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The Makakatana Bay Lodge offers guests a unique experience in regards to safaris. Guests have the unique opportunity to explore a different environment of St Lucia iSimangaliso Wetland game reserve.
Afternoon Game Drive:
This safari is offered on the day of arrival.
After tea guests travel in a 4x4 open safari vehicle to the heart of the Wetland Park.
Boat Trips on Lake St Lucia
Guests enjoy a morning boat trip after breakfast and a picnic lunch afterwards (weather permitting)
Beach Safaris
Depart after breakfast and enjoy a leisurely safari drive to the Indian Ocean where guests can swim and enjoy the coast-line.
Guests enjoy a picnic lunch and return to the lodge for afternoon tea.
Hluhluwe and uMfolozi Big 5 Game Drive
The Makakatana Bay Lodge takes guests on a safari to the Hluhluwe Umfolozi Game Reserve. Guests are up around 5am and are driven (+/- 50min) to the game reserve to seek out the big 5. A picnic brunch is served at the park and guests return to the lodge by 13H30 for light lunch at 2.
Animals in Hluhluwe Umfolozi include: Elephant, White Rhino, Black Rhino, Leopard, Lion, Buffalo Cheetah, Wild Dog, Hyena, Giraffe, Zebra, Dyker, Wildebeest, Impala, Reedbuck, Nyala, Kudu, other antelope and many other species of game.
iSimangaliso Wetland Park Lake St Lucia
On 27 April 1897 St Lucia was declared a game reserve. The conservation area was a 35000 hectare lake with a 1km strip of land surrounding the lake. At a later stage other conservation areas were added. On 1 December 1999 UNESCO declared the lake and adjacent coastal areas a world heritage site. The 328 000 hectare reserve was south africa's first world heritage site and encompasses 5 five major ecological zones.
The 4 star Makakatana Bay Lodge remains the only privately owned lodge situated within this world heritage site.
Ecological Zones in the iSimangaliso Wetland Park
The Greater St Lucia Wetland Park encompasses 5 major ecological zones:
- Marine Ecosystem: Warm sea, coral reefs teaming with fish, whales and dolphins.
- Eastern Shores Ecosystem: Golden beaches flanked by some of the highest vegetated sand dunes in the world, grassy plains and a variety of wetlands.
- Lake St Lucia: Africa's largest natural estuary, populated by hippopotamus, crocodile and water birds.
- Mkuze Swamps: A reed and papyrus wetland.
- Western Shores: Dry savannah and thornveld with rich deposits of fossils.
Directions and Location
The Makakatana Bay Lodge is situated on the Lake St Lucia, within the iSimangaliso Wetland Park World Heritage Site, Zululand, KwaZulu Natal in South Africa.
Heading North on the N2 - pass the Mtubatuba / St. Lucia turnoff & keep heading North for approximately 20Km.
Heading South on the N2 - Pass the Hluhluwe turnoff & head south for about another 25 / 30Km - pass the Nyalazi River sign & then.
Lookout for the 'Charters Creek/ Makakatana' turn-off.
Follow the tar road for approximately 14Km and keep going straight onto the dirt road towards Charters Creek. About 1Km along the dirt road take the right fork at the Makakatana sign. Keep on the dirt road and follow the signs for another 4Km.
- 2h30 Drive from Durban
- 1h00 Drive from Richards Bay Airport
- 6h30 Drive from Johannesburg
The Makakatana Bay Lodge is not situated in the town of St Lucia. It is 30km north off the N2 past Mtubatuba/ St Lucia turnoff.
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ISIMANGALISO WETLAND PARK /
KWAZULU NATAL, ST LUCIA |
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The 4 star Makakatana Bay Lodge is beautifully located on the banks of Lake St Lucia in KwaZulu-Natal within the iSimangaliso Wetland Park World Heritage Site, which is the heart of Africa's largest natural estuary.
The Isimangaliso Wetland park World Heritage Site is one of the few natural wonders left on earth where the traveller can find unspoilt wilderness beaches, vast wetlands and game reserves all combined into one wildlife reserve in South Africa.
Situated in the St Lucia Wetland set in a dune forest, the Makakatana Bay Lodge is hidden just meters away from the waters edge of the magnificent banks of the Lake St Lucia.
Facilities which are available to guests staying at the Makakatana Bay Lodge
- Private personal service
- 5 Private suites
- 1 Honeymoon suite
- 12 Bed maximum capacity
- Private Bush pool on lakes edge
- Bar
- TV in main lounge
- Dining room
- Outdoor dining deck
- Boma for bush dinners
- Wine cellar in 'Old Crab House'
- Private dining on request
Accommodation at the Makakatana Bay Lodge, St Lucia Wetlands
The Makakatana Bay Lodge offers its guests an unforgettable KwaZulu-Natal safari experience with its adventures game viewing, its comfortable suites and excellent service.
Guests at the Makakatana Bay Lodge are accommodated in 6 spacious suites. Three of these are set in the dune forest and are frequented by friendly warthog, red dyker, nyala, bush babies, birds and hippo.
One room at the Bay Lodge provides a view out through the bush onto a vlei and the other has a view through the bush onto the St Lucia Lake.
The Honeymoon Suite at the Makakatana Bay Lodge is situated privately with views out onto a vlei.
Large windows and terrace doors as well as mosquito gauze screen doors slide open onto private viewing decks, skillfully combining luxury and integration with the environment.
- 5 standard suites
- 1 honeymoon suite
- Air-conditioning/ heating
- Private game viewing decks
- En-suite bathroom and toilet
- Outdoor shower
- Service bar fridges
- Tea and coffee facilities
- Telephones
Activities which are offered to guests
The following is a recommended 4 night itinerary which can be changed to meet each travellers needs and requirements:
Day 1: AFTERNOON WETLANDS SAFARI DRIVE (15h30/16h00 -18h30/19h00)
Guests are taken on an afternoon Game Drive into the wetlands to observe animals in this beautiful region such as Hippo, crocodile & birds on their first day at the Lodge. It is recommended that guests arrive at the Lodge by 15h00 in order to go on the drive. Animals that may be seen include Giraffe, Wildebeest, Buffalo, Zebra, White Rhino, Waterbuck, serval, porcupine, genet, Leopard, Elephant and Black Rhino.
Day 2: BOAT TRIP ON LAKE ST LUCIA (8h30-14h30)
An early breakfast is served at the Makakatana Bay Lodge after which guests depart the Lodge to embark on a boat trip on Lake St Lucia. The focus of this safari is to seek out birdlife, hippo and crocodile on the boat and other animals and birds in the Wetlands. After a picnic lunch and a short drive through the park guests return to the Lodge and relax in the afternoon.
Day 3: BEACH SAFARI (8h30 - 15h00)
Depart after Breakfast & enjoy a leisurely safari drive to the Eastern Shores through the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park Reserve. Guests are taken to the Beach for walking, swimming & snorkeling and then enjoy a picnic lunch in the sand dune forests followed by a game drive back to the Lodge. This is a combination safari, which includes a game drive and beach experience.
Day 4: HLUHLUWE/ UMFOLOZI GAME RESERVE (05h00 - 13h30)
Early Wake up and depart from the Lodge - 45 minute drive in a Safari vehicle (or combi if preferred) to Hluhluwe or Umfolozi Game Reserve. A light continental Breakfast is served just after entering the park. Guests return to the Lodge by 13h30.
Enjoy an afternoon siesta or leisure time at the pool on the lakes edge.
Day 5:
Early morning drive and check out after breakfast.
The below activities are contracted out and are to be booked in advance - Rates include transfers from and to the Makakatana Bay Lodge:
- Scuba Diving (Sodwana)
- Whale Watching Safaris (June - Nov)
- Turtle Tours (November - January)
- Deepsea Fishing
- Dumazulu Cultural Village
- Fly Fishing off the beach
- Morning Birding
- Horse Safaris - 21/2 hr beach or game / 2 hr beach or game ride
- 1 Hour Flight over the Lake & Coastline
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