
Kosi Forest Lodge
Kosi Bay, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa

Kosi Forest Lodge, surrounded by ancient sand forests, is located within the iSimangaliso World Heritage Park, South Africa's last unexplored wetland wilderness. Privately tucked within a unique wetland world of lakes and forests. Kosi Forest Lodge’s eight thatched forest rooms are raised up on wooden decks with the open-air, reed-enclosed bathrooms with baths & showers sunken into white forest sand are a highlight with guests. The rustic but comfortable room aesthetic provides an authentic ‘back to nature’ experience.
You’ll wake up in the morning surrounded by the sounds of the forest’s prolific bird life.

Explore the pristine wetland environment by vehicle, guided canoes and boats and be rewarded by an abundance of birdlife, exciting animal sightings and breathtakingly peaceful scenery. You can also choose to enjoy your privacy, relax by the pool or go on a raffia forest walk. No matter what you do, you’re guaranteed an ‘away from it all' experience that will bring you back in touch with nature.
EXPERIENCES
RAFFIA PALM FOREST WALK
Enjoy early morning or late afternoon guided walks through the magnificent Raffia palm forest. Listen out for the abundant bird calls and perhaps catch a glimpse of the rare palm-nut vulture.
BOAT TRIPS ON THE LAKE
A full day boat trip is a wonderful way to explore the fascinating lakes and channels, learn about fish traps, enjoy a picnic and walk to the pristine Bhanga Nek Beach.
TURTLE TRACKING
From 15 December to 15 January, our guests have the privilege of tracking mother turtles as they return to the beach to lay their eggs. This is an exciting overnight expedition that involves a 4×4 drive along extremely rough roads, climbing over the sand dunes and combing the beach – all in the hopes of encountering the miraculous sight of a female turtle heaving herself out of the water, finding her ideal nesting site, digging a hole, and going into a hormone-induced trance while she lays her eggs. This activity is not suitable for children under the age of eight years.
FAMOUS FISH TRAPS OF KOSI BAY
One of the most fascinating features found in Kosi Bay has to be the traditional fishing traps that are still used by the locals to this day. The unique fish kraals used in the Kosi lakes are passed on from generation to generation and used as an income source for families in the area. Each fish kraal is carefully regulated, and the tribal authority will give each family the right to fish in a specific area. You can view the traps and learn more about them on a guided lake tour.
THE LODGE
MAIN LODGE
A massive Zulu podberry tree is the focal point of the main lodge with the lounge, dining room and bar all opening onto a large wooden deck around the tree.
DINING
Your buffet breakfast and luncheon are served in the covered dining area, where you’ll also find a 24/7 tea and coffee station with delicious homemade biscuits. You’ll enjoy most of our generous and flavourful meals on the outdoor dining deck.
BAR
Our well-stocked bar serves all your usual favourites against the backdrop of the forest and lake.
BOMA
Meals are often served around our wooden deck boma, where a crackling fire is lit in the evenings. Our tucked-away forest boma plays host to extra-special dining experiences.
BIRD HIDE
Kosi Forest Lodge is a bird-lover’s haven. Spend a quiet afternoon in our bird hide nestled in the sand forest, and we bet that you’ll be able to tick some of those lesser-known species off your list!
ACCOMMODATION
Our forest rooms make you feel truly connected with the outdoors, while safe and comfortable. All rooms have both romantic outdoor bathroom bomas as well as en-suite indoor showers.




Formerly known as the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park, iSimangaliso Wetland Park lies on the north eastern edge of KwaZuluNatal in the beautiful region known as the Elephant Coast.
The incredibly beautiful series of beaches, coral reefs, lakes, swamps, wetlands, woodlands, coastal forests and grasslands that stretch all the way from Kosi Bay, virtually on the Mozambican border, to Cape St Lucia in the south collectively form the first of eight South African UNESCO World Heritage sites.
There is a wealth of diversity of bird and animal life that ranges from whales, dolphins, sea turtles, and incredible waterfowl - such as storks, pelicans, terns and herons; well over 500 South African bird species including the Madagascar fish eagle, the Nile crocodile, South Africa’s largest hippo population, elephant, black and white rhino, giraffe, buffalo and a range of antelope that includes waterbuck, impala and kudu.
iSimangaliso Wetland Park includes Lake St Lucia, the St Lucia and Maputaland Marine Reserves, the Coastal Forest Reserve, the Kosi Bay Natural Reserve and Mkuze Game Reserve – no fewer than 328 000 hectares of pristine natural ecosystems, and the country’s third largest protected land mass.
A considerable part of the park centres on the huge estuary, Lake St Lucia – part of the largest estuarine system in Africa - that runs parallel to the coast line with the world’s highest forested sand dunes sandwiched between the estuary and the sea.



Your Flight
The nearest local airport to Kosi Forest Lodge is Richards Bay Airport (RCB). We operate a varied fleet and your specific aircraft type may vary from city to city. We offer a range of private jet aircraft as well as turboprops and your Travel Planner will discuss your specific requirements at time of enquiry.
For short hops in and around Southern Africa we recommend the Pilatus PC12 or Cessna Citation 2. For long-haul flights from Europe or the United States we recommend the Gulfstream 550/Bombardier Global 6000 or Falcon 800X.
Private flying offers a host of benefits both from a convenience point-of-view as well as health & safety. To learn more about our Health & Safety Policy and Procedures, please Click Here.
BOOK PRIVATE JET FLIGHTS ONLINE | Click Here
Pricing
Our Journeys by Private Jet are all tailor-made from an airport near you so please contact us for pricing using the form below.
We are also able to plan and book your trip without a private jet so if this stunning property ticks all your boxes, do get in touch for a holiday quotation.
Current Accommodation Rates are below.
Room Type | 01 Aug 21 - 30 Apr 22 | 01 May - 31 Jul 22 | 01 Aug 22 - 30 Apr 23 |
|---|---|---|---|
Forest Rooms | ZAR 3 580.00 pppn | ZAR 2 800.00 pppn | ZAR 3 720.00 pppn |
Rates are per person sharing, per night and are are inclusive of accommodation, meals, guided canoe trip and guided walk in Raffia Forest.




