St Lucia and its lodges

St Lucia is the subtropical northeastern region of South Africa offers coral reefs, great beaches, estuaries and also some fine game reserves with an interesting diversity of bushveld habitats. At its core are the extremely well-run national parks managed by KZN wildlife, which include a clutch of reserves now included in the Greater iSimangaliso Wetland Park. This is a fantastic wetland system, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with the most southerly coral reefs in Africa. Turtles lay their eggs on the beaches here in the summer months, and it’s an immensely beautiful place. Once again, there are camps run by KZN Wildlife as well as some excellent private reserves including Phinda. In this area, don’t miss the Hlhuhluwe-Umfolozi Park, the oldest wildlife area in Southern Africa—it was here that rhino were brought back from the brink of extinction in the 60s and 70s by the legendary conservationist, Ian Player. Birders will find the small reserves of Ndumo and Mkuze to be among the most productive areas in South Africa. We can highly recommend this area for photographers, especially if they choose an itinerary that combines some of the privately operated wildlife areas with the provincial parks.