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St Lucia Turtles

Extreme Nature Tours

1 Day St Lucia Turtle Tours

Overnight St Lucia Turtle Tours

At St Lucia, turtles come ashore to nest on the pristine beaches of the St Lucia Marine Sanctuary from November to March every year. During that time at St Lucia, turtles can be viewed while they lay their eggs and move back to the water.

We do turtle tours to the Maputaland Marine Sanctuary to a place called Bhanga Nek, where hundreds of Loggerhead and Leatherback turtles come ashore every year to lay their eggs. During our turtle tours, ee walk along the beach searching for these silent giants, looking for the wide tracks the turtles leave in the sand when they come ashore to nest. When approaching turtles, the St Lucia Turtles tour guides ensure that all turtle viewing is done so as to cause as little disturbance to the nesting turtles at St Lucia. During certain stages of the turtle nesting process, you will have the opportunity to see the turtle's eggs and photograph and video the whole process of turtle nesting. The St Lucia turtles return year after year in their hundreds, undisturbed, and we keep it that way.

St Lucia turtles return to these same beaches year after year to nest because of the strict protection of the turtles from poachers and the strict control of tourist activities. If you want to view St Lucia turtles, you have to go with an official turtle tour guide.

At St Lucia, turtles nest mainly in the Maputaland Marine Sanctuary between Sodwana Bay And Kosi Bay, and this area has the highest density of turtles nesting anywhere along the African coastline. In the last 6 years, we have seen turtles on out turtle tours on all nights except 3.

Our turtle sightings rate is so high that we will give you half your money back if you don't see turtles on a turtle tour with us.

St Lucia Turtles - Overnight Turtle Tour Itinerary

Overnight Turtle Turtle Tours - St Lucia Wetlands - Kosi Bay, Bhanga Nek

Bhanga Nek Beach

Overnight Turtle Turtle Tours - St Lucia Wetlands - Kosi Bay, Bhanga Nek

Depart from St Lucia at 14h00 and drive through Maputaland to Bhanga Nek at Kosi Bay.

The last 25 km of the drive is along a four wheel drive track. After dinner we go onto the Bhanga Nek beach and walk north towards the Kosi Lakes mouth in search of female Loggerhead and Leatherback turtles.

You will have some time on the beach to walk or swim before we start the turtle tour. The St Lucia turtles come out after dark, which is when the turtle walk begins. You will have the opportunity to view and photograph the turtles while they are nesting and returning to the water.

After breakfast in the morning, you will have the opportunity to do a boat ride on the Kosi Bay Lakes or spend some time on the beach, snorkeling, swimming with turtles, or just relaxing.

We leave Bhanga Nek to arrive back at St Lucia at lunch time.

Turtle Tour Reservations - 0027 (0) 82 25 75 612 or E-mail Info@extremenaturetours.co.za

St Lucia Turtles - General Information

In St Lucia, turtle tours are a popular activity for both international and South African travellers. This is the southern most range of the St Lucia turtles nesting areas in South Africa. From St Lucia, turtle trips can be booked, taking you up to Cape Vidal, or further up north to the Kosi Bay area, specifically to the Maputaland Turtle Sanctuary.

The density of nesting turtles in the St Lucia area does however differ substantially from south to north. Travelling north of St Lucia, turtle densities gradually increase until you reach the sanctuary. Here, turtle sightings during the main part of the season [Dec-end Feb], are guaranteed.

From St Lucia, turtles which can be viewed on a turtle tour, are the Loggerhead and Leatherback turtles, both impressively large sea turtle species. The Leatherback turtle is the largest reptile in the world, reaching up to 900kg in weight. Much smaller, the Loggerhead turtle weighs in at an average of 150-300kg. Both these species of turtles do not nest only once in a season, but up to 10 times, with clutches of 70-100 eggs at a time with the more experienced females. Considering the turtle hatchlings have a survival rate of only 0.02%, the large numbers of eggs are essential for the survival of the species.

The St Lucia turtle tours running up to the Turtle Sanctuary are definitely the most productive and eco friendly of the options available, as there is no driving on the beach, walking only. Compared to the Cape Vidal option of driving on the beach by 4x4 vehicle in a very unproductive area, the choice should be obvious.

From St Lucia, turtle tours start from the beginning of November, finishing at the end of March. The first half of the turtle tour season, until mid January focuses on the females laying their eggs, then the latter is spent searching for the turtle hatchlings which are rushing down to the waters edge trying to avoid the numerous predators hunting them. Both times being very rewarding.

We recommend that if you are in the St Lucia area wanting to do a turtle trip, do the distance and go up to the Turtle Sanctuary, you will be rewarded.