Walking South Africa Safari

Explore the big game of the Kruger National Park. We enjoy hiking Swaziland, before heading into the Zulu Kingdom. We visit the wetlands, wildlife and beaches of KwaZulu-Natal, before heading to the mountains of the Drakensberg.

Price: (Valid: Jan 2010 – Dec 2010)
€1,045 pps + local payment of ZAR 1,200 pp
13 Days Safari

Highlights * Mpumalanga Panorama Route – sight seeing * Kruger National Park – game drives * Swaziland – mountain walks, cultural adventure * Battlefields – museums * St Lucia – walk and game drives * Drakensberg Mountains – maintain walks

Departs from: Johannesburg - Ends: Johannesburg

Includes
* 12 nights in hotels, cabins & guest houses
* Entrance fees
* Transport in minibus / safari truck
* Meals as per itinerary
* Professional guide

Walking South Africa Safari Itinerary

Meal codes [B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner]

Day 1 – 2 MPUMALANGA [Chalets Bx1 Lx2 Dx2]
After the tour briefing, we depart Johannesburg at 06:30am and head east towards Mpumalanga. During the afternoon we visit the gold mining town of Pilgrims Rest, explore Bourkes Luck Potholes and the viewpoint over God’s
Window. We then make our way to our chalets near the escarpment. We spend the next day exploring the Blyde River canyon on foot.
Includes: Entrance fees to Bourke’s Luck Potholes
Overnight: Chalets - 2 twin share bedrooms in each chalet with 1 bathroom shared between 2 bedrooms. Swimming pool, bar, restaurant.
Distance/time: 400kms, ± 5½ hours, excluding stops for sightseeing, breakfast & lunch

Day 3 – 4 KRUGER NATIONAL PARK (Tented lodge or Chalets BLD)
Big Game Safari. We spend the next 2 days on game drives in search of the elusive leopard, the majestic lion and the mighty elephant. Exciting game viewing on morning and afternoon game drives with the midday spent out of the
heat resting in the camp. Our professional guides will impart their extensive knowledge of ecology, fauna and flora during our time in the bush. Night game drives with spotlights are available (own expense).
Includes: Entrance fees to Kruger National Park, morning and afternoon game drives
Overnight: Chalets – twin chalets (or lodge tent) en-suite facilities, swimming pool, restaurant & bar
Distance/time: 150kms, ± 2 hours + 3x 3 hour game drives
Optional Activities: Night game drive in National Park open game viewing vehicle

Day 5 – 6 KINGDOM OF SWAZILAND (Cabins BLD)
We enter the Kingdom of Swaziland and travel through a lush fruit farming area before heading into the mountains of Swaziland. We spend 2 nights in Malalotja Nature Reserve with a full day to get out and walk through this seldom
explored mountainous reserve. The Swain people have a rich cultural heritage and we will visit the craft and medicine markets as we pass through the capital
(on day 7), Mbabane.
Includes: Entrance fees to Malalotja Nature Reserve
Overnight: Cabin – 2 twin share bedrooms in each chalet with 1 bathroom shared between 2 bedrooms.
Distance/time: 200kms, ± 4 hours, excluding 2-3 hour morning drive out of Kruger, shopping stop in Male lane, Epees Reef border formalities & stops for sightseeing etc

Day 7 - 9 ST. LUCIA (Cabins Bx3 Lx2 Dx1)
We cross back into South Africa and head into the Zululand heartland. We visit a traditional village to learn more about the proud Zulu culture, and get a chance to meet the local people.
We base ourselves on the shores of Lake St Lucia – a Unesco world heritage site. The park's uniqueness lies in its remarkable combination of estuarine lakes, subtropical coastline, forests and wildlife. We will spend a day in the Lulu game reserve where rhino conservation has been a priority. We then have another full day free to explore the St. Lucia estuary and the beaches, as we enjoy a boat cruise or kayak excursion (own expense).
Includes: Entrance fees to Lake St Lucia & Lulu Game Reserve
Overnight: Cabins - 2 twin share bedrooms with 1 bathroom and 1 washroom shared between 2 rooms, Swimming pool, restaurant & bar
Distance/time: 400kms, ± 6 hours, excluding border formalities, excluding stops for sightseeing & lunch
Optional Activities: Boat cruise, kayak excursion

Day 10 BATTLEFIELDS (Lodge BL)
We leave the coastline and make our way through the scenic hills and valleys of Zululand to the small town of Dundee. Here the battles were fought between the Zulus, British and the Boer troops - war cries still resound in the
hills. We spend time at Bourkes Drift and Island battlefields with an informative visit to the Tulane museum.
Includes: Visit to Rogues Drift, and Islandwana battlefields, entrance to Tulana Museum
Overnight: Guest lodge – twin rooms with en-suite facilities, swimming pool, restaurant & bar
Distance/time: 350kms, ± 5 hours, excluding stops for sightseeing & lunch

Day 11 – 12 DRAKENSBERG (Tented lodge or Chalets BLD)
Witness the grandeur of the Drakensberg or Ukhahlamba “Barrier of Spears” Mountains. We overnight at the base of the “berg” and spend a day walking the trails or taking a dip in the clear streams. The crisp mountain air is refreshing
and invigorating and our lodge is a fantastic place to relax at the end of our tour.
Includes: Entrance fees to Royal Natal National Park
Overnight: Tented lodge / chalets - twin chalets share bathroom facilities
Distance/time: 200kms ± 2½ hours, excluding stops for sightseeing & lunch

Day 13 JOHANNESBURG / TOUR ENDS ( BL)
Morning free to take a last walk in the mountains before we make our way back to Johannesburg. Tour ends at +/- 18:00pm.
Includes: N/A
Overnight: N/A
Distance/time: 350kms, ± 5 hours, excluding stops for sightseeing & lunch

Please note:
The distance and travel times quoted above are an estimate only, and subject to local road conditions and photo stops!

PRE & POST TOUR ACCOMMODATION:
This tour departs from Johannesburg, please make sure to be there well ahead of time. This tour ends in Johannesburg.