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Charters Creek - Fannies Island - Western Shores

Both Western shores and Eastern of Lake St. Lucia was planted up with pine trees in the late 1940’s and early 1950’s . Those on Eastern Shores are mostly gone, and none on eastern shores were replanted.

The Pine plantations on the western shores has taken on a new profile being systematically replaced by Gums at areas that are deemed to be far enough from the lakes edge, and those closer to the lake are being systematically rehabilitated to their natural state which was open grasslands and seasonal water pans.

The western shores of Lake St. Lucia are all relatively lowlands that become wetlands in wet years and dry up in the drier years. These wetlands hold an abundant bird population, with the Nyalazi river area holding the most species out side of the Mkuze swamps.

The Elephants released into the Greater St. Lucia wetlands park, as part of the restocking program tend to stick around within the western shores region for some strange reason, even though this area is only partially rehabilitated with few pockets of indigenous bush that have always been there.

You can expect to see hippo, buffalo, Zebra, Kudu, nyala, bush buck, Wilde beeste, wart hogs, wild pigs as well as a large variety of birds including Burchels cuckoo, fish eagles and other eagle species.

With both options of full day and half day we will drive around the area looking for the elephants which are actually quite elusive, and see a variety of game as well as many birds, especially within the pockets of indigenous bush.

Break fast will be served at either charters creek or Fannies Island resorts, and lunch for the full day trip may be at any opportunistic spot within the park.

The trip will take you past areas where there are contractors felling trees, and preparing these timbers to go to either a saw mill or a pulp and paper mill. We will spend some time checking these operations out, and hopefully get an opportunity to speak to a forester or somebody in charge of these operations.

There is an optional extra of a boat trip on the lake at R 200 per person on either of these 2 trips. Both Fannies Island and Charters creek have boating facilities, but the boat will come from St. Lucia on a trailer.

This area is being developed for eco tourism with an eco track running through the area., and some new roads being developed by the GSLWPA (Greater St. Lucia Wetlands park Authority) specifically to cater for the eco tourists and birding fanatics in particular.

Full day = R 500.00 half day = R 375.00

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