Coastal Maputaland, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa

Swimming, snorkelling, diving and turtle-tracking

Highlights of Coastal Maputaland (also known as the Elephant Coast)

· Pristine unspoilt coastline with vast empty stretches of beach
· Turtle-tracking from November to February
· Whales from July to November
· Excellent snorkelling & diving
· PADI dive courses on offer at many lodges
· Sunset cruises on Lake Sibaya
· Nature drives, nature walks and canoeing
· Superb birding at Ndumo Wilderness Reserve

Coastal Maputaland, (also known as the Elephant Coast), truly is a magical area, untouched by large-scale tourism development. It is one of our favourite parts of South Africa. It lies in the far northern part of KwaZulu Natal. The Maputaland Marine Reserve stretches 200km north from Lake St Lucia - one of the world’s finest marine sanctuaries teeming with water birds, crocodiles and hippo - to Kosi Bay near the Mozambique border. Within this marine reserve, the Kosi Forest Coastal Reserve is an unspoilt wilderness region of pristine golden beaches backed by forested dunes and captivating freshwater lakes. It’s also a mecca for keen divers, with spectacular coral formations and a number of magnificent reefs teeming with tropical fish. We offer three coastal lodges (Thonga Beach Lodge, Rocktail Beach Camp and Rocktail Bay Lodge which is closed for refurbishment at the moment) as well as a forest eco-lodge, Kosi Forest Lodge.

These intimate coastal lodges practice sustainable tourism with significant local community involvement. Their activities mostly revolve around the ocean and the lakeland system with snorkelling for tropical fish, diving, canoeing on the lakes and awe-inspiring evening excursions in the summer to view the rare giant leatherback turtles as they lay and hatch their eggs (available from November to February). From July to November you may also be lucky to see the magnificent Southern Right whales as they come into the bays to breed.

The unspoilt nature of Coastal Maputaland is partly because it’s so remote. The easiest way to visit is to add a few days of beach time here on to a safari at one of the private KwaZulu Natal game reserves such as Phinda or Thanda. You can drive a rental car (on good tarred roads) to the lodges’ collection point and then take a 4x4 transfer to the lodge (45 to 60 minutes). Road transfers are also available but rather pricey given the distances involved. You can also fly direct from the Kruger area to the lodges’ airstrips by charter flight. This is certainly not a cheap option but saves much on travelling time.

TIP: Consider coastal maputaland as an alternative to Mozambique but then we recommend choosing a Zululand lodge for your safari.