Kosi / Elephant Coast / Maputaland / LINKS

• Maputaland Home | Activities & Attractions | Accommodation | Gallery & Maps | Business & Links
• Maputaland Overview | World Heritage Site | Map | Detailed Map | Gallery | General Visitor Info | Tonga Culture | Zulu Language | Malaria | South Africa Overview | Contacts | TOURISM INFORMATION | Your Business
• Attractions | Horse Safaris | Turtle Tours | Diving | Tembe Elephant Park | Lakes | Fishing | Birdwatching
• Maputaland Horse Safaris | Maputaland Bush Camp
• Accommodation | Other Accommodation | Maputaland Bush Camp | Your Place!
• Gallery | Map
• Go… | Kosi Bay Tourism Association | KwaNgwanase Business Forum

Maputaland Bush Camp

Maputaland Bush Camp is a small intimate lodge. We accommodate 10 people or 14 if sharing in bush style chalets. Each huts have an onsuite shower and bush toilet.

We serve excellent home cooked meals (european breakfasts, lunches and dinners) served in the main house or a picnic lunch when on a day excursions / activities.

We have stables with horses on site. We tried to preserve the bush experience. Solar panels provide enough lights at night. When essential a generator can supply a few hours of electricity per day.

ACTIVITIES THAT WE PROVIDE if you do not have your own transport.
o Beach Trips
o Turtle Tours – Come and see the giant sea turtles lay their eggs on our beaches. Unforgettable!
o Go for a game drive in Tembe Elephant Park
o Go out with a boat to sea – dolphins, whale-watching and snorkeling on reefs
o SCUBA – qualified divers only
o Horse Riding – Short and long trails
o Cultural Activities (visit to local Tonga and Zulu houses)
o Boating on the Lakes
o Guided Hikes – Walk with our guides and experience bush, savanna, forest and beaches.
o Canoe on the Siyadla river.

RECOMMENDED STAY is 5 days in which you will have an astonishing variety of activities to do (Day 1 – Boat out to sea, Day 2 – boat on the lakes, Day 3 – Canoe, Day 4 – Horse riding, Day 5 – Tembe Elephant Reserve. We supplement the primary activities for the day with cultural activities, beach trips, hiking and end most days with sundowners at our hippo pools.

WHEN? The best time is probably July or August because it is less warm, the windy months have not started and the whales are migrating. The turtles arrive for nesting from the end of October to February.

RATES OFFERED
1. ACCOMMODATION ONLY – Fully Catered R400 per person EXCLUDING activities.
2. ALL INCLUSIVE – Fully Catered 3 meals a day & INCLUDING activities R750 per person
3. TRAIL RIDING OPTION – Do a 2,3,4 night trail ride from camp to camp.
4. EXCLUSIVE – Rent our whole camp for a fixed amount per day for the camp.

OTHER INFO:
We will transfer you to our lodge (16km south of Kosi Bay/ Manguzi/Kwangwanase) if you do not have a 4 wheel drive vehicle. Your vehicle will be left in a safe place in town. You need a 4 wheel drive vehicle to visit all attractions in the region.

Please search for http://www.maputaland.net on Google for more information about this amazing region.

regards

Willie and Isabelle

On the spoor

“On the spoor of Jock and his Master through Maputaland”

by Willie Labuschagne

I just finished the well known book “Jock of the Bushveld” by Sir Percy Fitzpatrick. This book is not only a classic tale of the relationship between an owner and his dog but also a historical account of the transport riders’ wagon trips down to Delgoa bay. Two chapters in this book mentioning horses and northern Maputaland region is of special interest to me and my wife because we have been leading horse trails in Kosi Bay, Maputaland, for the last 5 years.

The Kosi Bay region is growing fast but it is still the most underdeveloped area in South Africa. Previous governments did not interfere in the life of the Thonga Tembe people and it is still governed today by the Tribal Court of the King, B.I. Tembe.
The transport riders mostly followed routes above Swaziland through Komatipoort, because tsetse fly and malaria were prevalent, but once or twice they investigated down south past Tembe’s drift.

Although Jock and his master passed through a century ago some regions are still very isolated and remote. Sir Percy Fitzpatrick tells stories of whole villages of Thonga people running away when they saw a man on a horse approach and the very same thing happened to me and Isabelle when we went for an outride the first few times. A young boy, one of our neighbours, ran of the path and climbed into a tree when we approached.

When we researched our business idea, we were warned by everyone (they only varied in the degrees of misfortune) that our horses will all die within three months in this warm subtropical climate. The only other horses introduced in this area, besides Sir Percy, were a few army horses to patrol the border and they did die frequently and then the army horses were evacuated. Sir Percy wrote that they rushed through known “fly” regions at night, believing that it is safer at night.

With the intrepid character of Sir Percy and his colleagues, or the ignorance of the young, we decided to go ahead and we managed to get the horses transported to within 5 km from our base. Ten handlers, who never saw a horse in their life before, were trained on a wooden horse how to lead a horse and in a procession we led our ten new horses to their new stables. This was a critical moment. If the horses broke loose there was no fence to stop them for 50 miles.The front leaders were leading their handlers all over and Isabelle and I ran up and down to rescue the frightened handlers. Soon a whole kilometre separated the front and the rear of the procession with us running fore and backwards relieving tired handlers.

Our spirits sank quite a bit in the beginning whenever our horses coughed or sneezed. In the first few months a crocodile attacked one of our horses but it broke free and we managed to stitch it up. A year ago we lost one horse due to snakebite. All the pessimists had to admit that it could be done if you take good care of your horses. Our biggest battle was probably with authorities in allowing us to conduct our trails.

We get small groups of guests who stay in our base camp and ride in a new direction everyday or we have several overnight trails. We always vary our activities so that it includes something other than horse riding. For example guests can also canoe in our little Amazon, go out with a boat on the lakes, or out to sea and swim with dolphins or snorkel on the reefs.

Now five years onward our horses all agree this must be paradise. To explore this isolated and remote region on horse back brings back the spirit of the transport riders for a while. Now we only need a dog like Jock.

Kosi Hiking

Siyazenzela Co-Op Hiking Trails

Siyazenzela, meaning we help ourselves, is an initiative of local community members and tourism operators in the region to provide tourism services and products jointly.

Maputaland region is in pristine condition because it can only be accessed with a 4×4 vehicle and then only a few adventurous souls will attempt the uncharted region. So by hiking from camp to camp you can see many of the biospheres that make this area special.

You will walk along sand forests, dune forests, savannah, wetlands, cross rivers and stroll along isolated beaches. At each camp you will experience a different feel and may take part in various activities.

Background

The Kosi hike was one of the best and profitable hikes in South Africa because of the variety of nature, the quality of overnight camps not to mention isolated beaches stretching for miles and miles. Unfortunately the community trust in charge of the hike muddled it and now the hike is in tatters.

Siyazenzela uses an alternative route by combining other lodges and some of the existing hiking camps.

Routes

The new route is flexible and can be a two days hike or a 3 days hike. The route is no longer a circle route because the camp at 1^st Lake burned down. Hikers have the following options.

· Start at Maputaland Bush Camp on the southern side of the lakes, hike to Amanzimyama camp, continue to Bhanga Nek and return the same way (5 nights).

· Start at Maputaland Bush Camp on the southern side of the lakes, hike to Amanzimyama camp, continue to Bhanga Nek and return the same way (5 nights).

· Start at Maputaland Bush Camp on the southern side of the lakes, hike to Amanzimyama camp, continue to Bhanga Nek, hike back to Amanzimyama, and then to Kosi Bay Lodge in the North (5 nights).

· Start at Kosi Bay Lodge on the northern side of the lakes, hike to Amanzimyama camp, continue to Bhanga Nek, hike back to Amanzimyama, and then to Kosi Bay Lodge in the North (5 nights).

Some of the routes can be daunting. Too hike 15km on a beach against a wind at high tide is not ideal. But never the less the hike can be done in fewer days by

· shortening the route

· using transfers by vehicle or being fetched by a boat (have to be organized in advance)

· walking back to the starting point in one go, skipping the middle camp, but this is a 15 or 17 km hike and recommended only for serious hikers.

Hikers can further decide on supported or unsupported hike

• During an unsupported hike you have to carry all with you.
• When doing a supported hike, a vehicle will bring essential luggage, like good red wine, and non essential luggage, like good red wine.

The cherry on top as they say, is that the different camps are managed by different tour operators, and you may choose to be hosted and spoilt by having them cater for you too. This will surely beat all the regular lightweight hiking food.

• Willie and Isabelle are your hosts at Maputaland Bush Camp and they offer a hint of Belgian cuisine.
• Arrie and Helena will be your hosts at Amanzimyama Camp with their open fire kitchen dishes.
• Maputaland is also such a complex region, in every way imaginable, that the experience is enhanced, by having someone explain the history of the Thonga culture or the spectacular nature around a campfire evening.

Siyazenzela goes on step further by offering experiences which features the attractions and activities of the region to the hikers. Each camp has a different afternoon activity for you to choose from. You may canoe, snorkel, go on a sunset cruise on the lakes or go horse riding.

* Traditional hikers may hike the route carrying all but the real focus of Siyazenzela and it’s partners is to provide the Kosi guests with an all round experience including hiking, canoe, birding, boating, snorkel, horse riding etc.

A local guide will accompany hikers and show them the way.

Camps

· Kosi Bay Lodge - Kosi Bay Lodge is a big resort type lodge with affordable accommodation pub and restaurant. They also operate boat cruises on the lakes.

· Amanzimyama Camp is set on the edge of the 4^th lake close to the infamous raffia forest. Close by on the river Kosi Forest Lodge operates canoeing.

· KwaDapha Bhanga Nek Beach Camp is the only camp close to the beach. During season (November to February) you may walk along the beach with appointed guides to see giant sea turtles laying eggs.

· Maputaland Bush Camp is situated on a hill overlooking the endlessness. They have horses and stables on site.

Rates

· Accommodation rates (You may choose between catered or self catered rates).

o Kosi Bay Lodge – R150 pppn (A pub and restaurant is available)

o Amanzimyama Camp – R150 pppn or R400pppn catered (3 meals)

o KwaDapha Bhanga Nek Hiking Camp – R150 pppn or R400pppn catered (3 meals)

o Maputaland Bush Camp and Horse Safaris – R150 pppn or R400pppn catered (3 meals)

· Hike tariff – R200 per day

· Supported hike tariff – R500 per hike

· Optional extras like canoe, turtle tours, boat cruises, horse outrides are not included and will be optional extras.

For more information regarding Maputaland go to http://www.maputaland.net

SIYAZENZELA

Contact Willie: 0727273079

mail@maputaland.net