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Highlights
Soweto by bicycle, fantastic game viewing in Greater Kruger Park and Hluhluwe Game Reserve, stay at luxury safari lodges and comfortable guesthouses, visit to the Kingdom of Swaziland, St Lucia Wetlands and coast, dolphins all year round and whale watching in season, Indian markets in Durban, great hiking and scenery in the Drakensberg Mountains.
Itinerary 15-day tour
Day 1: Meet & greet at Johannesburg OR Tambo Airport. We will take you to Soweto to visit the famous township with a local guide, by bicycle! Lunch will be at a typical ‘shebeen’.
Day 2: This morning your rental car will be delivered to your hotel. Leave Johannesburg behind and travel to the Greater Kruger Park area. Arrive at your safari lodge, situated amidst magnificent trees and with an abundance of bird life. The luxury lodge incorporates the romance and elegance of the past colonial era, and reflects in its unique style the indigenous Zulu and Shangaan cultures.
Day 3: Morning and evening drives are performed in covered 4×4 Landrovers conducted by highly experienced rangers. In this Big Five area, the wildlife is sometimes staggering in its diversity. Enthralling sightings of elephants, a sea of buffalo horns rising from the grass as they lie resting in the growing heat as well as prides of lions, awaits one. Stargazing
Day 4: There are other activities to partake in as well. Join a walking safari, moving through the veld enjoying vistas of unsurpassed beauty and discovering one’s place in the cycle of nature. A walking safari to some of the oldest Bushmen rock art in Africa (approx 3000 years old) is also possible. Or pamper yourself in the fully equipped Relaxation Retreat with a sauna, steam room & hydrotherapy bath.
Day 5: After your last morning drive or walk and a tasty breakfast it is time to leave the bush behind and travel south. We enter the friendly Kingdom of Swaziland
Day 6: Spend the day exploring the picturesque scenery of Swaziland with its many arts and crafts markets or be adventurous and go white water rafting on the Great Usutu River!
Day 7: Leave Swaziland behind and cross back into South Africa at one of the southern borders.
From there it is only a short drive to your lodge situated in one of the many beautiful game reserves of Kwazulu Natal. Enjoy an afternoon game drive and sip a refreshing drink while the sun sets.
Day 8: Spend the day on safari in the oldest game reserve of South Africa, Hluhluwe/Umfolozi. This beautiful park is known for its large white and black rhino population.
Day 9: After two wonderful days in the bush, travel further to the coast. Stay at the small village of St Lucia which is an ideal base to explore the iSimangaliso Wetland Park.
Day 10: Take a drive up to Cape Vidal with its beautiful white sandy beaches and rare Samango monkeys and make a boat trip on the St Lucia Estuary. Enjoy some quite time sitting on a dune overlooking the ocean with dolphins playing in the waves.
Day 11: Whales migrate past this stretch of coastline between the months of mid May to mid December annually , to calf and breed in the warm waters of the Indian Ocean , moving as far as Mozambique and Madagaskar before making the journey back to the Antarctic . On a boat based whale watching trip you may be fortunate to witness a 40ton acrobatic humpback whale breaching a mere 50 meters away from the boat! Sharing time with the gentle giants is a soul stirring experience and not to be missed.
Day 12: From St Lucia follow the coastline to the city of Durban. Spend one night exploring city life and visit the colourful Indian markets.
Day 13: Travel inland to the beautiful Drakensberg Mountains. The ‘Berg’ has many beautiful places to visit such as the Amphitheater, well preserved Bushmen Rock Art sites, caves, waterfalls and more.
Day 14: The stunning scenery invites you to set out on foot on the many hiking trails you will find in the area. Enjoy the quietness and amazing surroundings to relax and reflect on the many wonderful places you have visited in the last 2 weeks.
Day 15: Enjoy a morning walk in the fresh mountain air before you start your journey back to Johannesburg where you hand in your rental car at OR Tambo airport before you board the plane.
Included:
- 16 day car rental group B, including unlimited km’s and maximum insurance
- 1 night in Johannesburg including a guided Soweto tour per bicycle
- 3 nights at a luxury private game lodge in Greater Kruger Park including all safaris and bushwalks and all meals
- 2 nights in Swaziland at a lovely guesthouse including breakfast and dinner
- guided activities can be booked as an optional extra
- 2 nights at a luxury private game lodge near Hluhluwe Game Reserve, including game drives and meals
- 3 nights in St Lucia at a 4 star guesthouse including breakfast
- activities such as whale watching, estuary boat trip or turtle viewing can be booked as an optional extra
- 1 night in Durban at a luxury hotel
- 2 nights in the Drakensberg Mountains including breakfast and dinner