Author: Malume

Jozini, a small town in North Eastern KwaZulu-Natal on the main route to Mozambique, is synonymous with the dam of the same name – the Jozini or Pongolapoort Dam. This huge dam, on the Pongola River, provides a rather dramatic doorway into Maputaland and the river supports a massive population of fish, hippos and crocodiles as well as the people who live in the area.

The Jozini Dam lies in between the majestic Ubombo and Lebombo mountains on the Elephant Coast and covers over 16 000 ha. It was originally designed to irrigate over 80 000 ha of farm land supporting products such as sugarcane, rice, coffee and various sub-tropical fruits. Many have compared it to Lake Kariba in Zimbabwe and it is fast becoming the mecca of many wild game seekers as farmers convert vast tracts of land around the dam back to their virgin bush in the bid to realise a dream to return this area to its former wild life kingdom.

Jozini Dam

Lake Jozini, as the dam is now called, has become very popular as a Tiger fishing destination and because the dam borders with the Pongola Nature Reserve and Game Reserve, you can view wildlife from your boat and glow-flies light up the early evening shoreline, transforming the water into an incandescent array of fairy lights.

JOZINI, ELEPHANT COAST

Jozini, a small town in North Eastern KwaZulu Natal on the main route to Mozambique, is synonymous with the dam of the same name – the Jozini or Pongolapoort Dam.

This huge dam, on the Pongola River, provides a rather dramatic doorway into Maputaland and the river supports a massive population of fish, hippos and crocodiles as well as the people who live in the area. The Jozini Dam lies in between the majestic Ubombo and Lebombo mountains on the Elephant Coast and covers over 16 000 ha.

The dam was originally designed to irrigate over 80 000 ha of farm land supporting products such as sugarcane, rice, coffee and various sub-tropical fruits. Many have compared it to Lake Kariba in Zimbabwe and it is fast becoming the mecca of many wild game seekers as farmers convert vast tracts of land around the dam back to their virgin bush in the bid to realise a dream to return this area to its former wild life kingdom.

Lake Jozini, as the dam is now called, has become very popular as a Tiger fishing destination and because the dam borders with the Pongola Nature Reserve and Game Reserve, you can view wildlife from your boat and glow-flies light up the early evening shoreline, transforming the water into an incandescent array of fairy lights.

The main attraction in this area is the return of the elephant. But there are vast numbers of other game to be viewed, including: buffalo, wildebeest, giraffe, zebra, kudu, bushbuck, duiker, steenbok, hyena, cheetah, wild dog, cerval cat, warthog and even the occasional sighting of leopard, which roam the Lebombo mountains.

The dam’s muddy plains and reed banks are home to a vast array of birdlife, over 350 different species, including the whistling duck, yellow billed storks, Egyptian geese, herons, kingfishers and several fish eagles.

In the north-east corner of the balmy South African province of KwaZulu-Natal are the gorgeous Ndumo Game Reserve and the Tembe Elephant National Park.

Thanks to their unique positioning and natural bounty, these reserves have a fantastic variety of plant and animal life and are spectacular treasures for the nature-lovers amongst South Africa’s tourists. This is the essence of Africa and can be enjoyed along with the adventure and excitement of a 4×4 trail.

The routes through these reserves are not guided and can be tackled sans a guide quite easily, albeit a bit of a challenge in places. The Ndumo trail showcases some fantastic fauna and flora, including crocodiles and hippos. Drivers and their passengers should keep an eye out for these and many more species, including hundreds of types of birds.

The landscape includes grassy plains, dense forests, floodplains, and dense thorny areas. The Tembe Elephant Reserve, 20 kilometers from Ndumo, is wild and untamed; with sandy tracks and scrubby bushveld. It is home to lions, leopards, rhinos, and buffalos. These make for fantastically exciting finds for those who keep alert and watch the bushveld.

While the terrain in both destinations is fairly flat, the different types of earth and countryside provide plenty of opportunities to test the skills of the driver and to have loads of fun.

In addition to these 4×4 trails, visitors to the reserves can go bird watching or on formal game drives. There are also guided day walks, on which experienced rangers will point out interesting finds and answer the questions of visitors.

https://www.sa-venues.com/things-to-do/kwazulunatal/ndumo-and-tembe-reserve-4×4-trails/

Situated in an area that was once the ancient ‘Ivory Route’, linking Mozambique and Zululand, Tembe Elephant Park is renowned for having the largest elephants in Africa – and the planet! The park’s location is very remote, lying deep in the sand forests and wetlands in northern Tongaland. It borders between KwaZulu-Natal and Mozambique. Along with viewing these gentle giants, you can also spot the rest of the “Big Five” : lions, leopards, black and white rhinos and buffalo.

There are also tiny Suni antelope, and a spectacular variety of animals including over 340 bird species. The park consists mainly of closed woodland, but offers a great diversity of vegetation, lying within a transition area between tropical and sub-tropical climates.

https://explore.org/livecams/africam/tembe-elephant-park