Beach and safari holiday in Southern Africa
| country: | South Africa, Mozambique |
| departures: | 2009: 17 Dec |
| price: | From US $1625 (14 days) excluding flights. Single supplement US $140, local payment R1200 |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
the amazing things you'll be doing
Encompassing game viewing and sun, sea and sand - this tour takes us through the historic Kwa- Zulu Natal Battlefields, the amazing beaches of Mozambique, Big Five game viewing at Umfolozi/ Hluhluwe Game Reserve and the Kruger National Park - the flagship of the South African National Parks.
Highlights
Kwa-Zulu Natal Battlefields Amazing beaches of Mozambique and KwaZulu/Natal Big Five game viewing at Umfolozi/Hluhluwe Game Reserve and the Kruger National Park
Highlights
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Johannesburg to Piet Retief. Our tours starts in Johannesburg, the bustling capital of South Africa; and then we head south-east for the Kwa-Zulu Natal battlefields to the small, historical town of Piet Retief. Situated in South Eastern corner of Mpumalanga, Piet Retief is surrounded by beautiful plantations of Bluegum and Wattle trees. |
| Day 2-3: | Umfolozi/Hluhluwe, South Africa. An early morning departure, we head through the Battlefields of Kwa-Zulu Natal to the game reserve of Hluhluwe/Umfolozi. As the home of Operation Rhino in the 1950s and 60s, the Park became world renowned for its white rhino conservation. Other areas of focus for which Hluhluwe- Imfolozi Park is famed include wilderness trails which originated in Imfolozi in the 1950s and its renowned Game Capture unit recently upgraded into the Centenary Capture Centre, a bench mark for animal capture and sustainable utilization throughout Africa. The Park covers some 96 000 ha and contains an immense diversity of fauna and flora. On Day 3 we enter the park for a game drive through ‘Big 5’ country. After a memorable drive we head back to our accommodation. |
| Day 4: | St. Lucia, South Africa. After breakfast, we leave the lodge and take a short drive back through the game reserve for the last animal sightings for a while. Leaving the park we head to St. Lucia, a world heritage sight. Isimangaliso (The Greater St Lucia Wetland Park) - declared a World Heritage Site in late 1999 - is an aggregation of numerous, singular natural wonders deemed crucial to the future of the global community. Each offers its own unique features and activities for those in love with the Great Outdoors. The rest of the day is free to explore the area or take a relaxing boat cruise on the lake. Spectacular views of the ocean and lake- system are complemented by likely sightings of leopard, antelope, hippo, crocodile and bush pig. Birding delights are guaranteed! |
| Day 5-6: | Kosi Bay, South Africa. Today we head north to Kosi Bay. Kosi Bay often described as the last outpost of untouched African paradise, pristine beauty as God had originally created. Age old traditions passed down by generations of tribal existence still continue to this day in untainted originality. Ancient fishing kraals erected and tendered by the resourceful Tonga people provide sustainable catches that do not deplete the fish population. Kosi Bay was described by one of the first scientists to explore this region as "A wonderful aquarium and the most gorgeous aviary". Kosi Bay's pristine wealth of beauty and natural resources has to be seen with the physical eye to be fully appreciated. Enjoy the next day relaxing at the beach or take part in some of the exciting optional activities offered at the lodge. |
| Day 7: | Maputo, Mozambique. After breakfast we cross the border into Mozambique. We reach the capital just after lunch and will conduct a short tour of this vibrant city. Maputo (previously Lourenzo Marques) is the sprawling capital of Mozambique. Several rivers meet the sea in Maputo and two islands (Inhaca and Portuguese Island) lie just off the coast. Highlights of the city of Maputo include Maputo's most important landmark is the Fort of Nossa Senhora da Conceiao (Our Lady of Conception) which was the nucleus of the original settlement. Another imposing building is the Central Railway Station, an enormous structure looking more like a palace for kings, than a siding for commuters. |
| Day 8-9: | Inhambane, Mozambique. Today we carry on north, leaving bustling Maputo and we head to the coastal town of Inhambane. Here we spend the day exploring the rock pools and the beach. Relax and soak up the last bit of Mozambique sunshine. Inhambane is an ancient trading port. We visit the Mercardo (market) famous for vegetables and fish. Catch a Dhow and take a lazy cruise across the bay for lunch and a ‘cerveja’ (beer) in the town of Maxixe or visit the old Catholic church in Inhambane. |
| Day 10: | Limpopo Transfrontier Park, Mozambique. After breakfast we leave the paradise of Xai-Xai behind us and drive in a north-westerly direction to wards Massingir. |
| Day 11-12: | Kruger National Park, South Africa. An early morning getaway takes us back into South Africa through the Giriyondo gate into the world-renowned Kruger National Park - South Africa’s most famous and biggest game reserve. Kruger National Park has nearly 2 million hectares of unrivalled diversity of life forms that fuses with historical and archaeological sights - this is real Africa. The world renowned Kruger National Park offers a wildlife experience that ranks with the best in Africa. Truly the flagship of the South African National Parks, Kruger is home to an impressive number of species: 336 trees, 49 fish, 34 amphibians, 114 reptiles, 507 birds and 147 mammals. The following day we depart the camp at sunrise for a full day of game viewing in the park with the chance of spotting the ‘Big 5’ again, whilst making our way to one of the southern camps. Our last night in the park will be enjoyed around the campfire and typical South African Braai (BBQ) |
| Day 13: | Johannesburg, South Africa. Today we depart for Johannesburg, where you have the evening at leisure. |
| Day 14: | Johannesburg, South Africa. The tour ends after breakfast this morning. |
how this holiday makes a difference
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This trip is tailor-made to the type of traveler that is already very eco-conscious. Safari guides have an ethos of being observers, not participants in their surroundings and we echo these sentiments on the safari that we go on – on this tour.
 Diving is an ‘optional’ and each dive is led by a fully-qualified PADI Dive master’s who is from each specific area e.g. Mozambique. Our dive masters are therefore African born and bred with an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the surrounding reefs, waters and coastlines. By utilizing only local divers, we create opportunity, growth and sustainability for the community. Our dive masters in Mozambique discourage any form of contact with manta rays or whale sharks on any dives even although the group get a “up close and personal” experience swimming amongst these amazing sea creatures – therefore making sure not to disrupt the lifestyle of these underwater creatures. We use only local guides who can help guests to understand local customs, traditions and interact with local people to ensure at least a minimum level of local involvement in our holidays. We encourage the protection and the respect of local communities that we encounter on our trip. Regular and ongoing training on responsible tourism is given to all our staff! All of the fees paid at places of interest go towards local economic development. Our tour includes a trip to places which charge a conservation fee and a large portion of all entrance fees is given to the local community. This helps to further conservation efforts in the respective areas. For instance - the entrance fee of Umfolozi Game Reserve goes towards the White Rhino Conservation program. We endeavor to keep all our group sizes to a maximum number of 10. This way, our holidays do not intrude on local communities or the surrounding and protected areas of vegetations and scenery. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |