangled masses of greenery that are home to myriads of exquisite birds and behind them mountainous sand dunes that appear to shift with the sighing of gentle winds.
This incredible area is a perfect destination for all ages and has something for everyone. There are dozens of game reserves, beautiful beaches, deep sea fishing and diving on a number of reefs, mountain trails, cultural activities and a number of historical sites. This is one of the few destinations where a visitor can see the big 5 at a game reserve and within a short half hour's drive be able to watch dolphins and whales.
Richards Bay
Richards Bay Beaches
Richard's Bay is vibrant and a popular holiday destination, offering spectacular scenery and unspoilt beaches. It is one of the closest sea destinations from Gauteng and enjoys a summer climate all year round.
The town has the counrty's largest harbour and some of its most magnificent wetland scenery.
The coastline stretches some three hundred and fifty kilometres from the mouth of the mighty Tugela River in the south to the Mozambique border in the north. The coastal plains include endless unspoilt beaches and coastal conservation areas and incorporate the largest estuarine system in Southern Africa.
St. Lucia ist der grösste Ort am Rande des Nationalparks "Greater St.Lucia Wetland Park". Südafrikas erster "Natural World Heritage Site", wurde 1999 von der UNESCO verliehen. Der Park ist an der Nordwesteküste von Kwazulu-Natal im Königreich der Zulus gelegen. Es handelt sich hier um den dritt größten Park Südafrikas mit einer imposanten 280 Km langen Küste. St. Lucia ist sehr beliebt unter ekologisch interessierten Besuchern. Der St. Lucia See ist von 1000 Flusspferden, einigen tausend Krokodilen, 115 Fischarten und 520 Vogelarten bevölkert. Die Naturschönheiten bestehen aus Seen, Weiden, Sümpfen und riesigen überwachsenen Sanddünen. Im 19 Jahrhundert wurde hier noch extensiv Gejagt auf Elefanten wegen des Elfenbeins. Glücklicherweise wurde die ekologische Bedeutung der Gegend früh erkannt und schon 1897 zum Naturschutzgebiet erklärt.
Once the capital of the Nieuwe Republiek, and incorporated into the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek, in 1884, Vryheid (Freedom) became a focal point for German immigration which continues to influence this modern, progressive town. Many examples of Tudor and Edwardian architecture stand among the numerous historic landmarks. This is an ideal place to stay, if you are interested in the battlefields. From the Voortrekker Zulu conflict there is Blood River. Isandlwana is not far away, where the Zulus defeated the mighty British army. On the outskirts of Vryheid is the Talana battlefield from the Boer War.
