Lake Jozini

Lake Jozini, also known as Pongolapoort Dam, is a significant man-made lake located in northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, with its northern reaches extending into the Kingdom of Eswatini. Constructed in 1973 on the Phongolo River, the dam is nestled between the majestic Lebombo and Ubombo mountain ranges. It spans over 16,000 hectares, making it a vast expanse of water surrounded by untamed African bushveld. The dam wall itself is an impressive engineering feat, standing 89 meters high and stretching 515 meters long.The area around Lake Jozini is a haven for wildlife and a popular destination for various activities. It is particularly renowned for tiger fishing, offering a strictly catch-and-release experience, with the prime fishing season running from September to March. Beyond fishing, visitors can enjoy boat trips and game viewing, with frequent sightings of elephants along the shoreline, hippos, and crocodiles in the water. The surrounding Royal Jozini Private Game Reserve and Pongola Game Reserve are home to a diverse array of plains game and are a birding hotspot, boasting over 350 species, including rare birds like the African broadbill and Pel's fishing owl, as well as breeding colonies of pelicans. Larger mammals such as leopard, rhino, buffalo, zebra, and giraffe also inhabit the region.Historically, the land encompassing the Pongolapoort Dam was Africa's first formally recognized conservation area, proclaimed as the Pongola Game Reserve in 1894 by Paul Kruger. While initially conceived for irrigation to support local agriculture, the dam's construction faced considerable engineering challenges, including the innovative use of crushed ice for concrete cooling—a first in South Africa. Today, Lake Jozini is managed and conserved by entities like the Royal Jozini Private Game Reserve, which actively works with South African counterparts through the Pongolapoort Dam Stakeholders Association to safeguard this vital resource.