Seaside Hiking adventure 4 night 3 day Budget option Kosi bay South Africa

Seaside Hiking adventure 4 night 3 day Budget option Kosi bay South Africa

Visit Kosi Mouth, the four lakes and the best of Maputaland’s beaches on a recently pioneered 4-night luxury slackpacking trail from Kosi Bay to Mabibi.
All hike options start out at Kosi Beach camp perched just above Kosi mouth, and thereafter, hikers can chose from a combination of accommodation options to best suite their pockets and distance aspirations. It should be noted though, that the back-up logistics in covering such a remote area are numerous, which translates into a compara*vely higher priced product.
At the high-end, we have connected the ‘exclusive’ lodgings of Kosi Forest Lodge, Rocktail Bay and Thonga to one another. Guests hike from lodge to lodge with a community guide, and enjoy experiences such as ocean safaris, snorkeling and kayaking. Of course, the logistics are all taken care of behind the scenes.
For those planning to walk the route with a budget in mind, we have also created cost conscious alternatives which are a bit less exclusive, no less exciting.

Itinerary

Day 1: Transfer via 4X4 to Utshwayelo Beach Camp

Stop At: Kosi Bay, Kosi Bay, KwaZulu-Natal
Arrive in the afternoon in time to relax, attend a briefing session and be served a gourmet dinner meal.
Duration: 8 hours

Meals included:
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Luxury Wooden chalets - private ensuite chalets

Day 2: Snorkel and hike to Kosi Forest Lodge

Stop At: Kosi Bay, Kosi Bay, KwaZulu-Natal
Approx: 17 km - Startng off close to the Mozambican border, the route meanders along the top of the Simangaliso Wetland Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site comprising 3280km2 of natural ecosystems. After snorkeling between colourful sealife in the crystalline ‘aquarium’ of Kosi Mouth, hikers leave Kosi Bay to walk through coastal savannah with a view of the giant fish traps curling far below like an ancient tribal tattoo. The hills are a mixture of water berry trees, monkey apples with their bright green cricket ball sized fruits and giant flat crown acacias.
Hikers get the opportunity to inspect fish traps up close, crossing the estuary to reach the fisherman paths that skirt the far side of the estuary and the banks of First Lake (Makhawulani). After a couple of kilometres, hikers are collected on the shores of First Lake and enjoy a boat ride across Second Lake (Mpungwuni), that typically presents bathing hippos and pied king fishers aplenty. Guests are dropped on the farside of Third Lake (KuNhlange), at Bhanga Nek and from here it’s an adventurous walk along sandy pathways, dropping in and out of rural villages, pockets of indigenous bushveld and small cultivated
gardens before the landscape changes once again. The giant Raffia Palms that the area is famous for tower overhead, and views of the tannin coloured Fourth Lake (Amanzamnyama) are visible from the dense forest. The further away from the sea one travels, the less saline the lakes become. Crocodiles used to frequent the area, but they are rarely seen these days and people are less concerned about the possibility of snappy jaws lurking in the shallows. Crossing the estuary with a local guide Guests help the guide pull a raffia pont across the Siyadla River, before climbing aboard and pulling the craft hand-over-fist along gnarled orange ropes safely to the far bank. Trees tower overhead on the last leg of the hike, with indigenous trees displaying evidence of local muti collection and the guides typically explain interesting properties of the bark and leaves,
such as usefulness for washing clothes or making medicine to soothe an inflamed chest. Coastal Savannah and acacias bring guests into the camp of Kosi Bay Lodge for night two.
Duration: 1 day

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Kosi Bay Lodge - private ensuite chalets

Day 3: Rise for another gourmet breakfast, ready for second day hiking

Stop At: Kosi Bay, Kosi Bay, KwaZulu-Natal
Days hike: 5 - 12km
Day two of walking moves guests from the mysterious inland pathways of the lake systems to the beautiful wide open beaches further south. Dropping in to beaches such as Black Rock or Lala Nek depending on the weather, guests experience picture-book wedges of white sand, edged by snorkeling paradise. Local guides explain about the marine reserve, and the yearly arrival of the precious turtles who line the beaches to lay their eggs, and the guides are generally happy to fill guests in on their lives, families and experiences outside of the
reserve for those who are interested. Staying at Gugs Camp for the night, nestled into the thick indigenous bush, there are opportunities for evening drives, or a simple yet magical scorpion walk which children absolutely love.

Duration: 1 day

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Gugs Camp - private ensuite chalets

Day 4: Rise for another gourmet breakfast, ready for third day hiking

Stop At: Mabibi, Mabibi, KwaZulu-Natal
Days hike - 10 - 15km
Day four sees further beach exploring, with a 9km walk down to Thonga Beach Lodge, arguably the pièce de résistance of the venues on the trip, with a 180 degree look out deck high up the dunes that hikers reach via a long wooden staircase. Azure and turquoise blue
water meets the horizon and Thonga pulls out all the stops with gourmet food, comfortable lounges, sun downer game drives to Lake Sibaya (the largest freshwater lake in South Africa, at 64km2) and plenty of ocean activities. Guests can choose to relax and over-indulge in high teas, cocktails and poolside snoozes, or take advantage of the kayaking, cultural village tours and further beach exploring. To be honest, it’s so beautiful that just about any activity will be worth pursuing – whether it’s wriggling toes in the sand with a magazine in hand, or slipping beneath the water to spy out magical sea-life in crystal clear water.
Duration: 1 day

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Thonga Luxury Beach lodge

Day 5: Rise, Breakfast and transfer

Stop At: Kosi Bay, Kosi Bay, KwaZulu-Natal
After Breakfast 4x4 transfer back to Coastal Cashews where you were picked up.
Duration: 3 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
No accommodation included on this day.