iSimangaliso Wetland Park follows about 220 kilometres of KwaZulu-Natal coastline, from Maphelane in the south to the Mozambique border at Kosi Bay. Its name means “miracle and wonder” in isiZulu, a name adopted in 2007 in place of Greater St Lucia Wetland Park. The landscape is unusually varied: coastal forest and dunes, lakes and estuary, savannah, beaches, coral reefs and offshore marine habitats all sit within one protected region.
South Africa’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site was inscribed in 1999 for its natural beauty, ecological processes and biodiversity. The listing recognizes connections among environments rather than one monument. iSimangaliso’s authority reports more than 520 bird species, nesting sea turtles and a range of large mammals. Hippos and crocodiles inhabit the lake and estuary system; dolphins and seasonal whales use the coast. Wildlife sightings vary, and the park is a living ecosystem rather than a zoo.