Phinda Game Reserve is a conservation area in South Africa with seven ecosystems, home to diverse plant and animal species. Tourists can observe animals on safari tours, night drives, and river cruises. The reserve also offers air tours, horseback riding, and fishing. The iSimangaliso Wetland Park nearby is a World Heritage Site with eight ecosystems.
Phinda Game Reserve is an animal sanctuary and conservation region in northern South Africa managed by a private organization dedicated to the protection of wildlife. Seven different ecosystems span over 34,000 acres (14,000 hectares) of the reserve, which is considered rich in diverse plant and animal species. Phinda Game Reserve is located in the KwaZulu-Natal region of the country, between a popular wetland and Mkuze Game Reserve.
Tourists visiting Phinda Game Reserve might catch a glimpse of animals living in their natural habitat, including elephants, lions, rhinos, buffaloes, and leopards. Safari tours led by armed guides typically follow big game to feeding points, where they can be observed. The reserve boasts sightings of a rare black rhino, along with cheetahs, zebras and nearly 400 different bird species.
Some tours occur at night, when impalas, aardvarks and feral pigs can be spotted. Guides use searchlights to spot nocturnal animals, which can be followed by car or on foot. The reserve also offers night boat trips along the region’s rivers.
Daytime canoe or boat cruises on the Mzinene River might expose hippos, crocodiles and flocks of birds. Nature walks in the bush educate tourists about native plants and their traditional uses by the South Africans who live nearby. The guides who lead these hikes commonly point out animal tracks and identify the many bird species that live in the jungle.
Phinda Game Reserve air tours cover the entire adjoining wilderness area, crossing rivers, the Indian Ocean coast, lakes, savannas and dunes. Sodwana Bay has become a popular scuba diving area for viewing 1,200 species of fish and 31 kilometers of coral reef. It became a national park in the 50.
Other bayside activities include horseback riding on the beach and through a nature reserve. Some tourists enjoy snorkelling off the coast and pack packed lunches. Deep sea fishing excursions might also allow guests to catch marlin, sailfish or other large species. As part of its conservation efforts, the reserve follows catch-and-release practices.
On the east side of the Phinda Game Reserve, the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, formerly known as the Greater St. Lucia Wetland Park, also attracts tourists. The Zulu word iSimangaliso means “wonder and wonder” and was included in the name of the region, which was designated a World Heritage Site in 1999. This conservation area features eight distinct ecosystems covering more than 800,000 acres (300,000 hectares). Visitors experience estuaries, marshes, forests, coral reefs and dunes in the park.
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