Lodges & camps in iSimangaliso Wetland Park

Coral Divers

Budget · Inside the park · Owner-run

A South African dive resort inside the Sodwana Bay section with ensuite cabins, standard cabins and safari tents, and a PADI dive centre launching 7.2 m twin-outboard boats for up to 11 divers from Jesser Point. Its 2026 rate sheet starts at R225 a person for a safari tent in low season, the cheapest current published bed in the park, with a 2 Mile reef dive from R460. It charges an overnight fee of R100 to R130 a person on top, and further reefs carry a surcharge per dive. It is owner-run with no group behind it that we could find. Choose it if diving is the point; skip it if you want a lodge.

Dates and availability on Booking.com ↗

Sodwana Bay camp (log cabins and campsites)

Budget · Inside the park · Park-run

The state camp at Sodwana Bay, where the dive boats launch from the beach at Jesser Point to the 2 Mile, 5 Mile and 7 Mile reefs. iSimangaliso counts 413 campsites, and there are 19 log cabins with a full kitchen, braai and DSTV. iSimangaliso's accommodation page warns that school holidays, Easter and December book out months ahead, particularly the cabins here and at Cape Vidal. The camp is state-owned; Ezemvelo ran it until 28 February 2026, the iSimangaliso Authority runs it now, and Sodwana is on the list of camps being put out to private tender. Choose it if you dive or fish on a budget; skip it in December if you dislike crowds.

Mabibi Beach Camp

Budget · Inside the park · Community or local

A community-run camp at Mabibi in the Coastal Forest section, with eight campsites for up to six people each and 4-bed self-catering units. Mabibi sits on the 56 km of monitored nesting beach between Kosi Mouth and Mabibi, where loggerheads and leatherbacks nest from November and hatchlings emerge January to March; on the beach at night you must be with a licensed guide. Lake Sibaya is close. The northern camps are reached on sand tracks where iSimangaliso says a high-clearance or 4x4 vehicle is required, and Mabibi is about 4h05 from St Lucia. Choose it for a simple coastal stay that pays the community directly.

Kosi Forest Lodge

Top-end · Inside the park · Safari company

An eight-room lodge inside the Kosi Bay section, reached by the lodge's own 4x4 transfer from Manguzi. Its rate from R3,500 includes all meals, guided canoeing on the lakes, a walk through the raffia palm forest and a half-day boat trip; turtle tracking is R1,110 extra, sold only from 15 November to 15 January and for ages 8 and over. The site rights went to the uMvumamvubu Development Trust in 1995 and a local community holds a share; the lodge is operated by the founders of Isibindi Africa Lodges. Choose it for the lakes by canoe with everything arranged; skip it if you want to drive yourself around.

Dates and availability on Booking.com ↗

False Bay campsites (Lister's Point)

Budget · Inside the park · Park-run

The campsites at Lister's Point on the False Bay arm of Lake St Lucia, 93 km and about 1h30 by road from St Lucia town, reached from the N2 at Hluhluwe. There are 14 powered and 24 unpowered sites. The section has sand forest and three self-guided trails, Mphophomeni (about 2 km), Ingwe (7 km) and Dukandlovu (9 km), and iSimangaliso says plainly that the bay holds Nile crocodiles and hippos and that swimming is not recommended. The state owns the camp; Ezemvelo ran it until 28 February 2026 and the iSimangaliso Authority has since taken over. Choose it if you want a cheap, quiet pitch with walking; skip it if you need a sea beach.

Cape Vidal camp

Budget · Inside the park · Park-run

The only state camp where you can drive the Eastern Shores loops in the morning and snorkel the sheltered reef off the beach in the afternoon without leaving the park. It has log cabins, the 8-bed Bhangazi bush lodge, Mbabala and a campsite, with fuel, a shop and boat launching. The campsite is fenced against elephants only, and iSimangaliso has recorded three hyena attacks in 15 years: zip tents shut and put food away. A 30-year concession that would replace the cabins was due to go to tender in March 2026. The camp is state-owned; Ezemvelo ran it until 28 February 2026, the Authority since. Choose it for beach and bush together.

Kosi Bay camp

Budget · Inside the park · Park-run

The small state camp on Lake Nhlange, the largest of the four linked Kosi lakes, with three chalets and fifteen campsites, five of them on the shore. Reception issues the permit for Kosi Mouth, the estuary known for snorkelling and for the reed fish traps that iSimangaliso says have been built here for more than 700 years; ask for it a day ahead. Kosi Bay is 3h44 from St Lucia, so it is a destination, not a day trip. The camp is state-owned and on the list for private tender; Ezemvelo ran it until 28 February 2026. Choose it for the lakes; fill up with fuel at Manguzi first.

Thonga Beach Lodge

Top-end · Inside the park · Safari company

Twelve thatched rooms in the coastal forest above the beach at Mabibi, opened in 2004. The Mabibi community owns 66% of the lodge and leases it to Isibindi Africa Lodges, according to the lodge's own site. The rate covers all meals and most activities: snorkelling, forest walks, kayaking, a sundowner on Lake Sibaya, a cultural tour and turtle walks from November to February. It is reached only by a suitable 4x4 or the lodge's transfer. Choose it for a beach lodge with turtles and a community stake you can check; skip it if you want game drives.

Dates and availability on Booking.com ↗

AfriCamps at Bonamanzi

Budget · Outside the gate · Safari company

A ten-tent glamping camp run by AfriCamps on the Bonamanzi private reserve near Hluhluwe, listed on SA-Venues from R1,511 a night for two. It is outside iSimangaliso: the False Bay section is the nearest part of the park, reached from Hluhluwe, and uMkhuze is about an hour north. St Lucia is about 1h30 away. Choose it for a comfortable tent within reach of False Bay and Hluhluwe-iMfolozi; skip it if you want to be at the coast. AfriCamps is a glamping chain.

Afrikhaya Guest House

Budget · Inside the park · Ownership unconfirmed

A five-room guesthouse at 5 Kabeljou Avenue in St Lucia for 11 guests, with a pool, wifi, air-conditioning and breakfast, from R1,760 a room. It is a few doors from Maputaland Guest House on a residential street, within a short drive of the estuary jetties and the road north to Bhangazi Gate. The listing does not say who owns it. Choose it for a small, air-conditioned room in the hot months; in December and January book early, because St Lucia fills for the school holidays.

Dates and availability on Booking.com ↗

Kosi Bay Casitas

Budget · Outside the gate · Owner-run

An owner-run place 10 km from Manguzi and 3 km from the third Kosi lake, with nine chalets, fifteen campsites, a pool and a restaurant serving Mozambican food. It is outside the park, and it is one of the turtle operators on iSimangaliso's list: an eight-hour three-lake and turtle tour with dinner, a four-hour cultural and fish-trap tour, and three-lake cruises. SA-Venues lists rooms from R940 for two. Choose it as a cheap Kosi base with tours sold on site.

Dates and availability on Booking.com ↗

St Lucia Wetlands Guest House

Budget · Inside the park · Owner-run

A seven-room guesthouse at 20 Kingfisher Street, run by its owners since 1996, with a family unit, a split-level pool, breakfast, wifi and solar power. The owners plan a three-day itinerary for guests, which is about the right length for St Lucia: one day on the estuary and the Crocodile Centre, one at Cape Vidal and one on the Western Shores. Its own site publishes no rand rate, so ask. Choose it if you want local planning help from people who have been here thirty years.

Dates and availability on Booking.com ↗

Santa Lucia Guest House

Budget · Inside the park · Ownership unconfirmed

A seven-room guesthouse at 30 Pelikaan Street, St Lucia, with a pool, breakfast, air-conditioning and wifi according to its own site, which publishes no rate. Pelikaan Street is a residential road a short drive from the estuary and McKenzie Street's shops. Its site does not say who owns it. Choose it for an air-conditioned room with breakfast; ask for the price for your dates. The town is an enclave with no gate, so staying here costs no park fee; you pay at Bhangazi Gate only when you drive to Cape Vidal, about 53 minutes away.

Dates and availability on Booking.com ↗

Leopard Mountain Safari Lodge

Mid-range · Outside the gate · Owner-run

A family-run lodge of nine suites on the Manyoni Private Game Reserve near uMkhuze. uMkhuze has no private lodge inside it, so Leopard Mountain is one of the outside options for a private-lodge stay in this corner; the others are Ghost Mountain Inn in Mkuze town and &Beyond Phinda. It is outside iSimangaliso, and game drives here are on Manyoni, not in the park. No rate was captured. Choose it for a private reserve stay near uMkhuze; ask what the rate includes.

iGwalagwala Guest House

Budget · Inside the park · Owner-run

An eight-suite guesthouse at 91 Pelikaan Street, St Lucia, managed by its owners, with a pool, breakfast, wifi and solar power. The owners book activities free of charge: estuary cruises, Cape Vidal days and turtle or whale trips in season. Rates sit behind its NightsBridge booking engine, so we list none. Choose it for a well-run guesthouse with planning help; check the price on its own site for your dates. Pelikaan Street is residential, a short drive from the estuary jetties. In December, Easter and the school holidays St Lucia fills, so book early.

Dates and availability on Booking.com ↗

Hluhluwe River Lodge

Mid-range · Outside the gate · Owner-run

An owner-run lodge on a 10 ha private reserve on the boundary of the False Bay section, with honeymoon suites, family chalets and two private houses, Mkhulu's House and Santa Rosa Home. It borders the park but is not in it, so you pay the False Bay gate fee when you go into the section for its three self-guided trails. Its own site publishes no rate. Choose it as a western base for False Bay and uMkhuze; ask for the price and what meals are included.

Dates and availability on Booking.com ↗

Kosi Bay Lodge

Budget · Boundary unconfirmed · Owner-run

An owner-run lodge of 13 chalets and tents at Kosi Bay, open for more than 20 years, with a restaurant, pool and bar. It sells lake cruises, fishing and turtle tours. It sits on the park boundary, but whether inside or outside has not been confirmed, so it shows as boundary unconfirmed. Its own site publishes no rate. Choose it for a Kosi base with a restaurant and bar; ask for the price and whether park fees are included. Fill up with fuel at Manguzi first.

Dates and availability on Booking.com ↗

Protea Hotel by Marriott Umfolozi River

Mid-range · Outside the gate · Hotel group

A 68-room Protea Hotel by Marriott near Mtubatuba. There is no Protea in St Lucia town itself, despite what some itineraries say: this is the nearest, about 25 km from St Lucia. Marriott's page publishes no rand rate in our sources. Choose it if you collect hotel loyalty points or want a chain standard; otherwise St Lucia's guesthouses put you 25 km closer to everything. Every drive to the estuary, Cape Vidal or Charter's Creek starts with the R618 into town, about half an hour each way. It is outside the park, so no fee applies until you enter a gated section.

Charter's Creek

Budget · Inside the park · Park-run

The Western Shores camp on Lake St Lucia, 25 km and about 46 minutes from St Lucia town, with 14 units, 12 campsites with private ablutions, a restaurant and a pool according to iSimangaliso's concession notice. The Authority put it out as a 20-year build-and-operate concession; bids closed on 27 February 2026 and no award had been reported by September 2026. No rate has been published. The Western Shores has the uMphathe game-drive loop and the uMthoma aerial boardwalk. Choose it only once you have a confirmed booking; until a concessionaire is named, ask iSimangaliso whether it is taking guests.

eMshopi campsite

Budget · Inside the park · Park-run

The uMkhuze campsite beside eMshopi Gate, the entrance near Mkuze town off the N2, with 35 sites. uMkhuze is the park's inland savanna section, 38,500 ha of thornveld and fever-tree forest with hides at kuMasinga, Kubube and Kwamalibala and the Ramsar-listed iNsumo Pan, and iSimangaliso puts the bird list at 420 species. Mantuma camp, further in, sells guided game drives and walks. The camp is state-owned; Ezemvelo ran it until 28 February 2026 and the iSimangaliso Authority runs it now. Choose it if you are on a tight budget and want an early start at the hides; skip it if you need a roof.

Sugarloaf campsite

Budget · Inside the park · Park-run

The state campsite on the estuary edge of St Lucia town, with 92 powered sites, a pool and ablution blocks; check-in is at the office on Albacore Street. St Lucia town is an enclave inside the park with no gate, so you pay nothing to reach the camp, and the hippo and crocodile cruises leave from the estuary close by. Hippos walk through town at night: iSimangaliso confirmed an attack beside a lodge in town in October 2022, so do not walk after dark. The camp is state-owned; Ezemvelo ran it until 28 February 2026 and the Authority since. Choose it as a cheap base for Cape Vidal and the estuary.

Eden Park campsite

Budget · Inside the park · Park-run

A small state campsite in St Lucia town with 20 powered sites, used as overflow for Sugarloaf and sharing its facilities, including the pool. It is priced like Sugarloaf on the last official tariff. Being in town, it puts you near the estuary cruises, shops and fuel without any gate fee, and within about 53 minutes of Cape Vidal by road. The camp is state-owned; Ezemvelo ran it until 28 February 2026 and the iSimangaliso Authority runs it now. Choose it when Sugarloaf is full; the same warning about hippos in town after dark applies.

Dukandlovu rustic camp

Budget · Inside the park · Park-run

A rustic trail camp of four 4-bed cabins in the False Bay section, on the 9 km Dukandlovu self-guided trail. At R210 a person on the 2023/24 tariff it was the cheapest bed with a roof anywhere in the park. Expect basic cabins: the dossier lists no kitchen, power or other facilities, so bring what you need and ask before you go. False Bay is reached from the N2 at Hluhluwe, about 1h30 from St Lucia. The camp is state-owned; Ezemvelo ran it until 28 February 2026 and the iSimangaliso Authority runs it now. Choose it if you walk; skip it if you want any comfort.

Mantuma camp

Budget · Inside the park · Park-run

The rest camp of the uMkhuze section, with 30 units from 2-bed rest huts to 6-bed cottages, a shop and a pool for overnight guests. It is the only place to sleep inside uMkhuze apart from the eMshopi campsite and the small bush lodges, and the camp books guided game drives, walks and the walk through the Sycamore Fig Forest. The hides at kuMasinga and iNsumo Pan are drives from camp. Mantuma is 2h20 by road from St Lucia and 1h27 from Sodwana. The camp is state-owned and is one of those listed for private tender; Ezemvelo ran it until 28 February 2026. Choose it for birds and game at the hides.

Nhlonhlela Bush Lodge

Budget · Inside the park · Park-run

A small exclusive-use bush lodge in the uMkhuze section with four chalets and eight beds, R3,780 a night for six on Ezemvelo's 2023/24 tariff. An independent booking marketer, mkuzereservations.co.za, reports it closed for repairs; no official notice confirms or denies this, so ask before you plan around it. The lodge is state-owned; Ezemvelo ran it until 28 February 2026 and the iSimangaliso Authority since. Choose it for a group that wants a lodge to itself, if it has reopened. It is in the same section as the kuMasinga hide and iNsumo Pan.

Lalapanzi Guest Lodge (Leopard Tree Lodge)

Budget · Inside the park · Owner-run

A six-room self-catering guest lodge in St Lucia town, listed on SA-Venues as Lalapanzi Guest Lodge and on Booking.com, Hotels.com and Trip.com as Leopard Tree Lodge, so search both names when you compare prices. SA-Venues gives R1,200 a room; Booking.com mentions a pool and parking. The address is not published. The dossier classes it as owner-run. Being in town it costs nothing to reach, and Cape Vidal and Charter's Creek are each under an hour away. Choose it if you want to cook for yourself on a budget.

Dates and availability on Booking.com ↗

Sunset Lodge Log Cabins

Budget · Inside the park · Ownership unconfirmed

Seven self-catering log chalets for 25 guests on the estuary bank at 154 McKenzie Street, with a pool and air-conditioning, from R1,200 a night for two on LekkeSlaap. The lodge runs on borehole water and tells guests to bring drinking water. Being on the estuary, you are close to the cruise jetties, but hippos come out of that water at night, so do not walk the bank after dark. The listing does not say who owns it. Choose it for an estuary view at a budget price.

Forest Villas

Budget · Inside the park · Ownership unconfirmed

A self-catering complex of 17 units for up to 68 guests in St Lucia town, listed on SA-Venues from R1,500 a unit. The listing gives no address or facility detail, and does not say who owns it. Its size makes it one of the few places in town where a large family or group can take several units together. St Lucia has ATMs for the main banks, two fuel stations and car hire, and Bhangazi Gate for Cape Vidal is about 2 km north of town. Choose it for a group self-catering base; ask for the facility list before you pay.

Makakatana Bay Lodge

Top-end · Inside the park · Owner-run

Eight suites on the western shore of Lake St Lucia, family-run since 1999, which iSimangaliso calls the only privately owned safari lodge inside the park. The fully inclusive rate covers game drives, trips on the lake by solar eco-boat, beach outings and catch-and-release fishing; it takes no children under 6. Resellers quote R10,880 per person sharing, the highest rate in this guide. One warning: makakatana.com now redirects to an unrelated site, so confirm the lodge is trading before you pay anyone. Choose it for the lake and the game from one private lodge; skip it if you travel with small children.

Dates and availability on Booking.com ↗

Dumehlezi

Budget · Outside the gate · Ownership unconfirmed

A host-run place on the Sodwana Main Road about 9 km from the beach, with eight self-catering units and six campsites for 39 guests, a pool and wifi. LekkeSlaap lists units sleeping four from R695, which makes it one of the cheapest roofs near Sodwana. It is outside the park gate, so you pay the Sodwana gate fee each time you drive in to dive or fish, though that fee is the lowest band in the park. The listing does not say who owns it. Choose it for a cheap dive base with your own kitchen.

Dates and availability on Booking.com ↗

Malkoha Lake St Lucia

Mid-range · Boundary unconfirmed · Hotel group

The former Nibela Lake Lodge, now run by Dream Hotels & Resorts as Malkoha Lake St Lucia, with five chalets on the Nibela peninsula on the western arm of the lake, reached by ferry from False Bay. Whether the land is inside the park boundary has not been confirmed, so it shows as boundary unconfirmed. SA-Venues lists R7,380 a night for two, covering the ferry, meals, activities, drinks and one spa treatment. Choose it for a small all-inclusive stay on the lake; ask the lodge how park fees are handled.

Hluzu Guest House

Budget · Outside the gate · Ownership unconfirmed

A ten-room self-catering guesthouse in Hluhluwe town for 21 guests, listed on SA-Venues from R850 a room. Hluhluwe is the N2 exit for False Bay and the Sodwana road, and Hluhluwe-iMfolozi, a separate park, is close by. The listing gives no facility detail and does not name an owner. Choose it as a cheap self-catering stop between St Lucia and the north. From Hluhluwe town, Mantuma camp in uMkhuze is 64 km, about 1h17. The price is a directory 'from' figure with no season stated.

Dates and availability on Booking.com ↗

Kosi Moon B&B

Budget · Outside the gate · Ownership unconfirmed

A five-room, host-run B&B in Manguzi for 12 guests, with a pool and a communal kitchen, listed on SA-Venues from R930 a room, room only. Despite the B&B name, the listed rate does not include breakfast, so use the kitchen. It is outside the park in the town at the top of the Kosi Bay road, and the lakes and Kosi Mouth are a drive away. Choose it for a cheap room with a kitchen. Fill up with fuel in Manguzi before the sand roads.

Umsinsi Cottage

Budget · Outside the gate · Ownership unconfirmed

A single self-catering cottage in Hluhluwe for up to five, listed on SA-Venues from R1,425 a night. For a family of five that works out at under R300 each, one of the better family rates on the N2 corridor. It is outside iSimangaliso; False Bay is the nearest section and St Lucia about 1h30 south. The listing gives no facility detail and does not name an owner. Choose it for a family that wants its own kitchen. Book early, since there is only one unit.

Dates and availability on Booking.com ↗

Monzi Safaris Backpackers

Budget · Inside the park · Ownership unconfirmed

A backpackers on the main road through St Lucia town with 14 units for 31 guests, a pool, a communal kitchen and wifi, listed on SA-Venues from R900 a room. It does not take guests under 18. It shares the Monzi Safaris name with a lodge and an urban glamping site on the same road. St Lucia town has no gate and no fee, and the estuary cruises, shops and ATMs are close; Cape Vidal is about 53 minutes north. The listing does not say who owns it. Choose it as a cheap adult base for day trips; skip it if you travel with children.

Marlin Lodge

Budget · Inside the park · Ownership unconfirmed

A five-room lodge in St Lucia town sleeping up to 17, so some rooms take families or small groups. SA-Venues lists it from R1,507 a room; the listing gives no address, meal plan or facilities, and does not name an owner. St Lucia is the practical base for the estuary cruises, Cape Vidal and Charter's Creek, but not for Sodwana or Kosi Bay, which are close to three and four hours away. Choose it if price matters most; check what the rate includes before booking.

Dates and availability on Booking.com ↗

Parkers Cottages

Budget · Inside the park · Ownership unconfirmed

A small B&B of five rooms for 15 guests in St Lucia town, listed on SA-Venues from R1,500 a room. The listing names it a B&B but gives no address or facilities and does not say who owns it. From town the hippo and crocodile cruise is a short drive or walk, the Crocodile Centre is on the road to Bhangazi Gate, and Cape Vidal is under an hour away. The speed limit in town is 40 km/h, and hippos cross the roads at night. Choose it for a simple B&B night between day trips.

Dates and availability on Booking.com ↗

Maputaland Guest House

Budget · Inside the park · Owner-run

A five-room B&B at 1 Kabeljou Street in St Lucia, run by its hosts, with a pool, wifi, parking and laundry, from R1,600 a night for two on LekkeSlaap. That makes it one of the cheaper B&B rates in town with a pool. Breakfast is included; for dinner you go into town. The cruises leave from the estuary nearby and Cape Vidal is about 53 minutes north. Choose it if you want a small, host-run place at a budget price.

Dates and availability on Booking.com ↗

Sandpiper Guest House

Budget · Inside the park · Ownership unconfirmed

A 12-room guesthouse for 30 guests on the forest edge of St Lucia town, listed on SA-Venues from R1,700 a room. Being on the edge of town means wildlife from the surrounding park is closer than in the centre, and that includes hippos at night. The listing gives no facility detail and does not say who owns it. Town services (ATMs, fuel, car hire) are a short drive away. Choose it if you want a mid-sized guesthouse at a budget price; ask what the rate includes.

Forest Lodge

Budget · Inside the park · Ownership unconfirmed

A 17-room lodge for 34 guests in St Lucia town, listed on SA-Venues from R1,700 a room. Not to be confused with Forest Villas, a separate self-catering complex, or with Kosi Forest Lodge in the far north. The listing gives no facilities or address and does not say who owns it. From St Lucia, Richards Bay airport is 76 km (about 1h20) and Durban's King Shaka airport 207 km (about 2h40). Choose it for a straightforward room in town; ask what the rate includes before you book.

Dates and availability on Booking.com ↗

Elephant Lake Hotel

Budget · Inside the park · Owner-run

A 56-room hotel at 3 Mullet Street on the St Lucia estuary, owned with Hippo Lodge and St Lucia Lodge in the same small group. It has a pool, the Hippo Steakhouse, a bar with a deck over the estuary, wifi and parking, and the desk books cruises, fishing and Eastern Shores drives. Siyabona lists it at R900 a person sharing with breakfast to 31 October 2026. It is one of the few places in town with a full restaurant and bar on site. Choose it if you want a hotel rather than a guesthouse; skip it if you want a quiet small place.

Dates and availability on Booking.com ↗

Ndiza Lodge and Cabanas

Budget · Inside the park · Ownership unconfirmed

A lodge of four B&B rooms and four cabanas for 24 guests on the edge of St Lucia town where it meets the gated park, with two pools, a lapa, wifi and air-conditioning. LekkeSlaap lists it from R1,818 a night for two. 'Borders the park' here means the town edge: it is in the town enclave, so there is no gate fee to reach it, and you still pay at Bhangazi Gate for the Eastern Shores. The listing does not say who owns it. Choose it for space and two pools at a budget price.

Dates and availability on Booking.com ↗

Monzi Safaris Lodge

Budget · Inside the park · Ownership unconfirmed

The lodge arm of Monzi Safaris on the main road in St Lucia, seven rooms for 35 guests, so most rooms take a family or group. SA-Venues lists it from R1,825 a room. The same name covers a backpackers and an urban glamping site on the main road, and the name suggests safari bookings, though the listing does not detail them. The listing does not say who owns it. Choose it if you travel as a group and want rooms that sleep four or more.

Whalesong

Budget · Inside the park · Ownership unconfirmed

A five-room guesthouse in St Lucia town for 14 guests, listed on SA-Venues from R1,840 a room, with no address, facilities or owner given. Humpback whales pass the coast from June to November; from St Lucia the one licensed boat-based whale-watching operator in the section is Advantage Tours and Charters, and Cape Vidal and Mission Rocks are the land-based viewpoints. Choose it as a small base in whale season; ask what the rate includes. Land-based whale watching is free from the Mission Rocks cliffs and Cape Vidal, inside the Eastern Shores gate.

Dates and availability on Booking.com ↗

Elephant Coast Guesthouse

Budget · Inside the park · Ownership unconfirmed

A six-room guesthouse for 12 guests in St Lucia town, listed on SA-Venues from R1,860 a room, with no address, facilities or owner given. Six rooms for 12 suggests doubles and twins rather than family rooms. The town is the base for the estuary cruises and for Cape Vidal and the Western Shores, each under an hour away; the Western Shores gate is just before the bridge into town, where hippos also cross. Choose it for a couple's base; ask about meals before booking.

Dates and availability on Booking.com ↗

St Lucia Ocean View Lodge

Budget · Inside the park · Ownership unconfirmed

Six units for 26 guests in St Lucia town, listed on SA-Venues from R1,900 a unit, so the average unit sleeps four or more. The listing gives no address, facilities or owner. The sea beach at St Lucia is reached through town; swim only where lifeguarded areas are marked, and never in the estuary, which holds about 1,000 adult crocodiles according to iSimangaliso. Choose it for a family unit at a budget price; check the view from the unit you book.

St Lucia Kingfisher Lodge

Budget · Inside the park · Owner-run

A B&B lodge at 187 McKenzie Street, St Lucia's main road, with a pool, bar and wifi, from R2,000 a night for two with breakfast on LekkeSlaap. The dossier classes it as owner-run; room numbers are not published. McKenzie Street has the town's restaurants, banks and fuel, so you can walk to dinner, though not after dark if hippos are about. Not to be confused with Kingfisher Bush Lodge in Manguzi. Choose it for a central B&B with a bar.

Dates and availability on Booking.com ↗

AmaZulu Lodge

Budget · Inside the park · Ownership unconfirmed

An 18-room lodge in St Lucia town for 44 guests, with a pool, wifi, parking and 24-hour security, listed on SA-Venues from R2,016 a room. Its size means it often has space when the small guesthouses are full in school holidays. The listing does not say who owns it or what meals are included. From town, Cape Vidal is 53 minutes and Charter's Creek 46 minutes by road. Choose it for a larger lodge with security and parking; ask about breakfast.

Dates and availability on Booking.com ↗

St Lucia Hilltop Guest House

Budget · Inside the park · Ownership unconfirmed

An eight-room guesthouse for 20 guests in St Lucia town, listed on SA-Venues from R2,060 a room. Not to be confused with Hilltop Camp in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi, a separate park an hour inland. The listing gives no address, facilities or owner. St Lucia's banks, fuel and the estuary are within a short drive. Choose it for a mid-sized guesthouse; ask what the rate includes. Hippos walk through St Lucia at night, so drive rather than walk to dinner after dark. Town has ATMs for the main banks, two fuel stations and car hire, so it works as a base without stocking up first.

Dates and availability on Booking.com ↗

African Dreamz

Budget · Inside the park · Ownership unconfirmed

A nine-room guesthouse for 20 guests in St Lucia town, listed on SA-Venues from R2,093 a room, with no address, facilities or owner given. The estuary cruises that are St Lucia's signature activity run about two hours; operators listed by iSimangaliso include Shoreline Boat Safari, Heritage Tours and Safaris, Shakabarker Tours and Advantage Tours and Charters, and any of them can be booked from a guesthouse. Choose it as a plain base for a cruise and a Cape Vidal day.

Dates and availability on Booking.com ↗

Monzi Safaris Urban Glamping

Budget · Inside the park · Ownership unconfirmed

Thirteen glamping units for 30 guests on the main road through St Lucia, under the same Monzi Safaris name as the backpackers and the lodge. SA-Venues lists it from R2,100 a unit, which is more than a room at the lodge next door. The listing gives no facility detail and does not say who owns it. Glamping in town puts canvas closer to the night-time hippo traffic than a brick room would; follow camp advice after dark. Choose it if you want the tent experience with town services next door.

Livingstone Lodge

Budget · Inside the park · Ownership unconfirmed

A six-room lodge for 12 guests in St Lucia town, listed on SA-Venues from R2,160 a room, with no address, facilities or owner given. Rooms appear to be doubles and twins. Day tours to Cape Vidal leave from town: iSimangaliso's operator profiles describe full days of 6 to 8.5 hours with snorkelling when the tide allows, and night drives into the Eastern Shores of 2 to 3 hours. Choose it for a couple's base for those tours. Night drives start at 19:00 in winter and 20:00 in summer.

Leopard Corner Lodge

Budget · Inside the park · Ownership unconfirmed

A nine-room lodge for 26 guests in St Lucia town with a pool, wifi, an honesty bar and breakfast, listed on SA-Venues from R2,350 a room. Nine rooms for 26 means several sleep three or four. The listing gives no address and does not say who owns it. From town the Crocodile Centre, run by Ezemvelo since 1979, is on the road towards Bhangazi Gate. Choose it for a family room with breakfast and a pool. Ask whether family rooms share a bathroom before you book.

Dates and availability on Booking.com ↗

Serene-Estate Guesthouse

Mid-range · Inside the park · Owner-run

A seven-room owner-run guesthouse ten minutes' walk from St Lucia's centre, with a saltwater pool, wifi and air-conditioning, from R2,920 a room on SA-Venues with a two-night minimum. The hosts speak Dutch, Flemish and German, and the house books estuary cruises, Eastern Shores drives, turtle tours, whale watching and horse riding. It also lists kayaking; no licensed kayak operator for the St Lucia estuary appears on iSimangaliso's activity page, and the estuary holds about 1,000 crocodiles and 1,000 hippos, so do not paddle it without a licensed guide. Choose it if you want help planning in your own language.

Dates and availability on Booking.com ↗

Umlilo Lodge

Mid-range · Inside the park · Ownership unconfirmed

A 13-room B&B lodge at 9 Dolfyn Avenue, St Lucia, with air-conditioning, wifi, an honesty bar and dinner on request at R490. Four rooms are built for accessibility, which is rare in town. Its own 2026/27 rates run from R3,045 a room for two with breakfast, and it takes 25% off stays of five nights or more, which brings a week close to the price of the cheaper guesthouses. The dossier places it among the small local businesses, but its site does not state ownership. Choose it for accessible rooms or a longer stay.

Dates and availability on Booking.com ↗

Amoya Villa

Mid-range · Inside the park · Ownership unconfirmed

A three-room villa for six in St Lucia town and the dearest of the town listings on SA-Venues, from R3,300 a night. The listing does not make clear whether that buys a room or the whole villa, which changes the value completely: for six people sharing the villa it would be among the cheapest beds in town. It gives no address, facilities or owner. Choose it for a family or two couples, once you have confirmed what the price covers.

Dates and availability on Booking.com ↗

Sodwana Bay Lodge

Mid-range · Outside the gate · Owner-run

Despite the name, Sodwana Bay Lodge is outside the park, about 6 km from the beach. It sells half board at R1,240 a person sharing to 30 November 2026 on a third-party listing, with the Adventure Mania dive centre on site, so dives and courses are booked where you sleep. You pay the Sodwana gate fee each time you drive in to the launch site. Capacity is not published. Choose it if you want dinner and breakfast sorted around your dives; skip it if you want to walk to the beach.

Dates and availability on Booking.com ↗

Hluhluwe Bush Camp Glamping

Budget · Outside the gate · Ownership unconfirmed

Seven glamping units at Hluhluwe, listed on SA-Venues from R523 a night for two, the cheapest rate in this guide outside the park. Hluhluwe is the N2 exit for False Bay and the road to Sodwana via Mbazwana; St Lucia is about 1h30 south and uMkhuze about an hour north. The listing gives no facility detail and does not name an owner. Choose it as a cheap overnight stop on the way north. The price is a directory 'from' figure with no season stated, so check it for your dates.

Kingfisher Bush Lodge

Budget · Outside the gate · Ownership unconfirmed

A nine-unit lodge in Manguzi, the town at the top of the Kosi Bay road, with a pool and restaurant, listed on SA-Venues from R700 a room. It arranges visits to the Thonga fish traps on the Kosi lakes. It is outside the park; Manguzi is also where you fill up with fuel before the sand roads of the Coastal Forest. The listing does not name an owner. Not to be confused with St Lucia Kingfisher Lodge. Choose it as a cheap Kosi base with a restaurant.

Dates and availability on Booking.com ↗

Marula Gardens

Budget · Outside the gate · Ownership unconfirmed

A seven-room guesthouse in Mtubatuba for 18 guests, listed on SA-Venues from R950 a night for two. Mtubatuba is the N2 junction for St Lucia, 25 km east on the R618, so you add about half an hour each way to every St Lucia outing compared with staying in town. The listing gives no facility detail and does not name an owner. Choose it if St Lucia is full or you arrive late off the N2. Richards Bay airport is about 1h20 from St Lucia.

870 on Riverview Drive

Budget · Outside the gate · Ownership unconfirmed

A four-room guesthouse in Mtubatuba for eight guests, listed on SA-Venues from R1,045 a night for two. Mtubatuba sits at the N2 junction for St Lucia, 25 km away, and is also the nearest town to Hluhluwe-iMfolozi's Nyalazi Gate. The listing gives no facility detail and does not name an owner. Choose it as a quiet, cheap stop if you are combining the two parks. From Mtubatuba you add about half an hour each way to every St Lucia outing compared with staying in town, so it suits a single night best.

Dates and availability on Booking.com ↗

Ezulwini Game Lodge

Budget · Outside the gate · Owner-run

A 37-unit game lodge in the Hluhluwe area, owner-run according to the dossier, listed on SA-Venues from R1,378 a night for two. It is outside iSimangaliso; from Hluhluwe the park's nearest section is False Bay, and St Lucia is about 1h30 south. The listing gives no facility detail. Choose it as a mid-point between iSimangaliso and Hluhluwe-iMfolozi with plenty of rooms. From Hluhluwe town, uMkhuze's Mantuma camp is 64 km, about 1h17. The price is a directory figure with no season stated, so check it for your dates.

Dates and availability on Booking.com ↗

DumaZulu Lodge & Traditional Village

Budget · Outside the gate · Owner-run

A 21-room lodge in Hluhluwe attached to a traditional village, listed on SA-Venues from R1,598 a night for two; the dossier classes it as owner-run. It is outside iSimangaliso, with False Bay the nearest section and uMkhuze about an hour north. The listing gives no other facility detail. Choose it if you want a cultural visit on the doorstep and a base between iSimangaliso and Hluhluwe-iMfolozi. From Hluhluwe town, Mantuma camp in uMkhuze is 64 km, about 1h17, and St Lucia is about 1h30 south. The price is a directory figure with no season stated.

Wendy's Country Lodge

Budget · Outside the gate · Ownership unconfirmed

A six-room B&B in Mtubatuba for 14 guests, listed on SA-Venues from R1,682 a night for two. At that price a room in St Lucia itself costs about the same, and saves you 25 km each way, so it makes most sense when town is full in the school holidays or when you are also visiting Hluhluwe-iMfolozi. The listing gives no facility detail and does not name an owner. Choose it as a fallback to St Lucia. Richards Bay airport is about 1h20 from St Lucia.

Anew Hotel Hluhluwe

Mid-range · Outside the gate · Hotel group

A 78-room hotel in Hluhluwe town run by Anew Hotels, listed on SA-Venues from R2,589 a room for two with breakfast and R2,789 for a family room. It is the largest hotel on this stretch of the N2 and outside iSimangaliso; the False Bay section is the nearest, and Hluhluwe-iMfolozi is close too. Choose it for a predictable hotel room with breakfast between parks. From Hluhluwe town, Mantuma camp in uMkhuze is 64 km, about 1h17, and St Lucia about 1h30. The price is a directory figure with no season stated, so check it for your dates.

Ghost Mountain Inn

Mid-range · Outside the gate · Owner-run

An owner-run country hotel in Mkuze town for 194 guests, close to eMshopi Gate into uMkhuze. LekkeSlaap lists rooms at R3,400 for two with breakfast, with a promotional R3,060 until 18 December 2026. uMkhuze has no private lodge inside it, so this is the main hotel option for the section; Mantuma camp is the alternative inside the gate. Choose it for a hotel room with breakfast within a short drive of the uMkhuze hides. Pay the gate fee each time you drive in.

Dates and availability on Booking.com ↗

Emdoneni Lodge

Mid-range · Outside the gate · Owner-run

A 47-room lodge in the Hluhluwe area, owner-run according to the dossier, listed on SA-Venues from R3,310 a night for two, the highest listed rate among the N2 corridor places in this guide. It is outside iSimangaliso, with False Bay the nearest section and St Lucia about 1h30 south. The listing gives no facility detail, so ask what the rate covers before comparing it with cheaper rooms in St Lucia itself. The price is a directory figure with no season stated.

Dates and availability on Booking.com ↗

St Lucia Wilds

Budget · Inside the park · Ownership unconfirmed

Four self-catering units in St Lucia with a pool, wifi, parking and braai, according to its own site, which publishes no rate. The same site carries useful town information: ATMs for FNB, Nedbank, Standard Bank, Capitec and Bidvest, Caltex and Engen fuel, Avis car hire and the 40 km/h town speed limit. It does not say who owns it. Choose it if you want to cook for yourself in a small complex; ask for the price. There is no gate fee to stay in town.

Dates and availability on Booking.com ↗

iPhiva campsite

Budget · Inside the park · Park-run

A campsite on the edge of the Eastern Shores, named on iSimangaliso's accommodation page and the base of Bhangazi Horse Safaris, the park's licensed horseback concessionaire. No capacity, rate or current operator has been published; the dossier lists it as a state site with the operator unverified. Bhangazi's bush rides take children over 6 and beach-and-bush rides children over 8, with riders under 95 kg. Choose it if you are coming to ride; confirm that it is open and who runs it first.

Mpophomeni trail camp

Budget · Inside the park · Park-run

A trail camp in the False Bay section, named on iSimangaliso's accommodation page and nowhere else in our sources: no capacity, rate or facilities have been published, and it was not on Ezemvelo's 2023/24 tariff. False Bay has three self-guided trails, including the short Mphophomeni trail of about 2 km. The camp is state land under the iSimangaliso Authority. Treat it as a name on a list until the Authority confirms that it takes guests; Dukandlovu, nearby, is the trail camp with a published price.

kuMkhumbi bush lodge

Budget · Inside the park · Park-run

A bush lodge in the uMkhuze section that an independent booking marketer, mkuzereservations.co.za, lists as open only from 1 November to 28 February. It was not on Ezemvelo's 2023/24 tariff, and no capacity or rate has been published. The summer months it is said to open are when the uMkhuze pans fill and the Kubube hide is at its best for waterbirds. It is state-owned under the iSimangaliso Authority. Ask before planning around it; Mantuma is the confirmed alternative in the section.

Maphelane log cabins and campsite

Budget · Inside the park · Park-run

Maphelane's log cabins and campsite on the south bank of the river mouth have been closed since late 2018, when Ezemvelo shut the resort until further notice after flooding of the road between the gate and the beach (For Anglers, February 2020). stluciasa.com still listed it as closed in September 2026, and no reopening notice has been found, although iSimangaliso's own accommodation page lists the cabins as if open. Do not plan a stay here. If you visit the section, note that Maphelane is reached from the N2 via KwaMbonambi: 85 km and nearly 2.5 hours from St Lucia, because there is no crossing at the mouth.

Bib's International Backpackers

Budget · Inside the park · Ownership unconfirmed

St Lucia's backpackers at 310 McKenzie Street, with dorms, camping, en-suite units and two family units, a pool, wifi, a restaurant, a tour desk, a beach shuttle and free morning walks. It is the obvious choice if you are travelling without a car: the tour desk books Cape Vidal days, cruises and night drives, and the shuttle covers the beach. Hostelworld shows prices only with dates, so no rate is listed here. Choose it on a backpacker budget or without a car.

Hornbill House

Budget · Inside the park · Ownership unconfirmed

A five-room B&B for ten guests in St Lucia with a pool, braai and parking, listed on Sleeping-OUT. Tours are arranged through Shakabarker Tours, one of the estuary cruise operators on iSimangaliso's list. The only rate online dates from 2016/17, so ask for a current price. The address is not published and the listing does not name an owner. Not to be confused with Hornbill Fishing Suites, a separate self-catering unit. Choose it for a small B&B with tours on hand.

Lidiko Lodge

Budget · Inside the park · Owner-run

A 15-unit lodge at 95 McKenzie Street, St Lucia's main road, with breakfast. The last rate found, R2,400 a unit on Siyabona, expired on 30 June 2026 and nothing newer has been published, so ask for the current price. The dossier records it as owner-run; no facility list was captured. McKenzie Street puts you close to restaurants, banks and fuel. Choose it for a central room; compare its current quote with the guesthouses that publish a 2026 price. It is in the town enclave, so no gate fee applies.

Dates and availability on Booking.com ↗

Mseni Beach Lodge

Budget · Inside the park · Owner-run

A lodge inside the Sodwana Bay section whose 2026 rates sit in a PDF the dossier could not open. It shares the reservations number 033 345 6531 with Coral Divers, which suggests a common group, though neither says so. Its rates page is the most recent source on Sodwana gate fees, updated 2 February 2026, and confirms that the gates now take cards. Capacity is not published. Choose it if you want to stay inside the Sodwana gate near the dive launch; ask for the 2026 rate sheet.

Dates and availability on Booking.com ↗

Rocktail Beach Camp

Mid-range · Inside the park · Safari company

A camp of 17 tented rooms with a pool and dive centre in the coastal forest at Rocktail Bay, set up as a joint venture with the Mpukane community. Wilderness Safaris ran it for more than 25 years; from May 2018 it moved into Maputaland Travel's portfolio with Wilderness keeping ownership, and Wilderness's site now says it does not own camps in South Africa's safari areas. Who operates it today, and whether it is taking bookings, is not confirmed, and no rate is published. Choose it only after the operator confirms your booking in writing.

Gugulesizwe Dive Camp and Research Camp

Budget · Inside the park · Safari company

Two camps in the Coastal Forest section, a dive camp and a research camp, that moved into Maputaland Travel's portfolio in 2018 together with Rocktail. Nothing more current was found: no capacity, no rate and no confirmation that either takes guests. The Coastal Forest is reached on sand tracks for which iSimangaliso says a high-clearance or 4x4 vehicle is required. Treat this as a lead to check, not a place to book. Rocktail, its former stablemate, has the same uncertainty over who runs it today.

Dates and availability on Booking.com ↗

Vic's Camp, Bhanga Nek

Budget · Inside the park · Community or local

A community-run camp at Bhanga Nek, between Kosi Bay and Rocktail, with rondavels built of reed and palm. Bhanga Nek's community turtle guides work the beach from October to March, and the 56 km from Kosi Mouth to Mabibi is the park's core monitored nesting beach; at night you may walk it only with a licensed guide. No rate or capacity is published. Access is on sand roads. Choose it for a simple stay that pays community members directly, with turtles in season.

Beachside Camp and Lakeside Camp, Bhanga Nek

Budget · Inside the park · Community or local

Two further community camps at Bhanga Nek, listed on the Bhanga Nek website beside Vic's Camp, one near the beach and one near the lake. Nothing else is published: no capacity, rate or facilities. The site also notes that illegal structures in the area have been demolished, so confirm that the camp you book is a recognised one. Treat these as options to ask about through the Bhanga Nek site rather than places to book blind. Vic's Camp, also at Bhanga Nek, has more published detail.

Utshwayelo Kosi Mouth Lodge and Camp

Budget · Inside the park · Community or local

A community-partnership camp with the Tsonga community at the Kosi Mouth gate, with Tusker tents, Hippo cabins, Turtle tents and Fish Eagle campsites, and, unusually for the far north, 2WD access. It runs snorkelling at the estuary mouth known as 'the aquarium', three-lake cruises, turtle tours and visits to the reed fish traps. The 2026/27 rate sheet is sent on request. Choose it to stay right at Kosi Mouth without a 4x4; ask for the rate sheet and about which tours suit children.

Dates and availability on Booking.com ↗

Sisodwana Lodge

Budget · Outside the gate · Owner-run

An owner-run lodge near Sodwana, outside the park gate, with a profile on iSimangaliso's establishments pages. No capacity, rate or facility list was captured. Like every place on the Sodwana road, it means paying the gate fee each time you drive in to the beach or the dive launch, though at R34 for a South African adult that is the lowest band in the park. Treat it as one to contact directly: ask for rates, rooms and distance to the beach.

Triton Dive Lodge

Budget · Outside the gate · Owner-run

An owner-run dive lodge at Sodwana, trading since 1996, outside the park gate. No capacity, rate or facility list was captured. Sodwana's reefs are named by their distance from Jesser Point, from Quarter Mile and the large 2 Mile reef to 5 Mile, 7 Mile and the rarely dived 9 Mile, and the further reefs carry a surcharge per dive at most centres. Contact the lodge directly for rates and dive packages. Ask whether dive prices include those surcharges and the launch fee.

Dates and availability on Booking.com ↗

Emoyeni Dive Retreat (Twobar Scuba)

Budget · Outside the gate · Owner-run

A dive retreat at Sodwana run by Twobar Scuba, outside the park gate, which trains to NAUI rather than PADI standards and has a profile on iSimangaliso's whale-watching page. No capacity, rate or facility list was captured. Humpbacks pass Sodwana from June to November, so dive trips in those months often meet whales on the way out. Contact the retreat directly for rates and courses. The Sodwana gate fee, R34 for a South African adult on the 2024/25 table, is the lowest band in the park, but you pay it on each entry. Ask whether dive prices include the further-reef surcharges.

&Beyond Phinda

Top-end · Outside the gate · Safari company

&Beyond's private reserve of about 30,000 ha in the Munywana Conservancy, next to uMkhuze, profiled on iSimangaliso's uMkhuze page. It is outside the park. &Beyond is one of the licensed turtle-tour concessionaires, running tours from Phinda on 16 km of beach at Sodwana, with nesting typically in November and December and hatchlings in January and February. No rates or lodge details were collected for this guide. Choose it for a fly-in style private reserve with turtle tours added; ask &Beyond for rates.

Mbazwana Inn

Budget · Outside the gate · Owner-run

A 17-room B&B inn in Mbazwana, the town on the road to Sodwana, with a restaurant, bar and pool, known from its TripAdvisor listing. Mbazwana is where services thin out: fill up there or in Manguzi before the Coastal Forest and Kosi Bay sand roads. No rand rate was captured. Choose it for a meal and a bed on the way to Sodwana or Lake Sibaya; ask the inn for the price. Lake Sibaya's sand tracks are strictly 4x4, according to iSimangaliso.

Dates and availability on Booking.com ↗