Umlilo Lodge

10/10/2024

10/10/2024

20/05/2024

13/05/2024

28/02/2024

The Greater Kudu is known by several names: Koedoe (Afrikaans), Kudu (German); Koudou (French); tandala (Swahili); nhongo (Xitsonga); iqudi ( IsiXhosa); umgankla (IsiZulu).... just to name a few.

Hunters called the Kudu "the Grey Ghost" because it has the ability to suddenly seemingly just vanish into the air while you look at it.
The Greater Kudu is a browser and feeds on tree and shrub leaves, grass, shoots and occasionally tubers, roots and fruit. Here, this male beauty was spotted near Mission Rocks on the Eastern Shores section of iSimangaliso.

06/02/2024

Why visit the iSimangaliso Wetlands Park and St Lucia and stay more than 2 days?

17/01/2024

Thank you Fabienne Wittwer from FÜRIMMER Fotos jefabienne.ch for these amazing photos. So happy you enjoyed your 4 days with us!! iSimangaliso is one incredible Park!

19/12/2022

A monkey's tale 🐒💙🍼

The last few days was a whirlwind of emotions at Umlilo Lodge.

If you know us, then you know that we adore animals and that love just escalated when Lourens heard an unusual cry in the lodge a few days ago.

Upon investigation he discovered an extremely young dehydrated monkey sitting in front of room 7. Knowing that the herd of monkeys, who visit the lodge daily, was long gone, he scooped up the abandoned baby and rushed home.

Elphia and Charles nursed the little one with formula milk using a tiny kitten bottle over the weekend and needless to say, he crept deep into our hearts.

It is illegal to keep wild animals as pets and it is unfair to animals who were made to live in the wild to be kept in domestic habitats - so the research began to find the best place for rehabilitation.

Thula Thula South African Conservation Fund was fresh in our minds as we've always had a soft spot for this reserve on our doorstep. We've read the books by the late Lawrence Anthony (The Elephant Whisperer) and his beloved wife Francoise (An Elephant in my Kitchen) and heard about the wonderful work their team is doing to rehabilitate animals - their latest being a jackal named "Umlilo". We took this as a sign that this was the best place for our new little friend.

With heavy hearts, but absolute peace, we (including some of our guests) said our goodbyes and embarked on the 2 hour journey.

We were welcomed with great kindness, excitement, love and generosity by the team. They named our boy "Lucky".

We will forever be grateful for Thula Thula and the short time we had with the playful and affectionate Lucky.

Contact Thula Thula if you ever come across a wild animal in need of rehabilitation: https://www.thulathula.com/conservation-fund-2/

19/12/2022

Thank you Thula Thula Zululand Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, doing amazing work. Please support them https://www.thulathula.com/orphaned-wildlife-care-rescue/

13/11/2022

On monkey watch!!

08/08/2022

Happy guests at Umlilo Lodge. Hippo time!

17/07/2022

Stunning!!

14/07/2022

Another beautiful "Loadshedding" morning in St Lucia!

08/07/2022

Another beautiful 17 deg Celsius winters morning in St Lucia 🥓🍳