Combining Kosi Forest Lodge with Thonga Beach Lodge
This is the last in a series of posts about bush and beach combinations. In the last post I talked about Thonga Beach Lodge in Coastal Maputaland. But I also enjoyed the other lodge in the area, Kosi Forest Lodge and would strongly recommend combining the two of them to get a varied beach and wetland experience.
Northern Maputaland is one of my favourite places in South Africa, (after the Cedarberg of course). It is lush, green, unspoilt and authentic with friendly people. In contrast to the beach setting of Thonga, Kosi Forest Lodge has an appealing setting amid the mangroves, swamp figs and ferns of the Kosi lake system in the Kosi Bay Nature Reserve.
Given its lakeside setting, Kosi Forest Lodge offers completely different activities to Thonga Beach Lodge so that you can easily opt to combine the two lodges. Kosi offers guests the unique opportunity of exploring a pristine wetland environment by guided canoes, by boat and on foot. Its activities are split between enjoying guided canoeing on the tranquil lakes, nature and birding walks in the ancient raffia forest, boat cruises through the lake system and nearby beach activities such as snorkelling, swimming at the secluded Bhanga Nek beach. However the focus is not on the beach. For that you must go to Thonga Beach Lodge.
Kosi is the more modest of the two lodges and so probably should be visited first if you stay at both lodges. It offers eight comfortable thatch and canvas rooms on raised wooden decks, hidden in the sand forest. Given the lack of electricity in the rooms (at the moment), it will not suit everyone but again, I found this lodge full of charm and the food was excellent.
There is electricity in the main lodge area and a new generator means that they are about to install some electric lighting in the rooms as well. (At the moment, there’s only paraffin lights.) They will light the bathroom area which is a little dark at the moment, and hopefully provide reading lights. The bathrooms have an indoor toilet and basin and an outdoor shower and sunken bath, lit with lanterns so very atmospheric at night.
Overall there have been a number of improvements since I last visited Kosi Forest Lodge. The deck has been extended and a second deck created a little away from the main camp area with a central fireplace, ideal for pre- or post dinner drinks. They’ve also created a lapa area under the forest canopy where dinners are usually served - a romantic intimate setting. They continue with their tradition of bringing in local singers from the nearby village to entertain the guests (usually every other night) and they were very good indeed.
We enjoyed the canoeing excursion on the first afternoon which incorporates a walk in the forest. Guests can leave the canoeing up to the guides, or opt to get active themselves.