Lake St. Lucia

About Lake St. Lucia

Lake St. Lucia is the largest estuarine lake in Southern Africa, covering approximately 350 square km. Located in northern KwaZulu-Natal, it serves as the center of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, South Africa's first UNESCO World Heritage Site. The lake is famous for its "reverse salinity" gradient and its massive populations of nearly 800 hippos and 1,200 Nile crocodiles. The park's name, "iSimangaliso," means "miracle" or "something wondrous" in Zulu, reflecting the unique meeting of five distinct ecosystems including coral reefs, coastal forests, and wetlands.