False Bay Park is situated along the western shores of Lake St. Lucia,
forming a portion of the iSimangaliso Wetlands Park. Previously known as the St.
Lucia Wetlands Park, this area has been proclaimed a world heritage site. False
Bay Park covers approximately 4,000 ha. Popular activities at False Bay include boating, fishing, hiking and horseback riding.
False Bay Park is composed of a diverse range habitats which include tracts of
sand forest, thornveld and open savannah, as well as stretches of pristine
shoreline. This variety in natural diversity provides visitors to the park with
excellent bird watching and game viewing, and can be best experienced on either
of the two self guided trails which run through the park, namely the Dugandlovu
and Mpophomeni trails. The False Bay Park also serves as one of KwaZulu Natal's
prime bird watching destinations, and is home to one of South Africa's few
remaining Pink Backed Pelican colonies. Avid birders will be rewarded with
sightings of such species as Pink-throated Longclaws, Lesser Jacana, Goliath
Heron and Black Egret, all of which are seen along the grassy shoreline of the
lake. Visitors should be aware that crocodiles frequent the shoreline as well.
Visitors to the park who make use of the trails will spot such species as
Southern Banded Snake-Eagle, and Broad-billed Roller in the treetops in summer,
while ground birds frequenting the undergrowth include the elusive Green Coucal,
and the Pink-throated Twinspot which is endemic to the region. Neergaard's
Sunbird, Purple-banded Sunbird, and the highly vocal Crested Guinea fowl are
also regularly seen in the park. However the closed canopy sand forest at False
Bay Park yields the best birding opportunities, with sightings of groups of
species which include Rudd's Apalis, White Helmetshrike, Square-tailed Drongo
and Yellow-bellied Bulbul.
Other than the massive variety of birds which inhabit the False Bay Park, the
region provides decent sightings of various small mammals , for example common
and red duiker, and the rare and diminutive suni antelope. Visitors should also
be aware that hippos come ashore to graze at night, and those camping or staying
in the hutted accommodation should always carry torches when walking around at
night.
An interesting variety of flora also exists within the False Bay Park, and includes nectar-producing trees such as the Weeping Boer-bean (Schotia brachypetala) which can reach a height of 22 m displaying richly coloured red flowers popular among birds, and the Coast Coral tree (Erythrina caffra), Lebombo wattle (Newtonia hildebrandti), Zulu podberry (Dialium schlechteri) and Black Monkey Thorn (Acacia burkei) also grow in large numbers in the park. Also featured at the False Bay Park, is an attractive interpretive centre, which houses a variety of important marine fossils of both animals and coral.
Thornwood offers luxury accommodation for up to 8 people in a self-catering, fully serviced, upmarket lodge. A unique blend of luxury timber frame units, fit seamlessly into the surrounding bush …see more for bookings / enquiries and info.
Comfortable overnight facilities are available at Ezulwini Lodge, and there are choices between either one of six self-catering units detailed under the Rates section below. Breakfast and dinner are being served in a central kitchen-lapa. …see more for bookings / enquiries and info.
Set in the magnificent Elephant Coast, near South Africa’s oldest Game Reserve, the 3-star Anew Hotel Hluhluwe & Safaris, is the ultimate South African holiday destination. …see more for bookings / enquiries and info.
Bushlands Game Lodge is centrally situated in Zululand and surrounded by 300 000 acres of National Parks, including Hluhluwe/Umfolozi, Mkuzi, Nduma, Sodwana Bay and St. Lucia. …see more for bookings / enquiries and info.
Guests can enjoy an unrivalled ethnic experience by staying in DumaZulu Lodge which consists of ethnic units resembling the different tribes of Southern Africa on the exterior while the interior is modern and tastefully decorated in ethnic fabrics …see more for bookings / enquiries and info.
Cape Vidal falls within the St Lucia Marine Reserve and is situated north-east of St Lucia within the Isimangaliso Wetland Park World Heritage Site. This pretty bay is supported by a variety of accommodation set back in the dunes.There are 18 five-bedded …see more for bookings / enquiries and info.