伊兰湖野生动物保护区(Lake Eland Game Reserve)坐落在南非夸祖鲁-纳塔尔省的奥里比峡谷(Oribi Gorge)边缘,占地大约 2500 公顷。这里成人入园门票仅需 75 兰特左右,折合人民币也就三十多块钱,是南非性价比极高的私人保护区。由于区内没有狮子、大象等具有攻击性的猛兽,游客可以驾驶普通轿车在土路上穿行,或者干脆下车步入草原,近距离观察长颈鹿、斑马和伊兰羚羊,这种自由度在南非其他的国家公园里非常少见。
很多人来伊兰湖其实不是为了看动物,而是为了挑战这里的滑索项目。这里的滑索滑道全长 4.5 公里,由 14 段不同的滑行组成,规模在整个非洲大陆都排得上号。最快的一段滑索时速可以达到 160 公里,恐高的人站在起点可能腿都会发软。如果你想完整体验整条线路,建议预留出两个半小时的时间。早上九点左右是最佳出发时机,那时候峡谷里的风还没起,能清晰地看到峡谷深处的壮丽景色。
如果你觉得滑索太刺激,那座 80 米长的悬空吊桥是另一个必打卡点。吊桥横跨在峡谷正上方,走上去会有明显的晃动感。站在桥中心往四周看,一边是郁郁葱葱的原始森林,一边是深邃的石岩断面。建议穿抓地力好的运动鞋,别穿容易掉的拖鞋或凉鞋。要是风大的时候上桥,最好扶稳两侧的钢索,那种心跳加速的感觉比任何游乐园都要真实。
对于自驾爱好者来说,这里的 4x4 越野路线非常有意思。虽然普通轿车能走主路,但想去到更险峻的观景点,比如著名的地狱门(Hell's Gate),还是得靠高底盘的越野车。在那儿你可以俯瞰整个姆齐姆库卢河(Umzimkulwana River)的 U 形弯道。这里的地形落差很大,从海拔几百米的谷底到上千米的高地,植被变化也非常明显。
伊兰湖的自驾游猎非常随性。早上七点开门时就进园,动物活动最频繁。你会发现长颈鹿经常就在路边慢条斯理地啃食树叶,根本不怕人。因为没有肉食动物的威胁,这里的动物普遍比较淡定。你可以看到大群的角马和跳羚在草坪上晒太阳。如果你带着望远镜,还能在岩石缝里找到岩羚羊,这种小家伙动作极快,稍微一晃眼就不见了。
在这里徒步是一件很奢侈的事情。保护区内划出了几条专门的步行路径,最短的几十分钟就能走完。这种脚踏实地的感觉和关在车里看动物完全不同。你可以闻到灌木丛特有的香气,观察土豚挖出来的深坑,甚至能捡到豪猪掉落的刺。需要留心的是,虽然没猛兽,但遇到带崽的羚羊还是得保持几米距离,别去惊扰它们。尤其是下午四点以后,光线变柔和了,是拍动物照片的黄金时间。
要是玩累了,园区中心有一个俯瞰大坝的餐厅。他们家的汉堡和牛排分量很大,人均消费不到一百块人民币。坐在餐厅露台上,看着远处的动物在水塘边喝水,这种体验非常南非。如果你想在这里住一晚,那边还有不少由老农舍改建的自助式小木屋,晚上甚至能听到猫头鹰的叫声。这里的住宿通常需要提前两周在官网预订,特别是周末经常爆满。
从德班(Durban)开车过来大约需要一个半小时。大部分路段是柏油马路,但进入保护区后的最后几公里是碎石路,虽然不用开越野车,但也得慢点开,不然容易石子崩底盘。建议出发前在波特谢普斯通(Port Shepstone)把油加满,保护区里面可没有加油站。另外,这里的信号在峡谷深处比较微弱,提前下载好离线地图是明智的选择。
关于开销,除了 75 兰特的门票,如果你要玩全套滑索,大约需要支付 650 兰特。吊桥的费用通常包含在门票里。这里的营业时间是每天早上七点到下午五点。建议出发前去他们的官网查一下天气预报,如果下大雨或者刮 8 级以上大风,滑索项目会临时关闭。由于这里靠近海岸线,气温变化挺大,即便在夏天,带一件防风的外套也非常有必要。
伊兰湖不仅是一个看动物的地方,它更像是一个大型的户外运动场。它不像克鲁格那种国家公园那样有压迫感,反而更像是一个南非本地人周末郊游的后花园。这里没有固定的行程,想在哪里停车看风景都随你。如果你在南非花园大道自驾,中途拐过来玩上一整天,绝对会是你旅程中性价比最高的一站。
完全不需要。园区内的主干道是平整的硬土路,普通的紧凑型轿车完全可以胜任。不过如果你想挑战那些标识为 4x4 Only 的陡坡路径,那就必须租一辆底盘较高的四驱车了,普通轿车强行上去很容易托底。
滑索的体重要求通常在 120 公斤以下。年龄方面没有死规定,只要孩子能穿上特制的安全吊带,通常 5 岁以上的儿童就能在教练陪同下进行双人滑行。建议参加前穿长裤和运动鞋,避免皮肤与安全带直接摩擦。
每年 5 月到 9 月的旱季最合适。这段时间草长得不高,更容易发现躲在灌木丛里的动物,而且气候凉爽干燥,不会像夏天那样湿热难耐。如果你想看刚出生的动物幼崽,11 月到 12 月的雨季开头是最好的时机。
可以钓鱼,但实行的是抓完即放的原则,主要品种是淡水鲈鱼。园区内有专门划定的烧烤区域(Braai Areas),提供简易的炉架,但你需要自备木炭和食材。在非指定区域严禁烟火,因为草场非常容易引发火灾。
Gules 1942 Visited Lake Eland Game Reserve for lunch yesterday. We had wonderful service in the shop and restaurant. The food was delicious and great value for money. Next time we visit, we will allow more time to engage in some of the many activities they have available.
Venny Kumari Naicker I recently had the pleasure of visiting Lake Eland with my Canadian nephew, Elisha and his beautiful wife, Krista Rajoo, and the experience was nothing short of breath taking. This picturesque destination never fails to impress, and yesterday's trip was no exception. The adrenaline-fueled zip line adventure was a thrilling highlight, but that was just the beginning. The suspension bridge, with its awe-inspiring views, proved to be an unforgettable experience that left such a lasting impression, they felt compelled to cross it not once, but twice! The true showstoppers, however, were the majestic zebras, which graciously posed for us across the road. Just when we thought the day couldn't get any more unforgettable, a large herd of eland made a dramatic appearance, leaving us all in awe. I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to Uncle Paul for making this unforgettable experience possible for our Canadian visitors. His contribution helped create lifelong memories, and we are deeply appreciative. Lake Eland has once again proven itself to be a must-visit destination for anyone looking to experience the natural beauty and wonder of our region.
Shar Incredible place, beautifully clean rooms & linen. We so enjoyed the game drives & fishing. Highly recommend especially for families with kids. The service at the restaurant needs some improvement but otherwise we had such a wonderful time🤩 we’ll be back for sure.
Sindiswa Ngidi Beautiful place, with a gorgeous scenery. I will definitely be spending the weekend next to be able to explore more. If you are a day visitor it's best to show up earlier so you'll be able to do more activities.
Arishka Heeraman Recently visited Lake Eland, and it was absolutely beautiful. The suspension bridge offers the most incredible views, and the hike into the caves was such a memorable adventure. We also really enjoyed the delicious food at the on-site restaurant. The only downside was the 4.5 km dirt road leading into the reserve. It was quite rough, with lots of potholes—likely from recent rains—and could really use some maintenance. Improving this stretch would make a big difference to the overall experience. Despite the rocky drive, our time at Lake Eland was well worth it. Highly recommended for nature lovers and anyone looking to explore the beauty of KZN!