The iSimangaliso Wetland Park is the third largest protected area in all of South Africa, spanning from the Mozambique border in the north to just south of Lake St Lucia—a good 280 km of coastal area. Its name derives from King Shaka Zulu’s right-hand man, who was said to have described “wonders and miracles” upon visiting this area for the first time. UNESCO would eventually acknowledge the same thing, making it South Africa’s very first World Heritage Site. Wildlife abounds here, with pretty much all the animal species you can imagine: lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos, birds, dolphins, whales, crocodiles…the list goes on. And we saw so many different habitats. Besides the wetlands, it also features coral reefs, sandy beaches, coastal dunes, lake systems and swamps. Two days are not nearly enough!
