Things to do in South Africa

Cruise down the St Lucia Estuary to see hippos and crocs

Even from a distance you can hear the hippo grunting or that frantic splash of a crocodile racing into the water…

By Pierre Vivien Delvaux

CEO of Thanda Group (Pty) Ltd - South Africa

If you’re looking to switch up your safari, Thanda Safari Lodge offers game viewing of a different kind. Swap the 4×4 vehicle for an open-sided river boat and sail down the St Lucia Estuary. This watery tract is part of the enormous iSimangaliso Wetland Park – UNESCO credited for its beauty and rich biodiversity. In the estuary depths you’ll find swarming numbers of over 800 hippo and 1,200 crocodile. Even from a distance you can hear the hippo grunting or that frantic splash of a crocodile racing into the water.

From Thanda, it’s an hour-and-a-half drive to get there but totally worth the ride. The boat trip is a leisurely two hours on a sturdy 15-seater open-sided vessel which will gently cruise north for 9km down the estuary’s calm waters. There’s ample space on board so you won’t have to jostle for a picture but at the same time you’re always within earshot of your skipper meaning you won’t miss a thing. This mode of transport allows you to be the closest you’ll ever get to some of Africa’s legendary watery beasts.

From the outset you’ll see hippo submerged. Their bodies almost look like giant polished stones. Or they could be rearing out of the water with huge wide-stretched yawns. You don’t need binoculars to spot crocodiles basking lazily under the African sun with bodies that can grow over 14ft. The earthly sounds of wilderness are only interrupted by the cry of a fish eagle circling above, examining every ripple in the water for prey. The guides have adopted a similar razor-sharp vision and encyclopaedic knowledge of the area. They’re also highly accommodating and happy to answer your every burning question.

Available in these itineraries…

Itinerary

KwaZulu-Natal Bush, Beach and Battlefields Self-Drive
by Becky Souissi

Length10 Days

Price range£4,425 - £5,250pp

Alfred & Pierre Vivien Delvaux

Pierre Delvaux established Thanda in South Africa in early 2002 for the entrepreneurial Swedish Olofsson family. His experience as a partner for Hills Howard Zululand, an accounting and managing consultant practice, as well as his degree in Commerce and Business Management, made him the perfect candidate to lead Thanda Safari into one of the Leading Hotels of the World. Pierre is also the Chairman of Thanda Foundation Trust, a charity that seeks to uplift South Africa’s impoverished communities.

Plan your holiday withAlfred&

Your journey will start with one of our UK team – someone like Laura, who's travelled extensively in South Africa. They’ll shape your ideas into the trip of a lifetime. But they won't do it alone. They'll draw on the expertise of our contacts on the ground, connecting you to the people who'll make your holiday one you'll always remember - ex banker who can show you the hottest foodie spots in Cape Town, the award-winning young sommelier who can introduce you to Stellenbosch's finest wines and the walking safari ranger who can guide you to the best game.

Laura Preston

Travel Expert for Alfred&

Having travelled extensively through Africa, Laura has a wealth of experience. She is passionate about Tanzania’s diversity from the quiet wilds of Ruaha that feel completely private to the silvery sands of Zanzibar and Stone Town’s spice-laced streets. In South Africa, she sought out the best views over Table Mountain, cocktail in hand, as well as the lesser-visited Kruger conservancies for more exclusive safaris. But her favourite place in the world has to be the Serengeti for its wide-open plains and incredible game that epitomise that feeling of Africa.
Wayne Howarth

Head Safari Guide at Kariega Game Reserve

Wayne loves being outdoors and has spent most of his life between the family farm and working on Private Game Reserves in the Eastern Cape. He has been guiding at Kariega for 12 years. His qualifications include Field Guide Association of South Africa (FGASA) Level 2, Advance Rifle Handling, Skippers Licence Category R and first aid. One of his career highlights was becoming a finalist in the 2021 Safari Guide of the Year competition.
Rupesh Kassen

Founder and guide of Eat Like A Local

Rupesh Kassen abandoned his decade-long career in banking to move to East Africa, where he trained and worked as a chef. He later became immersed in South Africa’s food scene and worked as a food critic before setting up Eat Like A Local in Cape Town. Rupesh now offers guided food tours to showcase the city and its diverse culture and history through food.
Fundi Ziqubu

Sommelier

Fundi was born in Durban and fell in love with wine when it was introduced to her by a few Capetonian friends. On discovering her passion she got the chance to study wine with the department of tourism in collaboration with the Sommeliers Academy. Being appointed sommelier at Lanzerac was a career highlight and in 2019 Fundi was named most up-and-coming wine steward by the Distell Inter-Hotel challenge.
Ntobeko Ntshingila

Duty Manager at Three Tree Hill Lodge

Ntobeko has been part of the Three Trees family for 13 years and describes it as a lovely journey with lots of room for growth and experience. She has her own family, including a daughter of 18, and a son, aged three. She lives in a nearby village with her parents, four siblings and three nephews. When not spending time with her family she manages her broiler chicken business, which brings her extra income.
Cheryl Blackburn

Owner and guide, Three Tree Hill Lodge

Being born in the Kruger National Park instilled in Cheryl a love of nature and wildlife. Having lived and worked as a guide in the Kruger reserve, and also in Botswana, she eventually got the opportunity to run her own lodge, with her growing family, in the lush KwaZulu Natal Drakensberg region. She still finds time to guide guests on foot, tracking white rhino in the neighbouring Spioenkop Game Reserve.