St. Lucia Park, South Africa
The village of St. Lucia is the gateway to the St. Lucia Estuary and the St. Lucia Marine Reserve. Take a boat tour on Lake St. Lucia and watch hippos, crocs and waterbirds. Meet the living dinosaurs at the Crocodile Centre. Take the 1.5 km Gwalagwala Walk from St. Lucia and spot birds and small game or the 65 km, 5 day hike along the Emoyeni Trail and test your skills. Depart on a boat-based whale watching tour. Head to Cape Vidal to fish, observe leatherback and loggerhead turtles, and explore the underwater world. But Robinson Crusoe this is not, the village and the surrounding area are the tourist hub of the entire Greater St. Lucia Wetland Park and the crowds are madding during the peak fishing season.
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Getting there
St. Lucia is located 80 km (50 miles) north of Richards Bay. From the N2, the main highway between Durban and Swaziland, take the R618 Mtubatuba exit. Turn left, just before Mtubatuba and follow the signs road for roughly 25 km (16 miles).
Getting around
Hiking trails ranging from easy to extreme depart from various points in the park. The iPotwe and iMvubu trails near the crocodile center provide families with an introduction to the park. The guided multi-day treks at Missions Rocks and guided day walks at Mfazana Pans (just north of Mission Rocks) as well as the coastal trail at Cape Vidal are an opportunity to get under the skin of this conservation area and top birding destination. Boat tours both on the Estuary and open sea provide a different view of the local wildlife. Whether you spot one or more of the roughly 400 species of birds recorded here or watch hippos, crocodiles and humpback whales the adventure is unlikely to be forgotten soon.
When to travel
The climate is subtropical with mild, dry winters and hot, humid summers. While the area boasts 300 days of sun, rain is possible from December to February. Leatherback and Loggerhead turtles breed here from November to March. Humpback whales can be seen off the coast from June to December. The peak season (December, January, April, and July) coincides with South African school holidays.
Travel health & child safety
St. Lucia Park lies in a malaria area. In South Africa, malaria is a risk in some coastal areas as well as the provinces bordering Mozambique. Swimming in Lake St. Lucia and its estuary is prohibited due to the presence of crocodiles. Swimming in the shallow waters and rock pools off Cape Vidal is considered safe. Take caution when swimming in all other areas, there are no shark nets along this stretch of the coast.
Opening hours
In St. Lucia, the gate is open 24 hours a day and the office is open daily from 8:00 to 16:30. In Cape Vidal, the gate is open daily from 5:00 to 19:00 (21:00 on Fridays, holidays and long weekends) October - March and from 6:00 to 18:00 (21:00 on Fridays, holidays and long weekends) April - September.
Fees
Entrance to the village of St. Lucia is free of charge. Day visitors to Cape Vidal pay a gate fee only. The gate fee and conservation and rescue levies are included in the accommodation rate charged to all overnight guests.
Contact details
For additional information on the Greater St. Lucia Wetlands Park dial +27 (0)33 845 1002 or send an email to info@kznwildlife.com.
Things to keep in mind
The village has a variety of shops, restaurants and open-air markets.
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