PLACES OF INTEREST AND ACTIVITIES 

During your visit to Leopard Walk Lodge you will be situated in the environs – and on the boundary – of the magnificent World Natural Heritage Site, The Isimangaliso Wetland Park – False Bay Park.   We are just 5 minutes’ drive to the entrance of this magnificent area and lake.  A short drive will also bring you to various other big 5 National game reserves, a magnificent beach, boat cruises on the lake, canoeing & scuba diving opportunities, golfing hiking, Cultural activities and more. There’s something for everyone to enjoy in the environs of the World Natural Heritage Site.

Isimangaliso Wetland Park, St. Lucia Lake – The largest Estuarine wetland system in Southern Africa.

With the proclamation of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, (meaning a Place of Surprise) 8 ecosystems were consolidated into a single protected area to include 8% of SA coastline – with:

• clear oceans
• myriad underwater species on spectacular coral reefs
• big terrestrial and marine fauna including sharks
• whales
• coelacanths
• nesting leatherback and loggerhead turtles
• 526 species of birds
• Isimangaliso is  one of the rarest and most treasured places on earth. It includes 8% of South Africa’s coastline, stretching from Kosi Bay bordering Mozambique in the north, to Maphelane, south of Lake St Lucia. Covering a 3280km2 area is the first listed World Heritage Site in South Africa

False Bay Park 

Leopard Walk Lodge is situated in the environs of False Bay Park, which is a magnificent part of the World Natural Heritage Site and the oldest section of the Great St. Lucia Lake.  It has a rich archeological history as it was here that the sea receded and eventually formed the vast Bay. There are many fossil beds in the lake and the Park has some of the most important with ancient giant trees that are still to be found in the area. The entrance to False Bay Park is only 10 mins drive from Leopard Walk Lodge.  False Bay is situated on the western shores of Lake St Lucia in a bay shaped northern part of the lake. Here you will find unique pristine ancient sand forest, thorn-veld and open savanna.

Moon-rise over False Bay  –  Hell’s Gates between the two Peninsulas

False Bay Park has over 400 bird species, numerous mammals and the most diverse butterfly species to be found in South Africa.

Eastwards across the lake, between two peninsulas, you will see the gap in the lake that leads into the Eastern Shores. This area is known as Hells Gates. Here the Great Rift Valley ends and the magnificent area is thus connected to the rest of Africa through this phenomena.

Fascinating and ancient, False Bay Park is well worth a visit.