Kruger and Swaziland holiday, wildlife and mountains
| country: | South Africa | ||||
| location: | Kruger National Park | ||||
| departures: | Departs every Sunday and Wednesday throughout the year | ||||
| price: | From R 16,720 (10 days) based on two people sharing, excluding flights. From R 19,270 single room. Price includes accommodation, transport, all sightseeing accompanied by English speaking guide, entrance fees and meals as stated
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| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
the amazing things you'll be doing
From Johannesburg to the charming Panorama Route with natural wonders and spectacular views. On to Kruger Park, one of the vast National Parks of Africa, teeming with wildlife as it was before "man's" arrival in Africa. Following our safari experiences in Kruger Park we head for Swaziland, an independent Kingdom and home to the Swazi people. Beautiful scenery and warm, friendly people! Once back in South Africa we enjoy safari experiences in the Hluhluwe/Imfolozi National Park, the oldest of South Africa's national parks and famous as it was here that the "Save the White Rhino" project was carried out. You are more than likely to see these giants, which proves how successful this campaign was. Via St. Lucia for a river safari before we head inland, to the mighty Drakensberg Mountains, another UNESCO World Heritage Site. With mountains in excess of 3000m, this is a wonderful area for hiking and admiring the majesty of nature. day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Our first day on tour takes us from Johannesburg via Middelburg, Dullstroom and Robber’s Pass to Pilgrim´s Rest, the early gold mining town turned into a living museum. Rich deposits of alluvial gold were found here at the end of the 19th century, hence the existence of the town deep in the mountains. After exploring this quaint old town, we continue to Sabie where we have a pleasant walk through indigenous forest to visit Lone Creek Falls. Overnight: Lone Creek River Lodge or similar. (D) |
| Day 2: | We travel via Graskop to marvel at scenic areas such the Pinnacle, God’s Window, Lisbon Falls, Bourke's Luck Potholes (a walk down the hill to this unique trick of nature is worth the effort), and the magnificent Three Rondavels view site at the Blyde River Canyon. We walk along the cliffs to really appreciate the breathtaking views. Finally we descend to the Lowveld via Abel Erasmus pass and the Strydom Tunnel to arrive at Mohlabetsi in the Balule private game reserve. This afternoon our encounter with Africa's wildlife begins as we travel on an open vehicle to search for the game. Enjoy a great dinner under the stars tonight (weather permitting). Overnight: Mohlabetsi Game Lodge or Edeni Game Lodge or similar. (B,D) |
| Day 3: | After an early morning hike, searching for the wild on foot, and breakfast, we enter the Kruger National Park and spend the rest of day in this magnificent reserve around 2 million ha in extent. We overnight in the reserve in chalets in one of the rest camps. Overnight: Skukuza Rest Camp or similar, Kruger Park. (B,D) |
| Day 4: | We rise early for a game drive and return for breakfast in the camp. We spend the rest of the morning in the reserve and depart in the afternoon for the mountain Kingdom of Swaziland. We travel via Piggs Peak through magnificent mountain scenery and visit the Ngwenya glass factory where all the products are hand made from recycled glass. We drive through Mbabane, the capital of Swaziland, before travelling to our overnight stop, in the mountains just outside Mhlambanyatsi. Overnight: Forester’s Arms Hotel or Lugogo Sun or similar, Swaziland. (B,D) |
| Day 5: | This morning we have an early breakfast and then visit Swazi Candles in the Malkerns Valley where we watch the locals hand-moulding wax into a variety of interesting shapes. We continue through the Ezulwini Valley past the Houses of Parliament and the Independence Stadium to the well-known local craft market where bargaining is the order of the day. Our route then takes us via Manzini, the country’s industrial centre, and Big Bend with its large sugar plantations to the South African border. We are now getting closer to the Hluhluwe-Umfolozi game reserve, where we arrive mid afternoon. After checking in, leave on a late afternoon/early evening game drive in an open safari vehicle equipped with high powered spot lights to search for the shy nocturnal and other animals. Dinner is served after the completion of this exciting experience. Overnight: Hilltop Camp, Hluhluwe Game Reserve or Bonamanzi Game Reserve. (B,D) |
| Day 6: | After an early breakfast we do a final game drive in our vehicle before travelling to the village of St Lucia. Here we join a boat cruise on the estuary of the famous Lake St Lucia (proclaimed a World Heritage Site in 1999), a paradise with bird species such as fish eagle, Goliath heron and many more. Your skipper/guide will show you the world of the hippo and the crocodile and the other mystic inhabitants of the "deep". After this unforgettable experience we travel to Durban. Overnight: City Lodge Umhlanga (or similar). (B) |
| Day 7: | Drive inland to Pietermaritzburg, the capital of KwaZulu-Natal, for a brief city tour. Stop at the railway station where Mahatma Gandhi was thrown off the train because of the colour of his skin, and see the waiting room where, in the silence of the night, he formulated his philosophy of passive resistance. Visit the Church of the Vow that was built as a result of the Battle of Blood River between the Voortrekkers and the Zulus in 1838. Continue to Howick where we visit the 100m high Falls, and stop at the monument erected on the spot where Nelson Mandela was arrested in 1962. Continue through an area of gentle pastoral beauty called the Natal Midlands. We pass through grassy plains scattered with villages and lush farmlands where plump cattle and thoroughbred horses graze. We enter the Weenen Game Reserve for an afternoon of game viewing. We have a good chance of seeing, amongst others, white rhino, giraffe and zebra. Afterwards we stop at the place where Winston Churchill was arrested by the Boers during the Anglo-Boer War. Then we travel to our hotel from where you can enjoy magnificent views while enjoying sundowners. Overnight: Sandford Park Hotel or similar (B,D) |
| Day 8: | After breakfast we travel through QwaQwa, a former homeland, and watch the locals busy with their daily chores in this remote land. We arrive at the Sentinel, some 3200 meters above sea level, for a picnic lunch and some easy, or more strenuous, walks to viewpoints of the sheer drops into the Amphitheatre. For those VERY energetic souls, there is a stiff walk and climb up a chain ladder to the summit (weather permitting). Here you find the source of the mighty Tugela River and where it rushes over the edge of the cliffs to plummet down for hundreds of meters. After this unforgettable experience we return to our hotel late afternoon. Overnight: Sandford Park or similar (B,D,L) |
| Day 9: | We depart after breakfast and drive to the Giant's Castle area for an easy walk to some of the country's best preserved ancient rock paintings. We have a peek into the mystical existence of these strange little people who became extinct at the beginning of the previous century. From here we return to Durban arriving late afternoon. Overnight: City Lodge Umhlanga (or similar). (B) |
| Day 10: | Transfer to Durban’s International Airport for departure flight. (B) |
how this holiday makes a difference
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On this trip you will visit Kruger National Park, Hluhluwe/Imfolozi National Park and the UNESCO World Heritage Site of uKahlamba Drakensberg Park. These are pristine areas where nature conservation and a zeal to preserve the natural habitat goes hand in hand with giving employment to local communities. We pay conservation fees for all our guests who visit the park, and this fee goes directly back to nature conservation efforts as well as fostering mutual understanding between park officials and local communities bordering the parks. We use local guides where possible.
Accommodation on our tour is either arranged by the National Parks authority, or we use local guesthouses and small hotels which are individually owned and where staff receive significant benefits in the form of training, secure employment and career opportunities. We only use local shops and suppliers for all our provisions and supplies. We have a policy of re-using paper where possible, and all magazines etc which we cannot re-use are sent for recycling. Our staff also support the Responsible Tourism ideals. Air-conditioning is only used on very hot days (we use fans instead when this is possible), and staff bring second-hand clothing and toys on a regular basis which is donated to Zulufadder/Zulusponsor, which is the project we support on an active and ongoing basis. Zulufadder/Zulusponsor: Zulufadder is Norwegian, meaning "Zulu Godparent" or "Zulu Sponsor" and is an organization established by Mari Maurstad (Norwegian actress & author) and our Norwegian-born Director - Ragnhild (Rung) Button. Our aim is to help as many children as possible in Eshowe, a district in Zululand, South Africa. Many of these children are orphans; in most cases, AIDS claimed the lives of their parents. It is not uncommon to find as many as 15 children living together with their grandmother or aunt in the same hut. They do not have enough money for food or school fees, which again means no education. This project is unique in that each sponsor is connected to a specific child. This is an organisation without a large bureaucratic structure, but is instead a "hands-on" project where the sponsored amount is used for the benefit of the children who are in need. Therefore your donation will be used for the benefit of 'your' child. So far we have several hundred sponsors in Norway, each sponsor pays the equivalent of US $40 (GBP 20) per month. For this, each child receives school fees, a food parcel each month, as well as help with other needs such as a blanket, clothes, medicines if they are ill, etc. Each sponsor receives a profile of 'their' child with photo, brief history and also information of the child's hopes and dreams. A key figure in this project is Aurelia Mhlongo - a "female Nelson Mandela". Aurelia is herself a 'granny', she is also a retired nurse and a pillar of strength for the local community. It is Aurelia who is told of children in need; children living alone and with pressing needs. Aurelia visits the children, interviews them, investigates their situation and make recommendations as to which children to include in the project. We currently look after close to 700 children, and due to your help perhaps more children could also be enrolled in this project. |
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. |