This magnificent wildlife encounter combines an exceptional experience of the fauna and flora of South Africa’s eastern escarpment and Lowveld, with an insightful introduction to South Africa’s historical and cultural heritage. This is designed as an adventure tour, where we have several opportunities of participating in a range of adrenaline- and other activities to suit every taste.
Our tours are specifically designed for small group adventures, and group sizes are usually between four and ten guests. Only in the case of larger groups traveling together, do we accept larger numbers.
Accommodation is provided in comfortable shared chalets, bungalows, guest-houses, hotels or safari tents, and is deliberately chosen to provide a diverse experience of African hospitality. Single supplements are offered where appropriate.
The vehicles we use are specifically chosen to be appropriate for small group safaris, and will comprise a Mercedes Vito for groups of 4 guests, or a Toyota Quantum for groups up to 8 guests. A 17-seater semi-luxury bus is used for groups of 9 to 12 guests.
Tours usually start on a Saturday and finish on a Saturday, to accommodate international flight schedules. Accommodation and airport transfers can be arranged for guests arriving before the start of the tour or departing after the end of the tour.
Please note that this tour can also be done in reverse (on request).
We can offer a “budget option”, which involves a more participative approach by guests and lower cost accommodation and transport factors (e.g. camping in shared 2-man tents, self-catering, etc.), or a “superior option”, which offers more lavish accommodation and more luxurious vehicles. These options are quoted on a request basis only.
Please remember that we are able to customize all our tours to specific needs. Please contact us if you’d like us to design a tour especially for you.
A deposit of 50% would be required in advance to secure the various bookings en route. We would suggest this be done on confirmation of your booking, preferably at least six months in advance. A further 50% deposit would be required 1 month prior to arrival.
We will supply a copy of our detailed “Terms and Conditions” should you indicate your interest in this proposal.
Saturday (Day 1): Arrival in Johannesburg [D only]
Arriving at OR Tambo airport (or other venue, at any time), we transfer to our guesthouse or enjoy an afternoon of leisure to catch up on some shopping or partake in one of the optional activities shown below (at own expense):
- A complimentary tour of Johannesburg and/or Pretoria (3-4 hours – time permitting) – no charge.
- A brief tour of Soweto (1, 5 hours) and a visit to an AIDS orphanage and to CLAW (a volunteer veterinary clinic, working in the poorer townships to the west of Jhb) – no charge.
- A visit to the Rhino and Lion Park, located about 50km NW of Johannes-burg, where we visit the “touch zoo” and do a short game drive in our touring vehicle.
- Exploring the Water Sisulu Botanical Gardens
- A visit to Gold Reef City (a gold mining exhibition and tour, with an option of going underground in one of the original mines). A theme park and casino is also available.
- A 2-hour tour of Maropeng Interpretation Centre in the Cradle of Humankind, discovering some interesting aspects of early “human” life on this planet.
- An evening visit to the Lesedi Cultural Village for African cultural experience.
- An excursion to the de Wildt cheetah breeding facility near Pretoria.
- Fascinating encounters with elephants (including elephants rides) at the Elephant Sanctuary
- A visit to the Sterkfontein caves, where early hominid fossils were found.
- An in-depth exploration of the Blaaubank mine (subject to availability)
- A visit to one of the large casinos in the area
- A host of other adventure activities in the area (please ask for details).
After enjoying a sumptuous dinner in one of the local restaurants (included) we return to our guesthouse in Johannesburg or Pretoria.
Sunday/Monday (Days 2 and 3): Imbambala Bush Camp [BLD x 2]
There’s no better way to experience Africa than by jumping in at the deep end!
The Loskop Dam Nature Reserve, about 250km NE of Johannesburg, contains a small and isolated bush lodge, known as Imbambala. It is here that we spend the first two nights of our South African journey.
We arrive at the dam in the early afternoon and travel by motor launch to our bush camp, where we relax and unwind in the serenity of the bushveld. Imbambala offers the best pub in a radius of 20kms; in fact the only the pub in a radius of 20kms. We relax round the campfire, and discuss our plans for the next few days.
The 24000ha nature reserve contains rhino, hippo, crocodiles, leopard and buffalo, to mention but a few species, several of which regularly visit the lodge. With its prolific birdlife and spectacular scenery, Imbambala is a nature lover’s dream, and we have the opportunity of participating in walking trails, game drives and tracking expeditions, fishing or boat safaris.
Overnight in a tented safari camp (tents located on decks) – 2 nights.
Tuesday (Day 4): Pilgrims Rest and Panorama Route [B only]
Departing early after breakfast, we head towards the Eastern Escarpment of South Africa, via Lydenburg, and lunching at Pilgrims Rest en route.
Pilgrims Rest is a village set back in time. The focal point of one of the most sustainable gold rushes in South African history, the entire town has been declared a national monument, and epitomises the life and times of the early pioneers of our land, despite
The more modern tourist vibe that is so evident today. Typical of pioneer towns, it has its fair share of folklore and colourful characters, and we share some of the stories over lunch and drinks (lunch at own cost).
We spend the rest of the afternoon exploring the splendor of the Northern Drakensberg, as we meander along the Panorama Route, visiting God’s Window, Berlin Falls, Lisbon Falls, Bourke’s Luck Potholes, and the Blyde River Canyon.
Overnight at a guesthouse in Graskop, Sabie or Hazyview (dinner at own cost)
Wednesday (Day 5): Leisure Day in the Panorama Area [B only]
A day of leisure in the Lowveld area, where we can relax and enjoy the surroundings or take on some of the adventure activities in the area
Mountain biking, gorge swings, abseiling, white water rafting, ballooning, elephant back safaris, zip-lining, micro-lighting, horse trails, etc. are all available in the area. Transport will be provided, but lunch and all activities are to own account.
Other optional activities for this day include a visit to the Khamai Reptile Park and Moholoholo Animal Rehabilitation Centre.
Or we can take a trip to the beautiful Magoebaskloof area of the Northern Drakensberg. This stunning area abounds in natural and man-made forests, and offers several interesting hiking trails and waterfalls, as well as fascinating tribal folklore. A spectacular picnic spot is provided at the Debegeni waterfalls, where we can enjoy a relaxed packed lunch. It is quite a long drive from our lodgings, but well worth the trip.
A further alternative is to join in the adventures and activities of a game capture team operating in the area. Depending on circumstances, we may witness, or even assist in, the capture of wild animals and relocation to other reserves. This is not an “included” component of the tour, and would have to be negotiated and organised with the capture team at the time of the tour only (because circumstances change on a day-to-day and hour-to-hour basis). Additional charges would apply, and these would be discussed at the beginning of the tour.
Overnight at a guesthouse in Hazyview (dinner at own cost)
Thursday (Day 6): Kruger National Park (Southern Region) [BLD]
Entering the park soon after sunrise, we spend the day exploring the southern section of the park, seeking, amongst others, the “Big-5”. This region covers a wide range of habitats and there are excellent opportunities for sighting elephant, lion, rhinos, leopard and buffalo as we meander along the Crocodile River or explore the thickets around the Sabie rive
We enjoy a casual breakfast and lunch at one of the picnic spots along the route, before heading for one of the rest camps, where we hop aboard one of the open game-viewers in search of the creatures of the night (and day, of course).
The stars and sounds of the African bush surround us as we enjoy a traditional “braai” (barbeque) before bedding down for the night.
Accommodation in safari tents or bungalows, with en-suite facilities (See note about Kruger park accommodation at the end of this itinerary)
Friday (Day 7): Kruger National Park (Central Region) [BL only]
Leaving camp at daybreak, we head northwards towards the central region, breakfasting at one the picnic spots or dams en route. We may reach Satara or even Olifants camp, where we enjoy lunch, hopefully watching the ellies enjoying their afternoon dip in the river below us.
This part of Kruger tends to have more open bushveld than the southern section, and the potential for sighting big game along the rivers is exceptional. Its more open habitat is ideal for large herds of buffalo and plains game, as well as white rhino and the illusive cheetah.
We depart from Kruger just as the sun starts its final descent over the distant Drakensberg Mountains, and head for Hazyview, where we spend the night. Dinner at own cost
Saturday (Day 8): Swaziland [BLD]
We enjoy a relaxing breakfast before traveling southwards towards the Kingdom of Swaziland, a tiny landlocked country, bordered by Mozambique in the east, and South Africa on the remaining three sides.
Crossing the border by late morning, we continue towards the Milwane Game Sanctuary (or alternatively, the Malalotja Nature Reserve).
For those you are interested, there is a small cultural village at the border post, where you can browse through the stalls and enjoy the tribal dancers displaying their prowess.
We arrive at the reserve in time to enjoy some light hiking or game watching. Both Milwane and Malalotja offer wonderful trails providing a variety of habitats. Malalotja is a hikers’ paradise, exhibiting spectacular scenery and unique geological features, whereas Milwane provides opportunities of encountering a number of game species up close.
We spent the night at a local lodge. (Due to the limited availability of accommodation in these reserves, these venues can only be confirmed when your booking is made).
Sunday (Day 9): Swaziland and Pongolapoort Dam [BD only]
Swaziland offers a wealth of opportunities of interacting with the local folk and appreciating the way of life of many African people. We spend the morning visiting a local craft market, then head for candle factory where we can watch these wonderful craftsmen at their work.
Other options include a visit to a local cultural village, located in the foothills of the Drakensberg Mountains (optional, own cost). Being a Sunday, some of the places may be closed.
A quick and early lunch at the candle factory precedes our dash for the South African border, where we hope to get to our lodge before the afternoon game drive leaves. (Note that we will be able to do a drive, bushwalk or canoe safari the next morning before departure if we opt not to do the evening drive).
Returning from our drive (included), we laze around enjoying the solitude of the lodge while we await dinner.
Overnight at Mvubu Game Lodge in Pongola Game Reserve (or similar)
Monday (Day 10): St. Lucia Wetlands Park [BD only]
After a leisurely brunch (and maybe after an energizing walk or canoe trip), we continue our trip, arriving at the St. Lucia Wetlands Park early in the afternoon.
We briefly explore the town and have a bite to eat (own cost), before donning our cameras and binoculars and hopping aboard a river cruiser to go hippo hunting, and croc-hunting, and bird-hunting. The only shooting allowed is of the photographic variety.
The 328000ha St. Lucia Wetlands Park was proclaimed a World Heritage Site in 1999. The park boasts 280km of coastline, and the estuary, almost 85km long, contains over 1000 hippos, thousands of Nile crocodiles, 114 fish species (including sharks), and over 500 bird species.
Our hotel welcomes us as we return from our cruise on the estuary, having chalked up a whole lot more than the Big-5.
Dinner is served before hit the sack for the night. Accommodation is provided at the Hluhluwe Hotel or Protea St. Lucia (or similar).
Tuesday (Day 11): Hluhluwe-Umfolozi N.P. and Kwazulu-Natal interior [BLD]
Early morning wake-up calls drag us out of bed to heed the call of nature – the Hluhluwe-Umfolozi National Park awaits Game drives at daybreak start our day, as we go in search of the many hundreds of white and black rhinos that inhabit this special sanctuary. This Big-5 park was the brainchild of some deeply committed folk (including golfer Gary Player’s father) who contributed enormously to saving the rhinos from extinction many years ago, and is icon in the conservation world of today.
Breakfast is served after we return to our hotel, before turning inland towards the lush and fertile interior of Kwazulu-Natal, the land so zealously coveted by the British, Boer and Zulu nations. It was on this blood-soaked earth that much of South Africa’s turbulent history was forged.
Stopping at the town of Ulundi, we pay a visit to the Kwazulu Cultural Museum, commemorating the final battle where British forces defeated Cetshwayo’s 20000-strong Zulu army in 1879.
Heading past places haunted by the ghosts of South Africa’s past leaders and heroes – Dingaan, Shaka, Piet Retief and others – and battlefields like Blood River, Isandlwana, and Rourke’s Drift – we continue en route to our overnight lodge, the Penny Farthing.
An optional activity during this day would be a visit to the Duma Zulu cultural village (this needs to be pre-booked and pre-paid in advance).
We chat with the owners of the guesthouse about the area’s prodigious place in South Africa’s history, before heading for bed.
Wednesday (Day 12): Battlefields [BLD]
Our specialist battlefields guide takes us out after breakfast to visit the famous battlefields of Isandlwana and Rourke’s Drift, names synonymous with bravery, treachery, heroism and the horrors of war. We spend the day sharing the history of those days with a passionate raconteur whose knowledge of the area is exceptional, and enjoy lunch with the ghosts of the dead peering at us from every stone.
Isandlwana remains one of the most humiliating defeats suffered by the British army, where almost 2500 men lost their lives in under an hour on the 22 January 1879, when a British force of over 1300 men were overwhelmed by a Zulu army numbering almost 24000. That same afternoon, approximately 6000 Zulu warriors attacked the field hospital at Rourke’s Drift, several kilometres away, and were successfully repulsed by 110 soldiers and 34 patients, displaying exceptional bravery and resolve.
Once again, after a fascinating insight into South African military history, we return to Penny Farthing to feast with our hosts, and enjoy another nights’ rest in the beauty, peace and tranquility that envelops the region today!
Thursday (Day 13): Battlefields and ‘Berg [BD only]
Today we head into the foothills of the magnificent uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park, a World Heritage site, where the mountains tower almost 2kms above you.
This is a fairly relaxed day, and we can do some general sightseeing as the “Mountains of the Dragon” loom above us. En route, we may also have the opportunity to visit the Talana museum in Dundee, scene of the first major battles of the Anglo-Boer War, or the site of the Battle of Blood River, Ladysmith or Spioenkop. Lunch is at own expense at one of our stops along the way.
The Battle of Blood River proved to be the turning point in the Boer-Zulu war of 1838, when 464 Voortrekker (Boer) commandos fought off an attack by approximately 12000 Zulu warriors. Only three Boers were injured, but an estimated 3000 warriors lay dead, their blood turning the waters of river red. The Ncome (“Peace”) and Blood River memorials commemorate the bravery of warriors from both sides during this crucial battle.
About 6000 Boers defeated 11000 British infantry, supported by 2200 cavalry and 36 field guns at Spioenkop, in January 1900. The final toll amounted to 441 men killed and 1140 wounded. The Boer victory occurred by default; both parties believed they’d lost the battle, but the British were the first to withdraw, leaving the surprised Boers in possession of the important military position.
We overnight at a quiet guesthouse near the town of Winterton, preparing for some “serious” hiking the next day.
Friday (Day 14): Mountains of the Dragon [BLD]
An early start once again takes us into the depths of the Drakensberg, for a spot of hiking. The ‘berg is “hikers’ heaven”, and it is possible to traverse some of the areas for periods of several days without seeing another person.
We spend the morning doing some relaxed (or not so relaxed) orienteering in this spectacular landscape, before enjoying a picnic lunch at one of the many scenic spots in this mountain wonderland.
This area also contains a veritable treasure trove of San (Bushman) rock art, probably one of the highest densities of this unique art form over a large area known. Most of these treasures are well protected, and we could organize a specialist guide to share some of these precious items with us (optional at own cost).
Returning to our guesthouse for our last evening together, we relive the special encounters that have contributed to making this a memorable time for all of us.
Saturday (Day 15): Departure Day (Return to Johannesburg) [B only]
Breakfast in the ‘Berg and then … “Back to Reality”.
We head out after brekkies to climb the escarpment (by vehicle) and head back to Johannesburg, about 400kms away, just in time to catch our return flights back home, or journey onward to other destinations.
And bid each other farewell!
