iSimangaliso Wetland Park

Size: Approximately 3,280 square kilometres.

Location: North-Eastern South Africa.

Best Time: January to May and September to December.

Known For: Amazing landscapes, marine mammals, and rich biodiversity.

To Do: Game drives, kayaking, fishing, boat safaris, scuba diving, horse riding, birdwatching, and whale watching.

A Big Five game viewing destination with some of the richest biodiversity anywhere in Africa, iSimangaliso Wetlands National Park became a World Heritage site in 1999 and regained Big Five status with the reintroduction of lions in 2013.

Its broad array of landscapes includes dune forests, savannah, wetlands, beaches, and coral reefs – allowing for a huge variety of animals to call the park home including the Big Five, Nile crocodiles, whales, whale sharks, turtles, dolphins, and much more.

Popular destinations within iSimangaliso include Cape Vidal, Kosi Bay, and St. Lucia.