Lake Jozini
Experiences.

Lake Jozini's official name is Pongolapoort Dam. Constructed across the Pongola River between 1963 and 1973 and completed in 1974, the dam was originally created to provide a reliable supply of irrigation water to the fertile Makhathini Flats.

When full, the lake covers approximately 17,000 hectares and stretches northwards from KwaZulu-Natal towards the border with Eswatini. Today, Lake Jozini remains an important water resource, but it has also become one of South Africa's most distinctive freshwater fishing and wildlife destinations.

The warm water and abundant food supply created an ideal habitat for the African tiger fish. Lake Jozini lies at the southernmost natural limit of the species, making it one of the only places in South Africa where anglers can target wild tiger fish in their natural environment.

Lake Jozini is surrounded by a remarkable combination of provincial and private wildlife reserves. The South African shoreline includes the historic Phongolo Nature Reserve and the privately managed Pongola Game Reserve. The northern reaches of the lake extend into Eswatini and the Royal Jozini Private Game Reserve, creating a broad conservation landscape around the water.

This protected setting gives every fishing trip a safari element of its own. Elephants, buffalo, giraffes, zebras, kudus and other wildlife may be seen along the shoreline, while hippos and crocodiles inhabit the lake and its quieter bays.

The area is also exceptional for birdlife. African fish eagles are frequently heard and seen above the water, together with kingfishers, herons, storks and many other water and bushveld species.

Wildlife sightings can never be guaranteed, but they are part of what makes Lake Jozini so different: you are not simply fishing on a dam — you are fishing within a living African wilderness.