Ingwenya Lodge, which is named after the abundance of crocodiles found in St Lucia’s iSimangaliso Wetlands Park, is among the best family holiday offerings in the Kwa-Zulu Natal.
The iSimangaliso Wetland Park is South Africa’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site. You will find the Ingwenya Lodge property bordering the greenbelt and offering sea and lake view, an incredibly unique privilege in St Lucia.
As a result of the peaceful surroundings, hippos and small game are often found grazing on the front lawn of the Lodge. The area also enjoys a wonderful climate all year long with splendid summers and warm winters.
Due to the global pandemic, the owner and her staff have also put in place measures to ensure that you and your family are safe when you visit.
Many of their previous guests agree that Ingwenya is an amazing family holiday destination!
Accommodation at Ingwenya Lodge
Ingwenya Lodge consists of six, family-friendly self-catering units. While the lodge is named after the crocodile due to their abundance in the area, the suites are named after the feeder-rivers that flow into the St Lucia Estuary – that is the Mkuze, Nyalazi, Mfolozi, Mpate, Mzinene and Hluhluwe rivers.
The units offer free Wi-Fi, spacious fully-equipped kitchens, TV’S with DSTV, and air-conditioning, towels, linen, hairdryers, a stove with oven, fridge, microwave, toaster and kettles amongst many other amenities such as the large swimming pool and even bigger jungle-gym/treehouse.
The Mkuze is a ground-floor unit that can accommodate up to five people. While it does not have sea views, it comes with a large private boma for evenings around a fire. Inside you will find two bedrooms with one Queen-size bed, two single beds, and a sleeper couch. There is also a full bathroom, kitchen and sitting area. This unit is conveniently situated opposite the large jungle-gym/treehouse and is also a pet-friendly unit.
Expect a similar offering at the Nyalazi unit.
Sleeping up to seven people, the Mfolozi is the largest unit. It boasts sea views and is situated next to the big swimming pool and comes with three bedrooms with a Queen-size double bed, four single beds and a sleeper couch. There are also two full bathrooms with showers, a large kitchen and living area as well as a lovely veranda or better known as a “stoep”.
The Mzinene and the Hluhluwe units have similar offerings. They both sleep up to four people and each come with two bedrooms furnished with a Queen-size double bed and a single bed. While the Mzinene comes with two bathrooms (one en-suite, one with a shower, one with a bath), the Hluhluwe comes with a single bathroom and is located on the first floor with a large balcony.
Couples are encouraged to choose the double storey Mpate unit as it comes with great sea-views both upstairs and downstairs and a private boma. Inside, you will find one bedroom with a double bed and a bathroom with a shower as well as a fully equipped kitchenette.
Make an online booking HERE.
Facilities at Ingwenya Lodge
Your hosts have certainly gone out of their way to make sure you have everything you might need for a memorable family weekend away. All the units are serviced daily.
There is a swimming pool for cooling off on a hot summer day. It’s also the perfect way to end a day of adventure in the area.
A treehouse and trampoline for the kids will keep them occupied while you and your spouse take some to relax and enjoy the scenery.
What’s a weekend without a barbeque? There is an outside braai area where the whole family can gather for a late afternoon or evening cook-off!
Unlike many accommodation offerings in the area, Ingwenya Lodge is also pet-friendly. They have the facilities for families wanting to bring the furry members of their household.
Things to do in St Lucia
St Lucia, being one of two towns in the world that are located within a World Heritage Site, has plenty of things to do for the traveller. The Isimangaliso Wetland Park is an outdoor enthusiast’s paradise with many activities to keep you and the kids busy over your stay.
Within reach of your accommodation at Ingwenya Lodge, you can enjoy game drives, deep-sea fishing, whale/dolphin watching, turtle tours, snorkelling in subtropical coral reefs, hippo and crocodile boat tours, morning and evening game drives, horse riding on the beach or in the bush, bird watching, nature hiking trails perfect for mountain-biking or trail running, farm and cultural tours.
Reviews from previous Ingwenya Lodge guests
“We had a wonderful stay at Ingwenya Lodge. They have the most incredible views over the ocean and the forest. Really great and spacious apartment with absolutely everything that you need! Thank you for such a wonderful getaway,” wrote tinksfromspace on their TripAdvisor page.
apotte614713 added; “Very neat unit overlooking the forest with a sea view. Host was very friendly and helpful with information about the area as well as what activities are available with supporting maps. The hornbills in the tree make for a good sighting. We will be back for sure.”
“A trip to St Lucia is all about experiencing the wildlife and sights. The owner, Madeleine, makes an effort to explain what one can expect to do in and around the area. We definitely appreciated it. The rooms are tidally kept and clean. Perfect place to base excursions from in and around St Lucia,” said Jason Kramer.
Ingwenya Lodge is located at 163 Hornbill Street, St Lucia Estuary, KwaZulu Natal. Here is their location on Google Maps. For bookings, call +27 (0) 35 590 1032 / +27 (0) 72 172 2119; email grootkrokodil@ingwenyalodge.co.za or visit them online at www.ingwenyalodge.co.za. Follow them on Facebook HERE.
