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St Lucia Hiking Trails and Walking Safaris
Contact us on +27 727 234 215 or info@safariandsurf.com
Season: All year round
Duration: 2.5 hours
Cost: Adults R350 and Children R250
Are there Hiking Trails in St Lucia, South Africa?
There are two main hiking trails in St Lucia, South Africa. The Igwalagwala Forest Trail and the Iphiva Trail. The Igwalagwala Trail is rated as one of the best birding walks in South Africa whilst the Iphiva Trail on the Eastern Shores of iSimangaliso offer hikers a perfect example of the magical Eco-diversity of St Lucia with lots of wildlife and birds to be seen.
Can the St Lucia hiking trails be done on your own or do you need a local hiking guide?
Although both the St Lucia Hiking Trails are not clearly marked, they are open to the public as self-guided hikes.
For the best informative experience and your safety with the wildlife we do suggest that you join one of our scheduled St Lucia Walking Safaris or St Lucia Birding Walks.
Tips for if you want to hike on your own:
- Respect the wildlife
- Stay on the trails
- Keep noise levels down
- Please don't litter
- Don't start fires
Why join us on a 2.5 hour Walking Safari?
More than just observing animals on foot in their natural environment, our mission is purely to give visiting guests the opportunity to forget about their worries and daily busy lifestyles and to simply “be in the moment” for a short while.
Our guides are all professionally trained at the art of reading animal tracks and signs. They will fascinate you with their interpretations of what happened on the trails the night before.
What can you expect to see on our Walking Safari?
Boasting with 530 species of birds we will do our best at identifying even their calls as they sing with the rhythm of Africa.
Common mammal sighting on our Walking Safaris include zebra, wildebeest, waterbuck, impala, warthog, red and common duiker, common reedbuck, kudu, vervet and samango monkeys, banded mongoose and rarely leopard, hyena and side-striped jackal.
Our Walking Safaris are conducted in an area with no buffalo, elephant, lion and rhino. This create a safer experience where the entire family can join in and experience the feeling of being one with nature and truly feel part of the ecosystem
Can children join on the St Lucia Hiking Trails
Children are very welcome on our Walking Safaris. We guide our safaris to the need of every group. Our aim is to educate guests about the eco and species diversity of iSimangaliso Wetland Park whilst at the same time introducing you to the wilderness feeling and our rich culture. This truly is the perfect introduction to iSimangaliso for young and old.
Do you need to make a reservation or can you just arrive for your Walking Safari?
It is very important for you to make a reservation! We don’t have an office at our meeting point and have to schedule the meeting times ahead of time as we try our best to accommodate the needs of our groups regarding timing of our guided hiking trails.
We always suggest early mornings and late afternoons as this is when everything on the trails are more active.
From where do we start our Guided Hiking Trails in St Lucia?
Our Walking Safaris start from the St Lucia Crocodile Centre Parking area. This is at the Bhangazi Entrance Gate into iSimangaliso Wetland Park.
What is the cost for the St Lucia Walking Safari?
The cost for the St Lucia Walking Safari is:
Adults R350
Chidren R250
What to wear on the St Lucia hiking trail?
We suggest for you to wear comfortable clothing of a natural color. This way you will blend in better with the environment and animals wont see you as easily as when wearing bright colors.
A good pair of shoes is advised as it offers protection from thorns and the risk of snakes.
In summer a hat or cap is always a good plan.
Put some sunblock on before the trail.
What else to bring for your St Lucia Hiking Trail
- Bottle of water
- Binoculars
- Camera
- Thin raincoat