iSimangaliso - meaning miracle, or the greatest thing you will ever see - is centred around the Lake St Lucia lagoon system, and was declared a World Heritage Site in 1999. The Park includes the lake, beaches, grasslands, dune forests, and marine reserve. It is home to exceptional biodiversity, featuring over 500 bird species. This is the largest estuarine system in Africa and includes the southernmost extension of coral reefs. Among its attractions are the world's highest forested sand dunes, large numbers of nesting turtles, whales, dolphins, whale sharks, and huge numbers of waterfowl including large breeding colonies of pelicans. In recent years, buffalo and elephants have been reintroduced onto the eastern shores of the lake.
Resting in the Msunduzi Valley in the heart of Zululand, the Manyoni Private Game Reserve lies in the province of Kwa-Zulu Natal. It boasts excellent game viewing opportunities, rich cultural traditions, and significant conservation efforts. It was established when a group of private landowners partnered with the WWF and Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife to remove all internal fences and today it stretches over 23 000 hectares of magnificent African bushveld. This private reserve is home to a wide selection of wildlife including a variety of endangered species and the world-renowned Big Five. The area’s vast range of diverse habitats allows the reserve to support an array of wildlife species while also attracting an abundant variety of birdlife. Providing a safe haven to over 70 mammal species, Manyoni is home to impressive populations of giraffe, kudu, nyala, wildebeest, zebra and much more.
