Roving Zululand Shores

The Zululand Rover slackpack is a 3-day hiking adventure that showcases the mangroves, sand dune forests, Raphia’s and wild beaches surrounding magical Mtunizini.

Led by Birdlife-trained guides, and local enthusiasts, passionate about the unique fauna, flora, history and human stories that define this special place; each trail day promises a new experience. With shaded, even-cambered trails, and shortcuts at any point, this is the ideal trail for families with young kids to cut their teeth on; or groups looking to take it slow, birding or watching the butterflies and shongalolo’s along the way.

Trip Duration3/4 Nights / 3/4 Hike DaysShorter & customised routes also available
Daily DistancesDay 1: 13km / 6-7hrDay 2: 12.5km / 4-5hrDay 3: 9km/ 3hrOptional Day 1/4: 23km from Amatikulu/ 8hr
Trail Grading1-2 / 5 - Fitness. Mostly flat shaded trails with little undulation. Beach sections can be harder depending on tide & wind conditions. Humidity is a factor, but any day can be shortened by group request.1 / 5 - Technicality. Well cleared sand-based trails. Boardwalks in the Raphia Forest are slippery after rain, so caution is needed here.
Trail TerrainCoastal Forest Paths and some constructed boardwalks - traversing diverse coastal ecosystems incl mangrove swamps, mature coastal sand forest, Raphia and fern forest, and some beach walking.
AccommodationAn eco-conscious bush-chic guesthouse in the heart of Mtunzini village. Air-conditioned ensuite rooms and a swimming pool for the all-important post-trail 'refresh(ment)'.
Logistic SupportFully-catered (besides 1 restaurant dinner), 3 guided hike days, and as you stay at one base - no luggage transfers required unless you chose the Amatikulu day as an option.
Group SizeMin 2 persons and maximum 12 persons
PricingFor the 3 night trail: from R6,200/pp based on 6-7 persons

BOOK NOW

At a Glance

The verdant coastal forests around Mtunzini are home to a rich underworld of life - from exquisite millipedes and butterfly’s, to fantastic fungi and timid forest dwellers such as the dainty Red and Blue Duiker. Keep an eye out for a flash of the bold plumage of South Africa's own "birds of paradise," such as the Purple-Crested Turaco, Gorgeous Bush-Shrike and Narina Trogon.

This catered, guided trail includes lodging for 3 nights, a specialist Bird & Nature guide for 2 days and a local trail custodian for the third, special land permissions, permits, and a valuable donation to the Mtunzini Conservancy.

On the standard 3 day / 3 night trail you'll overnight at one centrally located guest house for all nights, meaning no more packing and repacking of bags. If you chose the (additional) Amatikulu day, you'll have one night at the Hatchery, which will require an additional luggage or vehicle collection transfer.

With easy hike days and distances that can be shortened, even on the day itself - this slackpacking trail is perfect for families with younger kids testing out the multi-day waters; or mixed-ability and older groups for whom stopping to call the yellow-rumped tinker bird out-of-hiding, or allowing the giant land snail to cross one's path, is of equal interest.

After the friendly and aspiring interactions with local residents, you will fast discover just why Mtunzini is the North Coast's best kept secret.

Day 1 - Arrival Day
Self-drive to Mtunzini OR Amatikulu if chosing this (extra) hike day (just 1.5hr from Durbs and an hour from King Shaka airport)
Overnight: Mtunzini Lodge / The Hatchery (Dinner)
Day 2Standard Hike Day 1: Mlalazi Mangroves and Beach (13km trail. Average 6-7hr /170m elevation gain)
Explore the Wonders of the Mlalazi Reserve: Mangroves, Dune Forest, and Pristine Beaches
After a wholesome breakfast, you can chose to self-drive or walk 2.5 km to the trailhead in Mlalazi Nature Reserve. Starting out along the mud and boardwalk trails of the mangal forest, you’ll learn about the clever adaptive strategies of the White, Black, and endangered Red Mangroves, and the interplay of tides and specialist creatures, such as climbing whelks and Fiddler crabs, which make this unique saline environment their home.
The trail then winds through 5km of protected Coastal Dune Forest, providing good opportunity to spot some of Zululand’s feathered specials, such as the Mangrove Kingfisher and the Black-throated Wattle-eye. The trail comes out on the banks of the Mlalazi estuary at which your picnic lunch and a welcome rest can be enjoyed.
From here it a 4km walk along wide unspoilt beach, with an opportunity to take a refreshing swim along the way. At about 11kms, we return to the coastal dune forest, for an easy 2km shaded stroll back to the trailhead.
This 13km hike showcases the verdant biodiversity and unique adaptations of the estuarine, mangal, coastal and dune forest ecosystems.
Overnight: Mtunzini Lodge (Breakfast at lodge, packed lunch & Dinner at lodge)
Day 3Hike Day 2: Siyaya River Trail (12.5km /approx 4-5 hr hike / 120M elevation)
Starting from the Mlalazi estuary, todays trail follows the path of the Siyaya and Twin Streams as they course their way through mature dune forest, running parallel to the ocean.
Unlike the drier scarp forest of the Mlalazi Estuary, this ecosystem features towering tree giants such as the Natal Mahogany, Coastal Strangler and Natal Fig, and the Wild Plum. These magnificent trees provide shelter for a rich underworld of life - from exquisite millipedes and butterfly’s, to fantastic fungi and timid forest dwellers such as the dainty Red and Blue Duiker.
After 8.5km of immersive forest trail, we’ll come out on a secluded beach to forge north for a further 2kms. Re-entering the dune forest at the Siyaya River, a beautifully crafted wooden bridge provides passage across the expansive reed beds. In summer, the riverbed is a hive of activity as thick-billed weavers prepare their intricate nests, whilst purple flowering water lilies provide a picture-perfect backdrop.
After crossing the river, we’ll return to the trailhead (a further 2kms) via a lower forest trail. A light lunch will be served at your accommodation or a nearby restaurant. This evenings dinner is at a forest restaurant, where you’ll get to see the playful antics of bush babies descending from the trees, to their feeding station.
Overnight: Mtunzini Lodge (Breakfast at lodge, restaurant Lunch & Dinner)
Day 4Hike Day 3: Raphia Palm Forest (Approx 9km / 3 hr hike / 180M elevation )
After coffee and muffins, we’ll head out from the lodge, down the tree lined avenues of this sleepy hollow, towards the Raphia Palm Forest. Established in 1918, this cultivated grove of towering, Jurassic-era palms is a haven for some rare and highly endemic fauna and flora.
It stands as one of South Africa’s 18 botanical national monuments. The giant palms create a cathedral-like atmosphere, as you stroll along the wooden walkways across fern-clad swamps; the murmur of the ocean as an ambient sound. Keep an eye out for the highly endemic and elusive Palm Nut Vulture. These Old World vultures, which are able to crack the hard shell of the Raphia palm fruit, have made this forest one of only seven nesting sites in the country.
From the Raphia’s, the trail winds through sun-dappled forest for 5 km, emerging onto the manicured greens of the local golf course. Here, you’ll enjoy a sumptuous brunch at the Country Club—the social heartbeat of this country town.
After brunch, the hike continues along a “local residents” trail that hugs the forest, back to your accommodation. This will allow for a late morning departure – feeling restored-by-nature and having maximised your mini-break.
Optional DayAmatikulu - Mtunzini: Forest-Beach Trail (23km / 8hr hike / approx 250M elevation )
For those wanting a bit more of a hiking ‘challenge’, an additional night can be spent at the rustic but charming shabby-chic Prawn Hatchery (Amatikulu River).
From the hatchery, it is a 23 km hike along coastal forest trails and sandy tracks, with an optional 3 km beach walk, to get to Mtunzini. That afternoon, drivers will be transported back to the hatchery to retrieve their vehicles and luggage.
The Prawn Hatchery will provide dinner and breakfast, and a packed lunch for this first hike day.

Swamp Roving

An Interactive and Interpretive Trail

Birdlife Trained Guides enrich the experience.

On the standard 3 night trail, all nights will be spent at an eco-chic lodge in the verdant heart of the old village. Surrounded by mature indigenous garden, your home on the forest fringe, is as much a part of the trail experience.

The Main Lodge has 5 twin or double rooms, whilst the cottage has 2 - all ensuite and fully air-conditioned...which you'll be most grateful for over the heat of Summer.

The welcoming communal areas —cozy lounges, a modern, well-equipped kitchen, and dining space—foster a positive group dynamic, whilst the aquamarine pool lined with loungers and umbrella's offers the perfect spot to sunbathe, read, cool-off or enjoy a sundowner.

Mangroves, Forest & Wild Beaches

Sundowners at the Pool

Eco-chic rooms with garden views

Do we need to carry backpacks?
No - just your small daypack for each hike day. Three nights are spent at the same lodge in Mtunzini on the standard trail offering. This means you can unpack your bag and not have to worry about re-packing until the end of the trail. On the optional/extra Amatikulu day, drivers will be transferred back to the Hatchery to collect their vehicles with luggage.
What type of footwear is best?
Trainers or strops are best suited to this trail. Strops allow sand to pass through and are nice for the beach sections, but can cause chaffe when wet. With lightweight tekkies/trainers - just check that they have a solid liner under the upper mesh otherwise sand comes in from the top. Or wear lycra trail running gaiters to prevent sand from getting into the shoe.
What is the best time of year for this trail?
Mtunzini has a warm and humid -almost tropical- climate. It has an average yearly rainfall of 1023 mm which is double our national average, with the most rain during summer months, but possible all year round. The warm summer months average a maximum of 28 Deg C, whilst the average max during winter is 23 Deg C. So there are pleasant walking temps all year round, but humidity is also a factor, and this is highest over the peak summer months, Decemer - March.
It IS possible to arrange this trail over school holiday periods (where it's not on a lot of trails) - so here is another good reason for families to consider this easy-going slackpacker.
What endemic fauna and flora exists?
If you are twitcher, you'll already know that Mtunzini is a birder's paradise. With such a diversity of ecosystem's within a small geographic area, and some highly specialised habitats such as the Mangroves and Raphia Palm forests; the area is home to many 'special' and endemic avian species. These include the rare and highly endemic Palm-nut Vulture, the striking Narina Trogon, the colourful and shy Green Twinspot, the Gorgeous Bush Shrike and both the Mangrove and Half-collared Kingfisher's.
The coastal dune forests are also home to the shy and petite Red and Blue Duiker, where they are protected, diverse Fungi's and some interesting arthropods and uniquely-adapted intertidal species such as climbing whelks, mudskippers and fiddler and mud crabs.
Is malaria a problem here?
No. Whilst mosquitoes, and sometimes wasps, are present in the forest and more common in the warmer wetter months from October to April. Your guest lodge will, however, arm you with a citronella spray at the start of each hike day.
Can this hike be shortened or lengthened?
The great thing about this multi-day slackpacker, is that on any day of the standard trail, one can return to the trailhead within 2-3kms. This is a handy assurance for families with young kids, or in the case of a struggling group member, or a medical problem. The trail days have been specially designed to allow groups to take it slow and enjoy plenty of stops along the way - whether for birding, photography or interactive experiences.
Overall distances and routes can be easily adapted (even on the day) if the group prefers this.
Should you wish to get in a bit "more walking and less talking", then we recommend considering the Amatikulu day as a first night, or as an extra hike day.