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Umngazi Hotel & Spa Activities

Posted on: May 3, 2022, in Activities, DID YOU KNOW, Latest News

Umngazi Hotel & Spa is a beautiful destination where we encourage you to actively engage your sense of adventure! Outside exploring or inside relaxing, it doesn’t matter. This is the place of experiences that will leave a lasting impression on all who visit our breathtaking part of the Wild Coast.

With the cooler months approaching, we thought it was time to chat about the endless activities available at Umngazi Hotel & Spa that cater to summer and winter! With the beautiful winter sunshine, one can spend hours outside exploring the trails, beach and the beautiful rock pools at Flatrock during low tide. We have board games, a snooker table, dartboard, a newly refurbished tennis court, a gym and tug boats you are welcome to use (please bring your own engine that is under 9.9 horsepower). 

See below for other awesome activity options we have available! 

Hikes: 

We have three great hiking trails, Sugar Loaf, Mangrove, and Cwebini Hike. The Sugar Loaf hike is known for its breathtaking scenery of the Indian Ocean. You will pass an area called Umblolombo, this is where the famous Horizon Ship sank in 1967. It’s great for the family and well worth the hike! The Mangrove Hike is an absolute must as it has a very unique ecosystem! Our Red, Black and White Mangroves are spectacular and you will go on a leisurely kayak trip through the swamps to the Umngazana River Mouth. The Mngazana Mangrove is the third largest forest in South Africa. Bees are attracted to the Black Mangroves which has led to the formation of the Cwebeni Village Bee Farming Project, located on the hill above the Mangroves. The honey has a distinct sweet and sour flavour and is available for sale in the Umngazi shop (seasonal).

Walks:

We have three great walks! We have the Bird Walk, Tea at Alice’s House, and The Boat Cruise and Forest Walk. Our Boat Cruise and Forest Walk is an easy-going meander for the whole family. Enjoy a scenic boat cruise up the Umngazi River, while guides point out the many prolific water birds. Gradually emerge into an ancient indigenous forest, home to exquisite ferns and trees. Bliss! The Bird Walk is a relaxing amble with our experienced birding guides, Albert and Freedom. They will show you an impressive array of birdlife attracted to the area due to the rich estuarine and mangrove environments found on the Wild Coast. Tea at Alice’s House is a great cultural experience! Guests are accompanied on an excursion into a nearby village to have tea with Alice – an unforgettable experience. Alice has a special brand of hospitality that reaches beyond formalities and radiates genuine interest. This is an absolute must for all our guests!

Afternoon River Cruise

This is a firm favourite among our guests.   Guests depart the jetty (5 pm in summer, 4 pm in winter) and cruise up the river, enjoying a chilled beverage and tasty snacks.  It is a wonderful way to watch the sunset, ending another beautiful day at Umngazi Hotel Please don’t forget to book your spot on the afternoon cruise at Reception (min 4 – max 12 guests).   

Fishing:

Rock and Surf Angling:

(November – April)

Heavy tackle fishing from the deepwater points is good during the Summer months. Bronze Bream, Black Tail and the odd Brusher in gullies/white water.Bait prawns, crab and red bait.

(May – October)

The first two months should produce some Cob, Garrick and Shad as the Sardines arrive. From July onwards, the Cob, Garrick and Shad are normally plentiful. Live bait is preferred from August until October, the Garrick are large and August is the best month for Cob.

River and Estuary:

(November – April)

Good light tackle fishing including fly-fishing can be experienced in Umngazi and Umngazana estuaries. Varieties include; Spotted Grunter, Cob, Perch, Skipjack, Garrick and Kingfish. Live bait, prawns, and sardines are all good. Your fly shop can advise on good saltwater flies and drop shot lures.

(May – October)

Good fishing in most of the estuaries. Some produce decent Garrick, Spotted Grunter and Cob. If the river mouth seals up due to drought and Winter seas, estuary fishing slacks off.

Umngazi is an eco-friendly destination and we adhere strictly to the seasonal and licensing laws of South Africa. Should you require any clarity on these regulations, please do not hesitate to enquire at reception.

Mountain Biking:

Explore beautiful and undulating trails over varied terrain in the surrounding area. Umngazi does not keep bikes on site so please bring your own. The routes ar

e available to download on Garmin prior to your arrival at the resort (Umngazi)

Trail Running:

There are ample manicured trails to set yourself free and run! Ask about route availability as well as difficulty levels at reception. We highly recommend bringing your running shoes if you are a trail runner.

Kayaking & SUPboarding

Kayaking and SUPboarding is a great activity atUmngazi Hotel & Spa and is enjoyed by the majority of our guests.  You can enquire with the Boatman at the Bar Deck and he will be able to assist you further.

Sandboarding:

This is loved by the whole family! Pick up a sandboard at Reception and head across to the dunes for some good old fashion fun.  Our guests love to soak up the sun on the dunes while enjoying a picnic or drinks and watch their kids play for hours.

Gym:

There is a fully equipped gym for fitness lovers! With aircon too.

Tennis

The hotel boasts a newly resurfaced tennis court.  Tennis racquets are available and tennis balls can be purchased from the Umngazi shop.  A wonderful activity for the family to enjoy with the added bonus of burning off an extra few calories.

Library: 

We have a well-stocked library for book lovers on rainy or sunny days. If you didn’t bring a book (or enough), not to worry, we have you sorted!

These are just some of the awesome activities available at our resort. Check out our activities page here to see what else we have available.

For more information, please email our reservations team directly at requests@umngazi.co.za or call the hotel on 047-564 1115/6/8/9. 

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