Elephant Coast, KwaZulu Natal

KwaZulu Natal’s Elephant Coast stretches from the world heritage site of Lake St Lucia in the south to Kosi Bay, virtually on the Mozambique border. It is an extraordinary, untamed area fast growing in popularity for its incredible variety of habitats and eco-systems that combine into an unforgettable blend of adventure, unspoilt scenery and unique experiences.

Called the Elephant Coast after the country’s largest herd of indigenous African elephants that have lived in sand forests in this region for centuries, the Elephant Coast extends inland across to the Lubombo Mountains in the west, and includes the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Game Reserve, the oldest game park in Africa - home to the big five. It is not hard to understand why the Elephant Coast is regarded as the ecotourism mecca of the Zulu Kingdom. Sand dunes blend with swamps, coastal forests, rocky shores, coral reefs, mangrove swamps, woodlands, savanna grassland, and the largest protected wetland in southern Africa, iSimangaliso Wetland Park (the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park).

Getaways to this coastline are rich in adventure, and if you’re not game viewing, birding, paddling, snorkelling, hiking, on a horse trail, or diving then you’re surely out on a boat to see dolphins and humpback whales, or watching turtles lay eggs on the beach.

Highlights of the Elephant Coast include Cape Vidal (wonderful beaches for deep-sea fishing and famous for whale watching); Sodwana Bay Nature Reserve (the mainstay of scuba diving); Kosi Bay (one of the most unspoilt regions with numerous lakes where you can watch local fishermen); and of course both the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Game Reserve and the iSimangaliso Wetlands Park are highlights of the Elephant Coast, for obvious reasons. 

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Perry's Bridge Reptile Park, Mpumalanga

This is your chance to get up close and personal with some of South Africa and the world's most venomous snakes, as well as large constrictors, crocodilians, lizards, tortoises and frogs.

Perry's Bridge Reptile Park is conveniently located just 14kms from Phabeni gate and Numbi gate to Kruger National Park and on the panoramic route to the Blyde River Canyon. This is an opportunity not to be missed when you visit the Lowveld. Species to view include anacondas, reticulated pythons, black mamba, green mamba, rattlesnakes, boomslang, gaboon adder, and cobras, amongst many others as well as poison dart frogs, iguanas, the ancient leopard tortoises and huge Nile crocodiles. Enclosures are designed to mimic the animals' natural environment, providing a more enjoyable lifestyle for the animals and a providing greater viewing pleasure for our visitors.

Children will love to meet our potbellied pigs PumPum, Peaches and Pumpkin, their goat friends Daisy and Gandalf, the peacocks Letitia and Lancelot, as well as a variety of ducks and geese. The gardens are a bird haven attracting many of our local species including spectacular purple crested touracos and resident woodland kingfishers - we even have a resident gymnogene who is regularly sighted.

Complete your visit with a trip to our own curio shop, then enjoy your time relaxing in some of the many restaurants offered at Perry’s Bridge, write home from the internet cafe, or enjoy a beverage at the brewery. Shopping opportunities also exist for locally produced quality crafts and curios, an art gallery and a divine Belgian Patissiere combined with a wine shop. A small playground for the children is also provided.

TIMES:

Daily demonstrations at 11h00 and 15h00, Crocodile feeding Sundays at 14h00.

Open from 10h00 until 17h00, seven days a week.

ADDRESS:

Perry's Bridge Tourist Centre, Corner of the R536 and R40, Hazyview, Mpumalanga

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Lowveld Botanical Garden, Mpumalanga

One of the main reasons to visit Nelspruit, the Lowveld National Botanical Garden lies just outside of town, a beautiful 159 hectare space dominated by rugged, rocky river scenery, and home to over 600 naturally occurring plant species, and a further 2000 that have been introduced to the garden.

The Lowveld Botanical Garden is all about the two rivers that run through it; that fashion the garden with a unique quality of its own. The Crocodile River enters the garden with a tremendous rush, gushing through a narrow, pot-holed solid rock gorge, whilst its counterpart, the Nels River, cascades down a waterfall from the west - the two content to merge in a somewhat more gentle pool. The river banks are dominated by evergreen forest belts, and the eastern bank of the Crocodile River is a tropical African rainforest, representative of the rapidly diminishing rain forests in central and west Africa, and a world first for the Lowveld Garden.

Aside from this, the Lowveld Botanical Garden is alive with trees and creates a wonderful haven for visitors. Around 650 tree species indigenous to South Africa dominate the garden, interspersed with ancient cycads and a variety of shrubs. The garden is dominated by a vegetation type known as Sour Lowveld Bushveld that is a link between the true Lowveld and the escarpment, due mainly to the garden’s altitude. There is rarely a dramatic contrast between winter and summer on the Lowveld because of the evergreen nature of trees and shrubs, especially in the riparian zones on the banks of the two rivers.

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Hiking the Boesmanskloof Trail

The Boesmanskloof Trail winds through the only gap in the rugged Riviersonderend mountain range. It is in the Robertson Karoo region of the south-western Cape. The trail links the small towns of McGregor in the north to Greyton in the south. It has become one of the most popular trails in the Western Cape, especially as the beautiful colonial-style town of Greyton lies at the one end.

The length of the trail is approximately 15, 8 km and may be hiked within one day. It can be started from either McGregor or Greyton. While the trail lies just outside Greyton, it only commences 14 km to the south of McGregor at ‘Die Galg’.(The gallows)

Hikers may often choose to walk the trail there and back (a total of 28 Km) and overnight in either of the two towns. Another delightful option is to begin the trail at McGregor and walk to Greyton, stay the night at the Post House Tel. (02822 9995) and return to McGregor the following day.

This is winter rainfall area (generally cold and wet) and the summer months are extremely warm and dry. Water may be required during the summer months. Physically the trail requires a reasonable degree of fitness as it continuously ascends, descends and contours the slopes of Boesmanskloof.

Permits are necessary, obtainable from the Sonderend State Forest in Robertson. No overnight camping is allowed on the trail. There is however, a municipal campsite in Greyton. Because the trail requires between 4 - 5 hours to complete, there is plenty of time for swimming and enjoying the views.

The main attractions along the route are the spectacular mountain scenery; large rock pools waterfalls and Lovely Cape wildflowers. Highlights include views of the majestic Riviersonderend Mountains, with their steep gorges and the lush Greyton and McGregor valleys. Water is abundant in large rock pools.

There is a great diversity of plant species - many different Protea and Erica species occur here. The stream cone bush and wild almond grow along the watercourses.

Animals found in the area include the duiker, Grey rhebuck, klipspringer, baboon, dassies and spotted genet. Leopard is very rare. Among the birds, species like the Black and booted eagle, Cape Sugarbird, malachite sunbird and other are found. The hike is extremely popular among tourists and City dwellers. It is a total get-away and only one and a half-hours drive from Cape Town. Just being in Greyton itself is a walk into another world.

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26 On Gull

‘26 on Gull’ is ideally situated on the Bloubergstrand dunes overlooking the beautiful and majestic Table Bay. With stunning views and breath-taking sunsets, this modern apartment is perfect for a quick getaway or for an extended holiday.

The apartment has two bedrooms, one double bedroom and one bedroom with twin beds, and a full family bathroom. There is a fully equipped kitchen and a lounge with a TV with DStv. There is a balcony with stunning views of the Atlantic Ocean and you can see all the way to Table Mountain. There are braai facilities and guests have access to the swimming pool. We are within walking distance of the beach.

We provide easy access to the Central Business District and are 20 minutes from the renowned V&A Waterfront, 30 minutes from the airport, five minutes from all the local shopping malls and cinemas and 40 minutes from the Cape wine route.

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Sabi Sands Game Reserve, Mpumalanga

The Sabi Sands Game Reserve is undoubtedly the most exclusive private game reserve in South Africa. The 65,000-hectare Sabi Sands Game Reserve is located on the south-western corner of the Kruger National Park. There are no restricting fences between the Kruger Park and Sabi Sands Reserve and the wildlife roams freely between the two game reserves. Your Wildlife Safari cannot be complete without exposure to every facet of life in the bush.

Leopards are a main attraction of the Sabi Sands Game Reserve and are so accustomed to cars that they do not take much notice of them. Even when hunting, a leopard in the Sabi Sands will not mind a vehicle following it, even if this means following it off-road though the bush. Some of the best and most exclusive private game lodges in the country are in the Sabi Sands Game Reserve and the chances of seeing the Big 5 (lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant and rhino) are excellent.

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Manaba Beach

Pretty and popular Manaba Beach lies just north of Margate, still within Margate's jurisdiction. More often than not Margate and Manaba Beach are spoken about in the same breath. Certainly luxury accommodation is advertised as lying in the prime spot of 'Margate and Manaba beachfront'.

This sub-tropical part of the KwaZulu-Natal south coast, part of the Hibiscus Coast, lies just south of St Michael's-on-Sea and Shelly Beach and roughly six kilometres north of Ramsgate, another popular seaside town. Manaba Beach is exactly what its name implies - a beach holiday resort. Mainly comprised of modern resort-type apartments, one heads down here to soak up sea and sun, and any activities that enhance either of these. Unsurprisingly 'Manaba' comes from the Zulu meaning 'ease and relaxation'.

If you are in Manaba Beach then you're here to swim, sunbathe, fish, kite-surf, paddle, canoe, windsurf, bird watch, play a round or two of golf, and even sight the odd whale. In short, this is a beach holiday destination of note and hence, during peak season, a very popular part of the coast because of the easy access to the larger centres of Port Shepstone and Durban.

Margate's swimming beach is a wonderful spot with fishing piers, shops, supermarkets and entertainment galore. For those days where weather works against one there are other activities like wild water rafting or taking a barge trip on the Umzimkulu (also known as Mzimkhulu) River, and a visit to Oribi Gorge, inland of Margate. This 'place of echoes' is millions of years old and the views alone are worth setting out for. View sites include Lovers' Leap, the Overhanging Rock, the Needle and Lehr's waterfall.

In the same vicinity you can take a coffee tour in Echo Valley that overlooks part of Oribi Gorge. This coffee farm produces 100% Arabica Coffee, has its own roasting facility and 'seedling to cup' tours daily.

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