Overview
#St. Lucia St. Lucia is a small town, next to the St. Lucia Estuary within the iSimangaliso Wetland Park in KwaZulu-Natal. The estuary connects Lake St. Lucia to the Indian Ocean. The town is a haven for fishermen and during South Africa's holiday seasons and summer weekends it literally swarms with pick-up trucks and fishing rods. During the rest of the year it is a rustic hideaway and great base from which to explore the Estuary and sandy beaches
The estuary was named Santa Lucia by Portuguese explorers who first reached it in 1576. Santa Lucia is the name of a Ezemvelo (parks-board) boat that operates 1.5-hour cruises on the Estuary three to four times a day. Our preferred (private) cruise operator is Advantage Tours. You will see large numbers of hippos, some crocodiles, various water birds and often African Fish Eagle. If you have limited time to spend in town we suggest that you opt for this activity.
The town is also home to the St. Lucia Crocodile Centre. Originally established to help replenish the crocodile population of Lake St. Lucia and its estuary it now fulfills an educational function.
A host of other activities are on offer in the area including whale watching cruises,game drives, hiking trails and snorkeling excursions to nearby Cape Vidal.
Tours that visit St. Lucia
popular
Scheduled tours
13 Day Highlights of South Africa Southbound
On this tour you learn more about Johannesburg, stay at two private game reserves and experience open vehicle game drives, do game viewing in five different regions, interact with ostriches and elephants, engage in whale and dolphin watching on an ocean safari and travel to beautiful Cape Town and Cape Point. An excellent tour for first time visitors to South Africa.
from R31,145
popular
Scheduled tours
16Day Highlights of South Africa Southbound
On this tour you journey through the most popular areas of South Africa, following the most-travelled, tried and tested route for first time visitors to the country. The tour provides a mix of cities, countryside, historical sites, scenic drives, nature, wildlife, culture and people.
from R20,910
popular
Scheduled tours
Wildlife Experience Tour
This tour will give you the opportunity to experience African wildlife in its natural surroundings. Apart from the four star hotels, you will also stay at two private game lodges and discover excellent South African cuisine. The tour will take you from Johannesburg into the scenic Mpumalanga province with its abundance of game reserves. Next you travel through the kingdom of Swaziland to KwaZulu Natal with different eco systems and game viewing. The tour ends at Durban, the holiday capital of South Africa.
from R12,315
Things to see
Game or nature reserve
Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Game Reserve
##Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park (prev. Hluhluwe-Umfolozi) The Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park is the oldest game reserve in Africa. It is situated in the North of the Kwa-Zulu Natal Province. It covers 96,000 ha of varied ecosystems. Relative to its size, Hluhluwe-Imfolozi is home to the largest population of the endangered white rhino in the world, between 1 500 and 2 000.
2 tours visit here
Game or nature reserve
iSimangaliso Wetland Park
##iSimangaliso Wetland Park iSimangaliso Wetland Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that stretches along a coastal belt of 220 km and covers an area of 332,000 ha. It includes three major lake systems and five interlinking eco systems. It features a huge diversity of animal, plant and marine life to be explored by visitors.
2 tours visit here
Attraction
St. Lucia Estuary & Lake
##St. Lucia Estuary The 360 square kilometre Lake St. Lucia in KwaZulu-Natal is the largest inland body of water in South Africa and the jewel in the crown of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park - a UNESCO World Heritage Site.The lake has a healthy fish population, supports a huge variety of bird species, is home to ±800 hippos and scores of crocodiles.
3 tours visit here
Gallery
