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Long before St Lucia became a beloved holiday haven and a gateway to hippos and humpback whales, it was a place steeped in mystery, exploration, and legend. The history of this remarkable corner of KwaZulu-Natal is as colourful as the sunsets over the estuary, filled with tales of early explorers, Zulu kings, shipwrecks, and stories passed down through generations.

It was mid-morning when guests of Lidiko Lodge set off into the Eastern Shores of iSimangaliso Wetland Park, bound for a day at Cape Vidal. The sun was already high, the air bright and hot, when the extraordinary unfolded just three kilometers from the lodge near the Bhangazi Gate into the iSimangaliso Wetland Park.
There, on the tar road ahead, a leopard was walking calmly, her small cub padding close behind. For a few precious moments, mother and youngster moved together in plain sight before slipping silently into the roadside bush. As the guests sat in hushed amazement, another adult leopard suddenly appeared, only to vanish just as quickly into the thicket. Though the cats melted back into the wild almost as swiftly as they had appeared, the guests managed to capture the encounter on video. An unforgettable record of one of Africa’s rarest sights.

As dusk settles over St Lucia, the sound of grunts and splashes drifts across the estuary. Soon, dark shapes begin to emerge from the water, heading up the same well-trodden paths they have used for generations. For many first-time visitors, it is almost unbelievable to see, hippos wandering the streets of town, grazing on verges, or ambling past restaurants as if they own the place.
And in many ways, they do. Hippos are the undisputed icons of St Lucia, drawing visitors from across the globe to witness this remarkable coexistence of humans and wildlife. The phenomenon has made St Lucia world-famous, yet the hippos themselves are far more than a quirky tourist attraction. They are ancient, complex creatures with surprising traits that reveal just how extraordinary life on Africa’s waterways really is.

There are few places in the world where you can watch the sun rise over the ocean and set over a vast estuary, all in a single day, but here in St Lucia, it’s simply how life flows. Nestled between the rolling Indian Ocean waves and the shimmering waters of Lake St Lucia, our little coastal town is blessed with a rhythm that draws travellers in and leaves them longing to return.

When the golden light of the African sun begins to dip behind the lake and the western horizon, St Lucia begins its nightly transformation. The village itself winds down gently, with locals and visitors heading out for dinner, the occasional flicker of a torch lighting the paths, and the hum of conversation drifting from restaurants. Then, from down the road, the rhythmic beat of Zulu drums begins to rise—deep, earthy, and impossible to ignore. Zulu dancers, dressed in traditional attire, move up and down McKenzie Street, performing proudly outside restaurants, their energy drawing smiles, applause, and wide-eyed wonder. It’s the perfect overture to the wild night that follows, an evening where African culture and untamed nature share the stage.