Day 1 – Cape Town.
Upon your arrival at Cape Town Airport you will be met and taken on a short orientation tour of the city before being taken to your hotel to overnight. For your own account, should you wish, and with weather permitting, we can visit Table Mountain before proceeding to the hotel. The remainder of the day will be spent at leisure. Overnight 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 2 – Cape 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 3- Cape Peninsula Tour. (Breakfast)
Today, 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 4 – Durban. (Breakfast)
Today we fly to Durban, where we will do an orientaion tour of this city. You should have time here to enjoy the warm beaches of the Indian Ocean.
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 5 – St. Lucia. (Breakfast)
From Durban we travel to St. Lucia to overnight at Lidiko Lodge (or similar), arriving in time for lunch. We then check into the lodge and 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 6 – Hluhluwe/Umfolozi Park (Breakfast, Dinner)
After breakfast we head for the lake where we board for a two-hour morning launch tour of Lake St. Lucia, here to see hippos (guaranteed sightings!), crocodiles and numerous water birds in this recently proclaimed World Heritage Site. After lunch we will head for the Hluhluwe/Umfolozi Park where we would spend two nights 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 7 – 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 8 – Swaziland. (Breakfast, Dinner) After our morning game viewing we leave the Park and travel to Swaziland 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 9, 10, 11, 12– Kruger National Park (Breakfast, Dinner)
After breakfast we stop at the Ngwenya Glass factory in Swaziland to view some unique hand-made products, before heading to the Kruger National Park. Kruger Park 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 will go on 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. These drives are conducted by SANParks, the organisation tasked with running this Park.
We will spend our nights in Kruger in bungalow accommodation inside the Kruger Park - subject to availability. Although not graded, these bungalows are of a two or three star standard. Here the rooms have twin beds, each with a private shower, toilet and hand basin en-suite. The brick under thatch rooms are equipped with air-conditioning, some also with ceiling fans and a fridge. There is insect proof screening on the doors and windows. You will be provided with bath and hand towels as well as soap. In the game reserve we will have breakfast and dinners in the restaurants. Breakfast and dinners are generally buffet style. 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. Your guide in his vehicle conducts the remainder of the game drives.
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 13 – Drakensberg Escarpment. (Breakfast, Dinner) After our morning’s game activities we travel to the Drakenberg Escarpment. The scenery is pretty flat but this changes as we approach the Drakensberg Escarpment where we climb up to the Highveld through scenic passes. This Drakensberg Escarpment area is really beautiful and has scenic vistas over the Lowveld of the Kruger National Park. We will visit the Panorama Escarpment and some of the view-sites such as God’s Window, Blyde River Canyon, Berlin and Lisbon waterfalls, Bourke’s Luck Potholes, etc. and 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 14 – Johannesburg (Breakfast)
This morning we will visit the historical pioneering town of Pilgrims Rest. Mining in this region of Mpumalanga dates back many centuries, when unknown miners worked quartz reefs in the area for gold. Proof of these diggings can still be found in this area. The history of this small delightful village dates back to 1873 when a miner, Alex Patterson, discovered alluvial gold on the farm named Ponieskrantz. He had left the Mac-Mac area to search for a place that was less congested. Though the discovery was kept as a secret, the inevitable happened when a second prospector William Trafford also discovered gold close by. What they had found in this beautiful valley drew optimistic gold panners and prospectors from all over the country and the World (news of gold strikes of this magnitude travel fast!). On 22nd September 1873 Pilgrim's Rest was officially proclaimed a gold field and the scatter of tents and rudimentary shacks soon grew into a flourishing little village complete with sturdy brick houses, church, shops, canteens, a newspaper and the well-known Royal Hotel.
The diggers called it Pilgrim's Rest because here, at last, after so many false trails and faded dreams they had truly found their home. In due course the alluvial deposits were depleted and the locals turned to forestry, but their village, whose residents still number in the hundreds, has been painstakingly preserved as a "living museum" and major South African tourist venue.
After this visit we make our way to Johannesburg where you will be dropped off at your hotel or at the airport.
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