Day 1 –Drakensberg Escarpment. (D)
We collect you from your overnight accommodation or from the airport and travel through Highveld industrial, mining and agricultural areas. Our guide will make this section interesting, adding value with his interpretation of the local history and sights. The scenery is pretty flat but this changes as we approach the Drakensberg Escarpment where we drop down to the Lowveld through scenic passes. This Drakensberg Escarpment area is really beautiful and has scenic vistas over the Lowveld of the Kruger National Park. Our meals will be at wayside cafes en route to and from the Park. The remainder of the day will be spent in visiting the Drakensberg Escarpment, also known as the Panorama Route, where we will visit the areas of the Blyde River Canyon, “God’s Window”, “Bourke’s Luck Potholes”, “Three Rondawels” and a waterfall or two in the area, time permitting.
Overnight at Hannah Lodge (or similar). Hannah is a reflection of Africa in its entire natural splendour, a captivating tapestry of African sounds, smells and colours. The rising sun showers the valley with shades of pink, red and orange. Here the visitor can experience a rare sense of freedom and renewed inspiration.
Day 2, 3, 4, 5 - Kruger National Park. (Breakfast, Dinner)
After breakfast we depart for the Kruger Park, which is an excellent venue with good sightings of lion, elephant, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, warthog, baboon, monkey, hippo and impala regularly seen. The more elusive animals like leopard are an exciting find. We include a night drive in an open safari vehicle on one of the evenings, this to enhance the possibility of seeing the nocturnal species such as leopard (always difficult to find), lion, hyena, genet, bush babies and then the other nocturnal animals such as the smaller cats, owls and nightjars. You also get to see most of the diurnal animals, with their eyes lighting up like a little town in the reflection of the spotlights when you chance on a herd of Impala.
In the game reserve we will have breakfast and dinners in the restaurants. Lunches are usually a snack type at one of the camps or at picnic stop cafes. Here the choice is limited to toasted sandwiches, burgers, fries and the like. We enjoy a full game-viewing programme for the balance of the days. Depending on which camps we will be staying at so the mid-day siesta period could be spent at the swimming pool - Kruger Park is pretty hot and humid in summer - or to visit one of the camp interpretation centres, which are always interesting.
We encourage an early start to make the most of the best time of day to view the animals. So first one out at dawn - this to see if we are able to sight some of the nocturnal predators returning to their daytime resting place and then to have breakfast, possibly at a different locality. We recommend staying at different camps to make the most on what the Kruger Park has to offer and to get the best game viewing.
Day 6 - Swaziland. (Breakfast, Dinner)
After our morning game viewing we leave Kruger Park and travel to Swaziland. We will then visit the Ngwenya Glass Factory before making our way to Reilly’s Rock (or similar). Situated in the Mliliwane Game Reserve. Reilly’s Rock’s unique lodge has been tastefully decorated in keeping with its colonial roots by Swaziland's leading conservation team, Ted and Liz Reilly. Notwithstanding the necessary subtle additions and renovations, the house still stands as it was built almost a century ago. Mliliwane Game Reserve is Swaziland's pioneer conservation area and is situated in a beautiful, secluded sanctuary in Swaziland's Valley of Heaven, the Ezulwini Valley, an area between Mbabane and Manzini.
Day 7 – Hluhluwe/Umfolozi Park (Breakfast, Dinner)
We leave Reilly’s Rock travelling through rural Zululand and proceed to the Hluhluwe/Umfolozi Park where we would spend the night at Hilltop Camp. The accommodation here is in a brick under thatch chalet, each bedroom with its own private bathroom/wash-basin and toilet. Each chalet is also equipped with a fridge. Our game viewing commences immediately upon entering the gates into the park.
This first evening we go on a night drive in an open game-viewing vehicle with staff from KZN Wildlife, the organisation tasked with running this reserve. This is to improve on your chances of seeing some of the nocturnal species such as leopard (always difficult to find), lion, hyena, genet, bush babies and then the other nocturnal animals such as the owls and nightjars. You also get to see some of the diurnal animals, such as are those that are found in the day.
Day 8 – Hluhluwe/Umfolozi Park (Breakfast, Dinner)
Today will be spent on extended game drives to various areas of the Park, with an early start to make the most of the day and to possibly chance upon one of the predators returning to their day-time lair. This is the game reserve famous for "Operation Rhino" which brought the white rhino back from the brink of extinction. Now you should see just how successful KZN Wildlife has been in this endeavour.
Sightings of rhino, giraffe, buffalo, wildebeest, zebra, warthog, baboon, vervet monkey, and antelope such as impala, nyala and kudu are seen frequently and with the possibility of seeing lion, leopard, cheetah, elephant, black rhino, hippo, crocodile, monitor lizard, hyena and antelope such as red duiker, steenbuck, waterbuck, bushbuck and then the rare Samango monkey and wild dog, much less frequently. These drives are conducted with your guide in his/her vehicle.
Overnight Hilltop Camp
Day 9 – St. Lucia (Breakfast)
More game viewing follows as we leave the Hluhluwe/Umfolozi Park to overnight at Lidiko Lodge (or similar) in the village of St. Lucia, arriving in time for lunch. We would check into our lodge and then visit the eastern shores of Lake St. Lucia, heading to Cape Vidal, game viewing all the while. After a visit to the beach we would continue on the circular route for a game drive before returning to our hotel. Animals that may be seen here include kudu, reedbuck, zebra, waterbuck and other antelope species, black and white rhino, elephant and on the odd occasion, leopard.
Day 10 –Durban (Breakfast)
After breakfast we will board for a two-hour boat tour of Lake St. Lucia, here to see hippos (guaranteed sightings!), crocodiles and numerous water birds in this recently proclaimed World heritage Site. Thereafter we enjoy lunch and return to Durban.
We will overnight at the Protea Hotel, Umhlanga (or similar) in the suburb of Umhlanga Rocks. Conveniently situated mere minutes from the protected beach and only 10 minutes away from Durban in the heart of Umhlanga Rocks, the Protea Hotel Umhlanga offers friendly and comfortable 3-Star accommodation
Day 11 – Cape Town. (Breakfast)
Today you fly to the “Mother City” of Cape Town. You will be collected from the airport and taken on a short orientation tour of this magnificent city, before being taken to your hotel close to the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront where you spend three nights. This is a city with a diverse range of attractions, sights and activities on offer; Cape Town has something for everyone. From the landmark beaches of Clifton and Camps Bay to the vibrant V&A Waterfront and Cape Town city centre and the award winning wine farms of Stellenbosch and Franschhoek, the scenery of the Cape Peninsula and more - time spent in Cape Town will not be forgotten.
Overnight at the Breakwater Lodge (or similar). Just minutes away from the Waterfront, the Breakwater Lodge was once a 19th Century prison, and today provides comfortable Cape Town hotel accommodation in a spectacular setting that looks over the bay and up onto Table Mountain.
Day 12 - Winelands. (Breakfast)
This morning, we depart on a full day tour of the Cape Winelands. We make our way directly to the Cape Winelands where we visit various wineries and other venues for the full day. Towns we may visit include Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschoek.
Overnight Breakwater Lodge
Day 13 - Cape Peninsula Tour. (Breakfast)
Today we depart from the hotel and travel along the Atlantic Seaboard through Sea Point, Bantry Bay, Camps Bay and Llandudno before visiting the fishing village of Hout Bay. From here we make our way via Chapman's Peak drive to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve where we visit Cape Point to explore the diversity of plant species in this reserve first hand and hopefully to view the rare bontebok and zebra, eland, baboon and other wildlife of the reserve. The scenery here is stunning and one has the option of getting to the view site by foot or by the less strenuous Funicular, (own account). We will have lunch at the Two Oceans Restaurant (own account) before proceeding to the African penguin colony at Boulders Beach to view and learn more about these fascinating birds.
We then travel through the naval-base town of Simon's Town along the False Bay Coastline, and should time allow we would visit the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. Which is world-renowned for the beauty and diversity of the Cape flora it displays and for the magnificence of its setting against the eastern slopes of Table Mountain. Kirstenbosch grows only indigenous South African plants. The estate covers 528 hectares and supports a diverse fynbos flora and natural forest. The cultivated garden (36 hectares) displays collections of South African plants, particularly those from the winter rainfall region of the country.
Overnight Breakwater Lodge.
Day 14 – Cape Town. (Breakfast)
Today you are at leisure until your departure from South Africa. Should time allow you could visit Table Mountain, (weather permitting), or take a tour by boat to visit Robben Island where our most famous citizen spent many years of his life in prison. Alternatively you could catch up on some last minute shopping at the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront before we collect you for your transfer to the airport.
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