Tucked away in the small, unassuming town of Mtunzini, just an hour north of Ballito, is a treasure trove of natural beauty, adventure and amazing hospitality. Our editor and her two sons were invited to spend a day exploring this little Zululand gem.
It’s just before 7am, slightly overcast and we are on the water. You can hear the gentle lapping sounds against our kayaks and the early morning chatter of the abundant birdlife as we make our way along the Umlalazi River. Both my boys have huge smiles on their faces. And so do I.
When we were invited to spend some time in Mtunzini, I had no idea that our whirlwind visit would entail being surrounded by so much natural beauty – both on and off the water – and not to mention loads of fun!
The small, tree-lined ‘coastal village’ of Mtunzini (which means ‘place in the shade’ in Zulu) is home to a variety of ecosystems and the magnificent Umlalazi River, which winds its way through pristine forest and indigenous bush towards the ocean.
KAYAKING & BIRD SPOTTING
Our adventure started at 6.30am inside the Umlalazi Nature Reserve, where we met our kayaking hosts, Angela and Fred from Explore Zini. Clearly passionate about the little town she calls home, Angela was also our overall Mtunzini contact, who kindly helped coordinate all of our activities for the day.
Their business, Explore Zini, offers guided kayak trips on the Umlalazi River and Fred, who is incredibly knowledgeable about the area, carefully points out interesting flora and fauna and many beautiful and diverse birds as you make your way in and out of the hidden channels and river inlets.
We were lucky enough to get incredibly close to some magnificent bird species and, it has to be said that if kingfishers are on your wish list, then this is most certainly the place to go.
We spotted no fewer than four different types, including the glorious giant kingfisher, on our trip. A guided kayak experience is a wonderful way for families, couples or even groups of friends to reconnect with nature and enjoy the tranquillity of this beautiful area.
After a couple hours on the river, we were treated to lovely hot chocolate, coffee and baked goodies before heading off for the next stage of our ‘Zini adventure!
PALM FOREST WALKS AND WALLOWING IN MUDDY SWAMPS
The Raphia Palm Forest, a natural monument, is one of the most fascinating hidden gems on the North Coast. Our tour guide for the day, Steve Untiedt, who was representing Umlalazi Tourism, took us on a guided walk along the forest boardwalk, pointing out the impressive, towering palm trees which are home to the rare Palmnut Vulture.
After that it was time to get dirty. Very dirty. Steve took the boys on the most fun ‘mudding’ experience in the reserve’s mangrove swamps. After ‘camouflaging’ themselves in thick mud, the boys made their way through the swamps, dodging mud crabs, slipping, sliding and shrieking with sheer delight!
A PLACE TO REST OUR HEADS
Because we all needed a shower after the mud swamps, and because it was check-in time, we headed to our accommodation for the night: the lovely One On Hely four-star boutique guest house, which is situated on the main road leading into Mtunzini.
One of nine en-suite private rooms at the guest house, ours had wonderful ocean and indigenous forest views and all the amenities we needed, including wifi, aircon, a smart TV and coffee machine. After a quick (and glorious) shower, it was off to our next destination.
One On Hely is a lovely four-star boutique guest house in Mtunzini
WALKING AND CRUISING THROUGH NATURE
The Twinstreams Indigenous Nursery is a lovely specialist nursery situated in a rehabilitated forest where over 80 000 trees have been planted. While there, we joined our host Dawn, along with Alex Johnston of Walk Africa Safaris for an informative and interesting nature walk around the property.
After that, it was time for our final experience for the day – a sunset barge cruise with the team from River Cruises Mtunzini. With a few drinks and snacks packed, we headed off on a beautiful two-hour cruise up and down the river, spotting birds and watching the African sun go down. Absolute bliss! Then it was off for a hearty dinner at The Clay Oven, before heading back to One On Hely for a great night’s sleep after an exciting, jam-packed day. We left Mtunzini with full, happy hearts and were all in agreement that we would be back soon … and we will!
Details:
Explore Zini, [email protected] 084 929 9911, @explorezini; Umlalazi Tourism Association: www.visitumlalazi.co.za, One on Hely: www.oneonhely.co.za, @oneonhely, 079 509 4256, Twinstreams Indigenous Nursery: www.twinstreams.co.za, [email protected], 074 189 6354; Walk Africa Safaris: www.walkafricasafaris.co.za, @walkafricasafaris, 082 500 7264; River cruises Mtunzini: @zinitown, 083 544 2231, [email protected], The Clay Oven: 32 Hely Hutchinson Road, Mtunzini, @theclayovenmtunzini, 035 340 1262
