Kruger, Swazi & Beach-Accommodated

Departing from South Africa’s administrative city, Pretoria, we drive across the scenic Mpumalanga province and enjoy the spectacular mountain scenery before heading to the Panorama Route where we view Blyde River canyon. We make our way to Hazyview bordering Kruger. Fences between the National Park and surrounding private reserves were removed several years ago to form the Greater Kruger, an area of some 24000 sq km. Wildlife is free to roam the whole enormous area and it has become incredibly diverse in both fauna and flora. From the dwarf mongoose to the famed ‘Big Five’, almost every major African mammal is present. There is also prolific birdlife and over 330 varieties of trees. This evening we enjoy our first night under the African stars.

• Accommodation: Numbi Hotel (or similar) – Twin share accommodation with en-suite facilities
• Meals included Dinner
• WIFI: No
• Optional Activities: No

Waking at sunrise, we eagerly wait for Park Rangers to open the park gates to let us enter the wilds of Kruger for an intense yet rewarding day of game tracking with our eagle-eyed guide at the wheel. Kruger is home to over 505 species of birds, 148 species of mammals and many reptiles which we enthusiastically search for during the morning and afternoon. The impressive atmosphere of the park enables you to understand why it is held in such high esteem amongst wildlife lovers from all over the world. We avoid the hot midday sun and enjoy the peacefulness the rest camp has to offer. There are many facilities available for game viewers such as restaurants, souvenir stores and swimming pools. We return to our camp in the late afternoon, happily exhausted and highly satisfied with the day’s events. For those wanting more game driving there may be the option of heading out on a night safari. Early evening, we all enjoy a lovely dinner gathered around the warm fire crackling in the stillness of night.

• Accommodation: Numbi Hotel (or similar) – Twin share accommodation with en-suite facilities
• Meals included Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• WIFI: No
• Optional Activities: Kruger Night Game Drive R850

After a light sunrise breakfast, we re-enter the Park in an open 4×4 safari vehicle for our second day’s game diving day. With cameras and binoculars on hand we spend the morning and afternoon winding along beaten tracks and marked routes encountering many species which are indigenous to this region. Kruger has over two million hectares of unrivalled diversity of ecosystems boasting an incredible concentration of wildlife and we hope to encounter some of these including the ‘Big 5’ – elephant, rhino, leopard, lion and buffalo. We return to our camp during the late afternoon.
*For travellers not making use of the Adventure Pass, alternate optional activities may be available today.

• Accommodation: Numbi Hotel (or similar) – Twin share accommodation with en-suite facilities
• Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• WIFI: No
• Optional Activities:

Leaving Hazyview, we travel south along the edge of the Kruger National Park, passing many farming towns and Shangaan settlements. After a short stop in Nelspruit, the road takes us through lush citrus farms before crossing the Crocodile River and into the Kingdom of Swaziland, a land-locked country snuggled between Mozambique and South Africa. Arriving at Milwane Wildlife Sanctuary, our base for the next two nights is Swaziland’s oldest protected area located in the stunning Ezulwini Valley, ‘Valley of Heavens’.

• Accommodation: Mlilwane Camp or similar – Twin share accommodation with en-suite facilities
• Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• WIFI: Yes
• Optional Activities: Mountain Biking Tour R130 – R155
  Horse Riding from R275
  Sunset Game Drive R320
  Guided Bird Tour R210
  Umphakatsi Culture Tour R120
  Guided Walk R120

Waking to the sounds of grunting antelope and wild exotic birds, we enjoy breakfast soaking up the natural beauty of our surroundings. A short drive through the sanctuary brings us to the Royal Enclosure where we discover an abundance of history and culture about this monarchy-controlled country. A local Swazi guide walks us through a traditional village explaining many customs and rituals. After leisure time browsing street side markets and trying our hand bartering with crafters, we find our way back to the sanctuary for lunch. This afternoon we recommend you participate in some of the many activities offered in the sanctuary such as horseback trails, game drives, mountain bike riding, and guided walks or just enjoy some rejuvenating time-out sun tanning around the cool swimming pool with a good book. There are over forty species of animals found here including the exotic species such as Honey Badger, Dwarf Mongoose, Aardwolf, Striped Polecat and the more common including Hippo, Ostrich, Kudu, Zebra and Baboon. Enjoy cool sun downers and admiring the view overlooking the hippo pool while our crew prepares a delicious dinner.

• Accommodation: Mlilwane Camp or similar – Twin share accommodation with en-suite facilities
• Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• WIFI: Yes
• Optional Activities: Mountain Biking Tour R130 – R155
  Horse Riding from R275
  Sunset Game Drive R320
  Guided Bird Tour R210
  Umphakatsi Culture Tour R120
  Guided Walk R120

Leaving this amazing sanctuary behind us, we travel south through the Swazi countryside before crossing the border and re-entering South Africa via the KwaZulu-Natal province. We head to the small coastal town of St Lucia, set amongst the wild beaches and a tropical estuary. This afternoon, we join the river cruise on the St. Lucia Lagoon viewing many Hippo pods, lazy crocodiles, and numerous bird species on the sandy banks, or cooling down in the water for a refreshing swim.

After dinner, we have the opportunity to relax in the camps gardens gazing up into the clear southern hemisphere sky, star watching.

• Accommodation: Monzi or similar – Twin share accommodation / tent with shared facilities
• Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• WIFI: No
• Optional Activities: Isimangaliso Night Drive R500
  Culture Tour R310
  Bicycle Tour R220
  Birding/Hiking tour R280

This morning is yours at leisure to explore the town and the numerous shops and markets stalls or simply relax in the campsite’s stunning settings. We leave St Lucia mid-morning and drive through pine forests and sugar cane fields to one of Africa’s largest commercial ports, Durban where our tour ends on arrival.

• Accommodation: No
• Meals included: Breakfast
• WIFI: Yes
• Optional Activities: No