Lake St Lucia - https://isimangaliso.com/jewel/lake-st-lucia/

Posted on Thu February 1, 2018.
Elephants in Lake St Lucia, iSimangaliso Wetland Park

Lake St Lucia owns a sense of place like no other – one of the most abundant, naturally-endowed and beautiful pieces of real estate on earth. If the iSimangaliso Wetland Park is a miracle (which ‘iSimangaliso’ translates to from the Zulu) then the Lake is the heart that sustains that miracle. It is the focal point of the UNESCO World Heritage Listing and has been a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance since 1986. It is 80km long and 23km at its widest point.

Aside from the lake and dune ecosystems, the Park protects a marine zone of warm tropical seas, coral reefs and endless sandy beaches; the papyrus and reed wetland of the uMkhuze swamps, on the north of the lake; and, on the western shore, dry savannah and thornveld. Any one of these would justify conservation, but their confluence around the Lake St Lucia makes this a world-class wilderness.

More than 50% of all water birds in KwaZulu-Natal feed, roost and nest in this Estuary. Of the 155 fish species that have been recorded in the Lake St Lucia estuarine system, 71 species use Lake St Lucia as a nursery area – and at least 24 of these are important in marine line fisheries. More than 2 180 species of flowering plants have been documented here and it is home to many species of antelope such as waterbuck, reedbuck, kudu, nyala, impala and duiker.

Lately guests have had the privilege to witness the local elephant herd refreshing themselves in the lake.

Further Reading

views across Bhangazi Lake near Cape Vidal in the iSimangaliso Park, UNESCO world Heritage
From Beach to Bush: The UNESCO Magic of St Lucia & iSimangaliso Wetland Park Sun November 16, 2025

There are places in the world where nature seems to follow ordinary patterns, and others where it breaks them entirely. St Lucia, a small, coastal town wrapped in the embrace of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park belongs unmistakably to the latter. This is a landscape where ecosystems blend in improbable ways, where wildlife moves confidently between human spaces, and where the natural world still feels vast, unfiltered and astonishing. It is little wonder...

Read This Article
Family ties, a herd of Elephant looking out for their own as they cross the road in iMfolozi
When Giants Walk Together, A Heartfelt Family Encounter in iMfolozi Mon November 3, 2025

There are few moments in life that remind us of nature’s quiet wisdom and unspoken harmony, moments that stop us in our tracks and leave us humbled. One such moment unfolded recently on the iMfolozi side of the Hluhluwe–iMfolozi Game Reserve, when a herd of around twenty five female elephants and their young crossed the dusty road before us. Engines idled. Conversations hushed. And in that stillness, we watched one of nature’s...

Read This Article
African sunset taken from Lidiko deck
Why St Lucia Is Fast Becoming KZN’s Most Sought-After Destination for International Visitors Mon October 20, 2025

There’s something almost otherworldly about arriving in St Lucia. The coastal air carries a mix of salt and forest scent, the streets are shaded by dense tree canopies, and now and then, a hippo might amble lazily down the main road at night as if to remind everyone that this is still their turf. It’s a village where the wild and the relaxed coexist and where international travellers are increasingly finding the...

Read This Article