Hippo & Croc Boat Cruise St Lucia (Estuary Boat Tour Trips) 2024

For the very best Hippo & Croc Boat Cruise Experience in St Lucia, Join Shoreline Boat Safaris, Departing every 2 Hours

St Lucia Estuary, KwaZulu Natal, iSimangaliso Wetland Park

Hippo and Croc Boat Cruise St Lucia - Overview

  • Departing from the Siyabonga Jetty every 2 hours
  • Join Us as we travel up one of the largest Estuarine systems in Africa as well as being South Africa's very first World Heritage Site.
  • Home to 800 Hippos and approximately 1200 Nile Crocodiles not to mention the abundance of Bird-life.
  • Did you know that St Lucia is home to the largest free-roaming population in South Africa?
  • Departing from the Siyabonga Jetty we travel in a northerly direction for approximately 9km depending on the weather.

Hippo & Croc Boat Cruise St Lucia, KwaZulu Natal

Discover, Witness, and Observe Hippos, Nile Crocodiles, and Hundreds of bird species on our Hippo & Croc Boat Cruise while in St Lucia. This 2-hour Boat Cruise Safari gets you close up to the residents of the estuary.

Travel aboard one of our exclusive 15-seater vessels ( Shoreline 1 & Shoreline 2 Vessels) with experienced and knowledgeable skippers/ rangers. They will undoubtedly answer every question that you might have and furnish you with some incredible facts and information on the area. Other impressive wildlife that may also be encountered while out on this excursion includes the likes of Elephants, Leopard, WaterBuck, and other smaller wildlife. 

Hippo Boat Cruise st lucia kwazulu natal south africa

Hippo & Croc Boat Cruise St Lucia

Only 15 Seats Available

For Online Bookings Please select the Dates below & then Time Slot

Hippo & Croc Boat Cruise St Lucia

Skippers / Guides

  • All Skippers and Guides have numerous years of experience. Samsa Endorsements as well as Wildlife Certification.
  • Ensuring your safety at all times.

What To Bring Along

  • Camera, Extra Memory Card
  • Binoculars if Possible
  • Light Jacket (Wind Breaker)

Our Vessels have the shallowest draft ensuring that you get up close to some magnificent sightings. Ample space offers you enough room to move around freely and stay within earshot of your guide skipper at all times.

This is the official Shoreline Boat Safari.

Hippo & Croc Boat Cruise St Lucia Gallery

Hippos in St Lucia

Did you know that St Lucia, KwaZulu Natal has the largest population of Hippos in South Africa? For more Hippo Info

st lucia tourist attractions

Hippo & Croc Boat Cruise St Lucia

st lucia estuary boat trips

Our Skills & Expertise

Shoreline Boat Safaris was established in 2012 the company is the first BEE Company on the St Lucia Estuary.

The two vessels each carry a total of 15 passengers per vessel. The reason for carrying such a small complement of passengers is service orientated and ensuring superb up-close sightings of Hippos. With enough space to move around freely and most importantly to have a connection with the Skipper / Guide.

These trips are incredibly informative and offer the clients some magnificent insights, facts, and of course, up-close encounters while out on the water.

St Lucia Estuary View
clients on hippo & croc boat cruise

For Email Inquiries

Our Customer's Reviews

4 Day's Ago

Fun & Informative

Highly recommend. we did the sunset cruise and it was beautiful. We learned a lot and enjoyed the cruise.

17 July

Informative, Interesting and Relaxing

This is a great way to see a side of South Africa you'll never see from a car. The boats are small enough that you can interact with your guide and they can get in narrow spaces. Our guide was very knowledgeable and friendly and was happy to answer the millions of questions my kids asked. It's a great way to experience life on the river in South Africa - in ways that you'd never see from shore. The crocs and hippos were amazing too. The boat was comfortable and the whole experience was very relaxing. A great deal and worth every penny!

13 July

Hanging with the Heavies

We jumped on the 9.15 boat with Denis, our most able skipper, and tour guide and proceeded to have a most enjoyable 2 hours in the estuarine system hanging with the heavies. The pods of hippos were numerous and we spent a wonderful few hours on the water. Included were a few crocs sunning themselves downside waterway. 

Shoreline and heritage tours are the same company - and what I really enjoyed was the small boat which only accommodates 15 guests.

26 June 

A highlight of our 2,5 weeks in S.A. 

The most knowledgeable guide of all the wildlife excursions/safaris that we have ever been on. He gave us photos and memories that we will cherish forever. The sights of that afternoon will stay with us always.

March

Brialiant Boat Safari

It was an absolutely brilliant bot safari trip, we saw so much wildlife and we were so well informed thanks to our guide Mdu. He gave us the history and story of the whole place and all important surrounding areas. Along with that he was very friendly and just an all round nice person to us and all the people on the boat.

 

Yes, Hippos are incredibly dangerous more so when they feel confined. St Lucia is quite incredible and you may also come across these animals strolling about town and the residential areas after dark. It is imperative that you keep your distance at all times. 

Yes, they do. This amazing and incredible sighting takes place virtually daily (nighttime). These hippos primarily wander around in the residential area in search of grass to graze on. The Estuary is home to an impressive 800 hippos or so and after years and years hippos continue to wonder the streets of St Lucia after dark.

The Hippos have done so for numerous years and fortunately, they do not nor have they ever felt threatened and it is for this reason that they continue to do so. This by no means means that they have been domesticated and caution must be taken at all times when encountering Hippos. 

Shoreline Boats depart every 2 hours from the Siyabonga Jetty. This is however weather dependant. Should you like to enquire if the vessels are leaving today please do call the office at +27 35 5901555

It is virtually a 99% guarantee that you will see Hippos on these trips. 

This is purely due to the amount of hippos found within the St Lucia Estuary system. 

Yes, it is estimated that the surrounding area of the St Lucia Estuary (iSimangaliso Wetland Park) is home to 1200 Nile Crocodiles. That said one would be of the opinion that you would get to see them easily. This is not the case however due to them moving to various areas (food, nesting excetra). 

This does occur and yes various shark species have been spotted over the years in the Estuary. This however only occurs when the Mouth of the Estuary has been breached into the Indian Ocean. 

It has happened that sharks have become trapped in the system when the mouth of the estuary has closed. 

Hippo & Croc Boat Cruise St Lucia

Skippers & Guides

skipper hipper and croc boat cruise dennis roberts

Dennis

Dennis Roberts Skippers / Guide. His passion and knowledge is impeccable. Loves a great joke and most importantly truly wants you to leave his vessel knowing that you have gained some incredible information while out on his voyage.

hippo & croc boat cruise skipper

Brown

Brown Skipper / Guide. His passion is evident while out on the water. Brown has an incredible sense of humor and is sure to make your trip eventful and enjoyable. Don't forget your cameras, you are about to have some incredible sightings. 

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Where to Find Us

Departure Point Siyabonga Jetty

Should you have any questions, let Us know

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Top Attraction is the Hippo Boat Cruises at R300 pp