iSimangaliso Images

Posted Wed, 1 Feb (4 months ago)

Could iSimangaliso Wetlands Park be the most beautiful place in South Africa? Travel Blog editor Joy-Anne Goodenough believes it just may be...

Joy-Anne says:

Today I got a 'time capsule' email which I receive once a month showing me a selection of images from my flickr account exactly one year ago. When I clicked through to the capsule this morning the photographs that opened up made me take in a deep breath and exhale a deep sigh of longing. iSimangaliso! I want to be back there right now!

Yes, I live in Cape Town, SA's most popular city, surrounded by incredible natural beauty. But my trip to iSimangaliso last February made me fall so in love with that part of KwaZulu Natal that I will always consider it to be my 'happy place'. And I completely intend to go back there one day.

So I thought I would share some of those images with our readers.

Stay at iSimangaliso Wetlands Park

Travel to paradise...

Listed as South Africa’s first World Heritage Site in December 1999 in recognition of its unique global values. The name iSimangaliso means ‘miracle and wonder’.

The 332 000 hectare Park contains 3 major lake systems, 8 interlinking eco-systems, 700-year old fishing traditions, most of South Africa’s remaining swamp forests, Africa’s largest estuarine system, 526 bird species and 25 000-year old forested coastal dunes - amongst the highest in the world.

Portfolio offers the discerning traveller wonderful accommodation at Thonga Beach Lodge inside the iSimangalios Wetlands Park as well a selection of handpicked guest houses and lodges in the greater St Lucia region.

3 Responses to iSimangaliso Images

Stunning pics Joy, well done. Am sure many more readers qwill want to go there too after seeing your pics. Cheers, Liz

By Liz (4 months ago)

Stunning indeed Joy-Anne! I'm lucky enough to live and work here and it's so great to see others appreciate it too. It's like seeing it through fresh eyes and realising that all the hard work we put into preserving this amazing place is worth it! We are heading into the best time of year - "winter", when you can stay in your bikini all day, but not melt while you are at it. When the overwhelming summer greenery fades to golden hues, the many wetland pans shrink and animals are even more visible than usual; sunsets are more vivid and the morning air is crisp , clean and invigorating (as opposed to current humidity). aah I am making myself quite homesick, and I live here! Come back soon..

By Debbie (8 weeks ago)

Hi Debbie - wow I am super jealous of you getting to live in my number 1 'happy place'. You're making me 'homesick' too! I do plan on coming back one day, will have to win another competition to be able to afford it though! Cape Town is a beautiful place to live but iSimangaliso is something else, something magical. And so un-discovered!

By Joy-Anne (7 weeks ago)