Turtles
Guests at Kosi Forest Lodge can witness the incredible act of Giant
Leatherback and Loggerhead turtles laying their eggs. Turtle tracking is
offered from mid-November to mid-February in the evenings. These magnificent
creatures return to the Maputuland coastline every year, having swum the
length of the African continent, and return to the beach where they hatched.
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Kosi Forest Lodge
is set in a beautiful sand forest on the banks of the Kosi Lake
estuary. The thatched bush suites are carefully positioned to
provide guests with privacy and an intimacy with the peaceful
surroundings. The romantic en-suite bathrooms are open-air, giving
guests a truly unique experience. Guests can relax at the pool with
its unsurpassed views of the lake.
Kosi Forest Lodge
Kosi Forest Lodge is a 16-bed wilderness lodge located in the
Kosi Bay Nature Reserve – a magical place of lakes, rivers, pristine
beaches, bush and coastal forests. Kosi Forest Lodge is the only
private lodge in the reserve – an unspoilt wilderness that is part
of the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park, now internationally recognised
as a World Heritage Site. The lodge offers excellent accommodation,
fine cuisine and has become a firm favourite as a honeymoon
destination.
Main Lodge
A massive Zulu Podberry tree is the focal point of the main lodge
with the lounge, diningroom and bar all opening onto a large, wooden
deck around the tree. Kosi Forest Lodge takes full advantage of
Maputuland’s sultry weather with most meals served alfresco - on the
deck or under large Albizia trees. A swimming pool, built into the
deck, at the lake’s edge is always a welcome sight. Candles light
the area at night giving it a warm, romantic ambience reminiscent of
wild African adventures of long ago.
Bedrooms
The thatched bush suites are hidden in the sand forest of the
Kosi Bay Nature Reserve providing privacy under the forest’s
peaceful canopy of shady trees. The rooms are raised on a wooden
deck with a beautifully appointed bedroom, balcony, dressing room
and separate bath and shower. The romantic en-suite bathroom is
open-air in a reed-enclosed boma. Set in white beach sand and
positioned under one of the huge forest trees, guests are guaranteed
a truly unique experience. The bedrooms have low wooden walls with
mosquito netting and roll-up canvas blinds allowing for full views
of the surrounding forest. Kosi Forest Lodge has become increasingly
popular as a honeymoon destination. The honeymoon suite is
completely private and allows couples to enjoy the serenity of the
surrounding sand forest undisturbed
Activities at the Kosi Forest Lodge:
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Guided canoe trips on the lakes
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Turtle-tracking (November to January)
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Full-day boat cruises on the lakes
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Excellent birdwatching
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Snorkeling and swimming
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Fishing: lake, surf and fly-fishing
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Day trips to Tembe Elephant Park
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Thonga cultural activities
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Guided walks through Raffia Palm Forest
Kosi Bay Nature Reserve
This unspoiled nature reserve surrounds the rare and beautiful
Kosi Bay lake system. It has been incorporated into the Greater St
Lucia Wetland Park, an internationally recognised World Heritage
Site. The 11,000ha, 30km-long reserve is a tropical paradise of
crystal clear water, marshland, swamp and coastal forests that is
home to about 250 species of bird. Kosi Forest Lodge is the only
private lodge in the nature reserve.
Het Kosi Bay systeem
The system consists of four large lakes and a series of
inter-connecting channels that eventually drain via a sandy estuary
into the Indian Ocean. The lakes are separated from the ocean by a
strip of forested sand dunes. The system is characterised by
grassland, interspersed with lakes, pans, streams, marshes and
swamps. The swamp forests found in this area are the largest in the
country.
Thonga vissers
The rural people in the area use traditional fishing methods to
harvest the numerous fish species in the estuary. Fish kraals or
traps, which have been passed down from father to son, are spread
throughout the estuary, providing an important source of protein to
the local people and a tourist attraction to Kosi Bay’s many
visitors. Good management and the controlled use of resources makes
Kosi Bay an excellent example of the concept ‘wise use in action’
Giant Leatherback(Dermochelys coriacea)
This endangered marine reptile is the largest living
turtle and can reach a total length of 2,1 metres
with a weight of up to 365kg. Unlike other turtles,
the leatherback has no visible shell. Instead, it
has a carapace made up of hundreds of irregular bony
plates, covered with a leathery skin.
Well adapted to life in the ocean, the leatherback
has well-developed front flippers that propel it
through the water. It is one of the few animals that
feed exclusively on jellyfish and can dive up to
depths of 300m. The life expectancy of
leatherbacks is not known, but first breeding is
thought to be between 10 and 15 years old. Female
leatherbacks come ashore to nest every 2 to 3 years.
The females nest at high tide on moonless, summer
nights and lay 6 to 9 clutches of eggs. Each clutch
contains 100 to 120 eggs. Seven weeks later, when
the eggs hatch, the hatchlings must make their way
to the ocean quickly to avoid predatory seabirds.
Loggerhead Sea Turtle
The Loggerhead, so named because of the shape of its head,
is another endangered marine reptile. It is a large, brown
turtle which can grow up to 1m long and reach a weight of up
to 130kg. Its shell has scutes, which don’t overlap and are
smooth.
The loggerhead’s limbs each have two claws, which it uses
to hunt for crabs, mussels, shrimps and a variety of fish.
Nesting takes place at night from the end of October through
to January. The round, white, leathery eggs – as many as 120
in a clutch – are laid in the sand and then covered with
packed sand.
It is an unforgettable experience to witness these
enormous creatures laying their eggs. The hatchlings emerge
from the nest about 60 days after being laid and it is
incredible to watch the youngsters emerge from the nest
simultaneously. It’s a struggle for survival as they dig
40cm to the surface and crawl, en mass, some 50m to the sea,
where they often fall prey to kingfish and seabirds. The
survival rate is less than one in 50.
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