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iSimangaliso Wetland Park, KwaZulu-Natal

You’ve seen a cheetah hunt in the Kruger, you’ve had a lion in your camp at Kgalagadi, an elephant in the road in Addo, and you’ve encountered rhinos with magnificent horns in Hluluwe-Imfolozi. But don’t think you’ve experienced all of South Africa’s unique wildlife experiences, because in the iSimangaliso Wetland Park you can stand right next to a turtle while she’s laying her eggs in the sand. iSimangaliso stretches for 220 km from St. Lucia to the Mozambican border. With its network of wetlands, lakes and river mouths between subtropical forests, this park has been declared a World Heritage Site. This in itself makes it worth your while to visit the area, but between November and February, leatherback and loggerhead turtles come and lay their eggs on the coastline. In November and December the giant female turtles lay their eggs and by middle January and February you can see hundreds of tiny babies hatch and make their way down the beach. The nests are especially abundant on the coastline north of Sodwana Bay, and there are various overnight spots where you can do a tour (usually after dark) with a guide. Popular options are Kosi Bay, Bhanga Nek and Cape Vidal, but the locals or the tourism office in the town where you’re staying should also be able to point you in the right direction.

Kosi Bay: S26.95463°, E32.82434° Bhanga Nek: S27.00680°, E32.86268° Cape Vidal: S28.12294°, E32.55592°

Between November and February, leatherback and loggerhead turtles lay their eggs on the coastline.”