South Africa: Walking & Wildlife
South Africa: Walking & Wildlife
South Africa: Walking & Wildlife
15 Days Starting and ending in Johannesburg
Visiting: Johannesburg, Graskop, Belfast, ሀመር።, Letaba Ranch, Kruger National Park, Malolotja National Park, Saint Lucia, Royal Natal National Park, Drakensberg, Witsieshoek Mountain Lodge, Tugela River
Tour operator:
Tour code:
TZS
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Group size:
4 - 12
Physical rating:
Moderate
Age range:
16 to 99
Special diets catered:
Please inform Exodus of specific dietary requirements
Tour operated in:
EnglishTrip Styles:
Interests:
From:
$4498
$4050 (USD)
Operator discount: -$448
Tour Overview
Rising high above the veld, the Drakensberg, which translates as ‘Dragon Mountain,’ forms an imposing, dramatic and quintessentially South African scene which we explore on foot. Along with the fantastic walking opportunities, we take the time to discover the country’s amazing wildlife and we can hope to see the likes of elephants, lions, rhinos, leopards, giraffe, cheetah and much more. Complementing our journey are more walks and visits of Eswatini (Swaziland), St. Lucia and the Battlefields.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1 : Start Johannesburg; To Graskop.
Location: Johannesburg, Graskop, Belfast
Accommodation Name: Mogodi Lodge (or similar)
We first pick up the land only clients from the start hotel before proceeding to the airport for the arrival of the group flight. We then transfer to the town of Graskop perched on the edge of the Mpumalanga escarpment. It is a long drive but we stop at regular intervals to take in the spectacular scenery and to visit the well-known Mac Mac Falls. En route we travel through South Africa's highest town, Belfast (1970m), and the scenic Long Tom Pass. We also take the opportunity to stock up on supplies such as drinks and snacks. Mogodi Lodge or similar
Day 2 : Explore The Panorama Route; Walk The Leopard, Guineafowl And Kadishi-Tufa Trails.
Location: ሀመር።
Accommodation Name: Blyde Canyon Forever Resort (or similar)
Meals Included: breakfast
We drive through some stunning countryside this morning, starting with the stunning views at God's Window. If we are lucky, God's Blanket may be down, a majestic cloud inversion that gives you the feeling of being on top of the world. We visit the fascinating rock formations at Bourke's Luck Potholes, before stopping for the most breathtaking views over Blyde River Canyon, the 3rd largest canyon in the southern hemisphere. In the afternoon we enjoy our first walk of the itinerary, a loop walk that includes the Leopard, Guineafowl and Kadishi-Tufa trails. Along the way we will have further views on Blyde River Canyon, walk through forest and stop at Tufa Waterfall.
Blyde Canyon Forever Resort or similar
Day 3 : Drive To Letaba Ranch Reserve; Afternoon Game Drive.
Location: Letaba Ranch
Accommodation Name: Makuwa Safari Lodge (or similar)
Meals Included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
After breakfast we drive to Letaba Ranch Reserve, our base for the next two days. We will have some to time to relax and enjoy the views from camp before heading out for an afternoon game drive.
Mtomeni Safari Camp or similar
Day 4 : Morning Game Walk; Free Afternoon.
Location: ሀመር።
Accommodation Name: Makuwa Safari Lodge (or similar)
Meals Included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
The Letaba Ranch Game Reserve is part of the Greater Kruger area and is particularly known for elephants and buffalos. This morning we head out on a game walk in search of some Africa’s iconic wildlife. The walk is about 2-4hrs (depending on temperatures) and is led by a local guide and tracker. The afternoon is free to relax or go an optional game drive. Mtomeni Safari Camp or similar
Day 5 : Transfer To Kruger N.P.; Afternoon Game Drive.
Location: Kruger National Park
Accommodation Name: Skukuza or Pretoriuskop camp (or similar)
Meals Included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
We head on to Kruger National Park, justifiably one of the most famous wildlife parks in the world. It is also one of the oldest, established by the South African president Paul Kruger in 1898. It has arguably the greatest variety of animals of any park in Africa, with lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, black and white rhino, as well as cheetah, giraffe, hippo and many species of antelope and smaller plains game. We game drive (in our vehicle) through the park where we have an excellent chance of seeing a wide variety of wildlife. We arrive at our campsite in the Kruger in the late afternoon just before the camp gates close to maximise our game-viewing chances. Skukuza or Pretoriuskop camp or similar
Day 6 : Morning Game Drive In Kruger; Transfer To Eswatini (Swaziland).
Location: Malolotja National Park
Accommodation Name: Malolotja Cabins (or similar)
Meals Included: breakfast, dinner
Up before sunrise this morning for a game drive (in our vehicle) at, arguably, the best time of day for game-spotting. We return to camp for breakfast and to pack up before moving onto a new country: Eswatini (Swaziland). We leave the Kruger park at around lunch time and have a short stop to resupply before crossing the border into Eswatini (Swaziland). We drive to the hilly Malolotja Nature Reserve (3 hours), where we spend a relaxing evening in the cabins ready for a long walk the next day. Malolotja Cabins or similar
Day 7 : Full Day Walk In Malolotja.
Location: ሀመር።
Accommodation Name: Malolotja Cabins (or similar)
Meals Included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
There is superb flora here and we take a day-walk on one of the picturesque walking trails. Over 280 species of birds have been spotted in this reserve, as have many antelope species. You will have great views and the chance to spot various eagles or even the very rare Bald Ibis. The Nkomati River cuts a gorge through the park and flows east in a series of falls and rapids before it meets the lowveld. Our walk will take us to the Malolotja falls viewpoint and then on to the upper Majolomba falls and a great lunch spot. 8 hours walking. Malolotja Cabins or similar
Day 8 : Visit Craft Market; To St Lucia.
Location: Saint Lucia
Accommodation Name: Shonalanga apartments (or similar)
Meals Included: breakfast, lunch
Today we head out of Eswatini (Swaziland) and back into South Africa. On the way we visit Ezulwini Valley Craft Market before heading south through rural Eswatini (Swaziland). Upon leaving Eswatini (Swaziland) we move on to St Lucia. The small town of St. Lucia is both by the Indian Ocean and by lake St. Lucia and is known for its crocodile and hippo populations (hippos are sometimes seen wandering in town). The lake itself is Africa’s largest Estuary and a haven for birds. As well as land animals, the proximity to the ocean means it is possible to go swimming and even whale watching (June – November). Shonalanga apartments or similar
Day 9 : Morning Boat Cruise And Game Walk; Afternoon Visit Cape Vidal.
Location: ሀመር።
Accommodation Name: Shonalanga apartments (or similar)
Meals Included: breakfast, lunch
Getting up early we will head down to the dock and board a boat on the nearby lake. We spend 2 hours exploring the lake by boat with an excellent chance of seeing some of the many resident Hippo's, crocodiles and Fish Eagles. We return to our apartments for breakfast and then pack a picnic lunch for the short drive to Cape Vidal, a long stretch of beach along the Indian Ocean. Along the way we stop at bird-hides and there’s a small chance of spotting rhinos. We spend the afternoon relaxing on the beach or walking to mission rocks. Shonalanga apartments or similar
Day 10 : Transfer To Battlefields; Hike The Fugitive Trail.
Location: ሀመር።
Accommodation Name: Amabutho Warrior Lodge (or similar)
Meals Included: breakfast, lunch
Leaving the coast behind, we head 300kms towards the battlefields where the British and Zulus fought in 1879. After lunch we go on a 4hr hike along the fugitive trail. The trail follows the route taken by the British survivors from the battle of Isandlwana. The British and colonial force was armed with rifles, mountain guns and rocket battery were facing 20,000 Zulu warriors armed with spears. By the end of the battle there were only 65 British and Colonial survivors.
After our hike we transfer 50kms to our lodge for the night. Battlefields County Lodge or similar
Day 11 : To Royal Natal N.P.; Afternoon Walk.
Location: Royal Natal National Park
Accommodation Name: Thendele Chalets (or similar)
Meals Included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
We continue our journey to the beautiful Royal Natal National Park, particularly known the distinctive natural Amphitheatre. The Drakensberg is a basalt escarpment forming the border between Kwa-Zulu Natal and Lesotho and continuing into the Free State. It means 'Dragon Mountains', but the Zulu named it Quuathlamba ('the Barrier of Spears') - a more accurate description of the sheer, forbidding, jagged escarpment. This afternoon we go for walks in the local area from our lodge where we will be staying. There are a number of walks we can chose from such as to policeman’s helmet or to some bushmen paintings. Thendele Chalets or similar
Day 12 : Tugela Gorge Hike.
Location: Drakensberg
Accommodation Name: Thendele Chalets (or similar)
Meals Included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Today we follow the Thukela river, past Protea trees (the national flower of South Africa as well as the name of their cricket team), indigenous yellow wood forest and mountainous grasslands to the natural Amphitheatre and Thukela Waterfall viewpoint. The walk takes us into the heart of the Royal Natal National park and offers stunning views of the dramatic northern Drakensberg Mountains. 6 - 8 hours walking. Thendele Chalets or similar
Day 13 : Full Day Hike To Witsieshoek.
Location: Witsieshoek Mountain Lodge
Accommodation Name: Witsieshowk Lodge (or similar)
Meals Included: breakfast, lunch
As the bus takes our luggage to our next lodge, we head along trails by foot. The start of our trail follows a contour line and takes us via Tiger Falls and Gudu Falls. We then head up as we walk through the Mahai Valley crossing the river and walking via the crack past the Mahai Falls, eventually reaching the Basuto Gate and our destination. The hike should take about 6hrs including stopping for lunch.Witsieshowk Lodge or similar
Day 14 : Hike To Tugela Falls, The World's Second Tallest Waterfall.
Location: Tugela River
Accommodation Name: Witsieshowk Lodge (or similar)
Meals Included: breakfast, lunch
In the morning we drive the short distance (15km) to the trek start point at the Sentinel gate. From here we trek along the edge of the mountains, possibly chaperoned by mountain baboon or if we are lucky by the resident Bearded Vultures, up to the ladders, which take us to the top (2,900m). We then follow the Thukela River to the edge of the waterfall and enjoy the stunning views across the amphitheatre and our previous day’s route. We then walk back to the vehicle and transfer the short distance (15km) to our lodge. The hike should take about 6hrs including stopping for lunch.Witsieshowk Lodge or similar
Day 15 : Drive Through Golden Gate N.P. En Route To Johannesburg; End Johannesburg.
Location: Johannesburg
Meals Included: breakfast
There will be an optional short final morning walk in these wonderful mountains, with a local guide, before driving back to Johannesburg in time for our flight this evening. The land portion of the trip ends upon arrival in Johannesburg. 3 hour optional walk. Please note that if you are organising your own flights these should not be earler than the group flights due to the distance we need to travel back to the airport.
What's Included
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Meals
14 breakfasts, 11 lunches, 7 dinners.
* All breakfasts, 11 lunches, 7 dinners
* All accommodation (see below)
* All transport and listed activities
* Tour leader throughout
* Flights from London (if booking incl. flights)
What's Not Included
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Visas or vaccinations
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Travel insurance
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Single accommodation
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Travel insuranceSingle accommodationVisas or vaccinations
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— Travel insurance — Single accommodation — Visas or vaccinations
Food
All breakfasts, 11 lunches, 7 dinners included. In the itinerary we state which meals are included on which day. The list below provides an indication of what these will consist of: Breakfast - cereals, coffee, tea and toast, the occasional cooked breakfast. Lunch - cheese, cold meats, salads, bread or rolls. Dinner - potjies (stew), braais (barbecue), stir fries, pasta. Most generally cooked on the open fire. Please be aware that we need at least two weeks notice to deal with special dietary requirements (e.g. vegetarian or allergies.) For this reason if you did not indicate these on your booking form please advise the Exodus office as soon as possible. The tour leaders do all the shopping, meal planning and cooking for each group. He/she will always try to obtain fresh produce wherever possible. Each tour has 2 cool boxes for meats and fresh produce and 1 cool box for cold drinks. We will supply the following drinks: fruit squash served with breakfast and tea or coffee served with breakfast and dinner. All other beverages will be at your own expense. We do not supply bottled drinking water although it is available at many shops on tour if you want to buy it yourself at +/-R10.0 / lt. (£0.60). For meals not included, dinners can cost on average £12-18 ($20-30) per person and lunches from £5 to £8 ($8 to $13). Please note on days when the group are on morning game walks or drives we will have an early morning cup of tea or coffee and rusks followed by the walk. Once we return to camp we will have a large brunch at around 11am. In the early afternoon we will have a snack style lunch and dinner will be served after completion of the optional game drives. The water provided on this trip is safe and clean drinking water, normally coming from bore-holes. It is not bottled water, however. If you would rather have bottled water then this will be at your expense, though we would encourage you to make use of the safe drinking water provided as this helps diminish plastic consumption.
Accommodation
All nights will be in chalets, log cabins and four nights in a permanent tented camp. Some of the accommodation is en suite though in Eswatini (Swaziland)and St Lucia we usually stay in cabins of 2 rooms sharing a bathroom and a lounge whilst in Thendele we usually stay in cabins of 3 rooms sharing 2 bathrooms and a lounge. The permanent tented camp in the Letaba River Game Reserve is made up of large tents with beds and an en suite bathroom. In the Kruger Park we stay in a permanent tented camp with shared ablutions. It is possible to get laundry done in Eswatini (Swaziland). Wifi is available most nights but is not always very reliable. Single rooms are available throughout. Please note that on the nights in the Drakensberg and in Eswatini (Swaziland) you might share a chalet/cabin with other members of the group. However, you will still have a single room to yourself.
Check out our Q&As
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What happens if I need to change my holiday date once I’ve booked?
If you wish to make any changes to your booking, particularly if you need to alter any flights booked through us, please let us know as soon as possible. There is a booking or flight amendment fee of £40 per change and flight amendments often incur extra airline costs depending on the changes to be made and if the ticket has been issued or not.
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How long has the tour company been trading?
Exodus has been trading since 1974
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What documents will I receive before I travel?
Your final joining instructions and flight details, if booked with us, will then be sent out 2 to 3 weeks before departure. If you would like a hard copy posted, or if you require these any earlier, please contact the customer operations team. We advise that if you are booking connecting travel before receiving these, please ensure you leave plenty of time.
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Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?
Travellers are welcome to opt to share a room with a tour member of the same gender for no additional charge. If you'd like your own room, we can request a single supplement so that you will have your own room throughout.
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Can I join the tour once it has departed?
You are welcome to meet the group after the tour has departed however there is no reduction in rate for joining a tour after the departure date.
Reviews from Travellers on this Tour
Dates & Availability
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Transfer as credit to Future Tours
Exodus allows you to transfer existing payments to a future tour to avoid cancellation fees if you can't travel and inform exodus, 43 days before departure.
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Low Deposit
Exodus requires a minimum deposit of 25% or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 90 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of exodus charges.
Up to 70 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.