In the rural hills inland of KwaDukuza stands a massive, majestic tree that towers over an unassuming valley near Thulile.

The sycamore fig (Ficus sycomorus) in question is so impressive, in fact, that it has been legally protected by the South African government since 1998. Known simply as the iLembe Tree, this spectacular specimen is one of 93 trees – or groups of trees – listed as Champion Trees of South Africa.

Champion Trees are selected for their size, age or cultural significance and include everything from the tallest planted tree in the world in Limpopo to ancient baobabs.

While the Champion Tree trail is not among South Africa’s best-known tourist routes, a number of dedicated nature lovers make it their mission to visit these natural landmarks.

One such enthusiast is Shaun Swanepoel from the Garden Route, who works in commercial invasive plant control for some of the country’s largest timber companies.

“I travel a lot to do training and whenever my trip lines up with a Champion Tree I haven’t yet visited, I make sure to build in extra time to see it,” said Swanepoel.

“I have seen more than 40 to date, including the iLembe Tree in October 2024.”

The iLembe Tree is located near the small village of Thulile, a few kilometres from the KwaShushu Hot Springs on the Tugela River, about two hours from Ballito.

“It’s in an area with a lot of low bush, but almost no large trees. That makes the first impression even more dramatic as you cross into a valley and see it from far away,” he said.

“It looked very healthy to me and it seems the community has a lot of respect for it.”

That cultural reverence is part of the reason the iLembe Tree was granted Champion status.

According to its official description, it is a “very large tree in a rural landscape, known as a local landmark from a century ago.”

Legend has it that a hollow at the centre of the tree was once large enough to be used as a makeshift kraal, though Swanepoel said that would now be impossible.

“The Champion Tree coordinates are not always accurate, so a few of us are working to ensure correct mapping for those who want to visit,” he said.

“We use the free iNaturalist platform, which allows users to log plant or animal species for easy identification.”

You can find the iLembe Tree’s observation page at iNaturalist.org, along with many more Champion Trees and other unique species.

This article was first published in the November 2025 edition of the Fast Finder.