Face-to-face with lions and rhino after breakfast, up close to a Whale Shark or battling sailfish after lunch. That's the Phinda experience, one of the most exciting safari destinations in Africa.

Located between the azure waters of the Indian Ocean and the lush waterways of the World Heritage Greater Saint Lucia Wetland Park, Phinda's 17 000 hectares span seven unique ecosystems.

The plains of Phinda are the roaming grounds of buffalo, white rhino, elephant, giraffe, impala, zebra and wildebeest. Predators such as lion, leopard, cheetah and hyena wait their turn in the shadows. In pools and lakes, hippo lounge the day away, while along the Mzinene River, African Elephant and impala wander past.

The forest and vlei zones of Phinda are home to red duiker, nyala, suni antelope, bushpig or red squirrel. Phinda has the largest privately owned population of nyala in the world.

Spotted genet, porcupines and bush babies appear after dark. In the mountain and rocky zones, you may spot mountain reedbuck and chacma baboon.

To the east of Phinda lies the warm, inviting waters of the Indian Ocean. On the reefs of Sodwana, Whale Shark, Moray Eel, Leatherback and Loggerhead Turtle, crab, starfish and iridescent nudibranch sway with the rhythm of the tides.

Experience the uniqueness of Phinda
* Close Encounters:
Life at Phinda is one adventure after another; you can take a visit to a Zulu cultural village, explore fossil finds en route to a magical private picnic or roam the richly diverse habitats of the waterways in canoes or riverboats.

In neighbouring Mkuze Game Reserve, you can track rhino on foot in the care of an experienced ranger.

Bush walks offer close encounters with the subtleties of nature and information on the traditional legends and uses of plants.

* Bird-watching:
Phinda's four lodges provide access to prime bird-watching environments - Maputaland waterways, vast Lake St. Lucia, Lake Sibaya, the chain of Kosi lakes and Muzi swamps.

* Unforgettable Air Safari:
Gaze down on a dazzling array of terrestrial and marine life from the low-altitude -Flight of the Fish Eagle- air safari. Land at the diving paradise of Sodwana Bay where, marine species-diversity rivals Australia's Great Barrier Reef.

* Buried Turtle Eggs:
A performance millions of years old is staged annually on the beaches of the east coast near Phinda - the breeding ground for the giant Leatherback and rare Loggerhead Turtles.