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Nature Reserves surrounding Durban |
Nature Reserves along Durban’s North Coast:
• Mkhuzi Game Reserve covers over 36 thousand hectares
• Phinda Game Lodge
• Ndumo Game Reserve is located besides the Mozambique border
• Tembe Elephant Park
• Lake Sibaya Nature Reserve in the coastal forest reserve protects the largest freshwater lake in South Africa
• Kosi Bay Nature Reserve is a string of 4 lakes
• Ntendeka Wilderness Area
• Ithala Game Reserve
• St Lucia and Maputaland Marine Reserves
• Mapelane Nature Reserve
• Tewati Wilderness Area and Cape Vidal
• St Lucia Game Park
• Great St Lucia Wetland Park
• Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Game Reserve
Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Park, KwaZulu-Natal ( Durban North Coast)
Located on Durban’s North Coast, the Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Park is an area of unspoilt wilderness. This park with its 964 sq km is world renowned for its rhino conservation programme. It was in 1895 that the 2 game reserves Hluhluwe and Umfolozi were found to protect the last rhinos in South Africa. This Game Reserve was consolidated in 1989 and represents today the fourth largest in South Africa. This wildlife sanctuary is home to a great diversity of wildlife. Large herds of nyala, impala, wildebeest, kudu, zebra, buffalo as well as elephants, rhinos, giraffes, lions, leopards, hyena and cheetah can be found in the Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Park. Game rangers at the Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Park provide game viewing walks.
Itala Game Reserve, KwaZulu-Natal ( Durban North Coast)
The Itala Game Reserve is a wilderness area of 296 sq km of grassland with dramatic mountain scenery and densely wooded valleys. The Itala Game Reserve was established in 1972, and over the past years several farms have been consolidated into what has become one of South Africa’s top sanctuaries. It is he Pongolo River which flows along the reserve’s northern boundary for more than 36 km. Game viewing at the Itala Game Reserve is excellent. Amongst others, visitors to the Itala Game Reserve will be able to see white rhino, giraffe, hartebeest, kudu, eland, impala, wildebeest, warthog and zebra. The rare tsessebe antelope which is the only population in KwaZulu Natal is home in the Itala Game Reserve, KwaZulu Natal.
Greater St Lucia Wetland Park, KwaZulu-Natal (Durban North Coast)
The Greater St Lucia Wetland Park in KwaZulu Natal is the third largest wildlife sanctuary in South Africa. Lake St Lucia is 368 sq km in size. The Greater St Lucia Wetland Park consists of a large diversity of habitats: ocean, coral reef, coastal forest and wetland, mountains, bushveld, palm groves, sand forest as well as grassland. The village St Lucia which is located on the coast is a popular resort which provides the traveller with many accommodation options in hotels, resorts, guest houses and bed and breakfasts. River Cruises are arranged for visitors to the St Lucia Wetland Park from which hippos, crocodiles, pelicans, fish eagles and rare waterbirds can be observed.
Sodwana Bay is located 65 km north of the St Lucia Estuary.
Kosi Bay Nature Reserve, KwaZulu-Natal (Durban North Coast)
Kosi Bay Nature Reserve is an 80 sq km aquatic system which provides estuary, mangrove swamps and 4 interconnecting lakes. Kosi Bay can be reached from Mkuze, which is located south of the Pongolapoort Dam.
Tembe Elephant Park, KwaZulu-Natal (Durban North Coast)
The Tembe Elephant Park is a 290 sq km wilderness reserve which protects the flood plain of the Phongolo River along the boundary of KwaZulu Natal. The Tembe Elephant Park was founded in 1983 in order to protect the elephants in KwaZulu Natal. It is this nature park which also conserves South Africa’s largest population of rare suni antelope. |
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