Family safaris in South Africa
| country: | South Africa |
| location: | KwaZulu Natal |
| departures: | 2010: 31 Jul, 14 Aug |
| price: | From £1945 (11 days) per adult and £1395 per child (under 12 years) excluding flights, based on children sharing with 1 or 2 adults. Minimum age 7 years |
| more info: | Price includes: 1 night 4 star hotel in Durban, 1 night Zulu lodge, 6 nights Unkhumbi Lodge, 2 nights private game reserve; 10 breakfasts, 7 lunches, 9 evening meals; all activities as per itinerary Airport and activty transfers, all equipment, tuition and supervision from qualified instructors. |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
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introduction to Family safaris in South Africa
We escape the Kruger crowds to explore the less visited but equally remarkable province of KwaZulu-Natal. Spectacular mountain, bush and coastal scenery combined with some of the world’s richest diversity of wildlife are a sure fire recipe for a successful holiday.
We’ve gone a step further by introducing activities into our exploration of the Zulu heartlands. “Big 5” game reserves, stunning wetlands, personal interaction with the magnificent Zulu people and a moving visit to our newly adopted orphanage project. Awesome!
We’ve gone a step further by introducing activities into our exploration of the Zulu heartlands. “Big 5” game reserves, stunning wetlands, personal interaction with the magnificent Zulu people and a moving visit to our newly adopted orphanage project. Awesome!
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Introduction. We will be greeted at Durban airport and transferred to the City Lodge Umhlanga Ridge Hotel. There are activities available locally but many may prefer either the swimming pool or a good long sleep. |
| Day 2: | Jaws and the Zulu Heartlands. We start with a visit to the Natal Shark’s Board in Durban (voted Durban’s number one visitor attraction). Shark’s Board is a marine organisation responsible for protecting the beaches from shark attacks. We learn about the sharks, their role in nature and what they prefer for dinner as we watch a scientific dissection! We drive into the Zulu Heartlands stopping at Zulufadder (please see previous page) to meet some very special children who are being sponsored by European families. Games and laughter are the order of the day before continuing to our Zulu accommodation. Tonight we will get to experience Zulu culture first hand. We will see stunning demonstrations of Zulu dancing and other traditional ceremonies; spending the evening in the company of some truly fascinating people. Our stay here affords us a better understanding of the Zulu nation. |
| Day 3: | Zulu Kings and Hluhluwe Park After time with the Zulus exploring their culture and traditions we will transfer to Umkhumbi Lodge in the lowlands near Hluhluwe/Imfolozi National Park. This is one of South Africa’s best-kept safari secrets and was the park responsible for saving the white rhino from extinction. We will check in to our lodge accomodation and after lunch head into the bush for an introduction to the sight and smells of Africa - sundowners included. |
| Day 4: | St Lucia Wetlands. After breakfast we will head to the wetlands of St Lucia for a day of exploration by boat. This estuarine system is home to hippos and crocodiles and we will see them peeking out from the mangroves. In the afternoon we head to the Crocodle Centre to get up close to, and learn about, these exceptional reptiles. |
| Day 5: | Environmental introduction . We will break from the lodge early and spend the morning bush walking. The focus here is on giving the whole family an educational introduction to the environmental issues and conservation projects in the area. Wildlife here is prolific and includes wildebeest, giraffe and zebra as well as many birds. In the afternoon we head to False Bay of the Isimangaliso Wetland Park, a beautiful setting for sundowners before heading back for dinner. |
| Day 6: | Imfolozi 'Big 5' safari . We spend a full day in the southern part of Imfolozi National Park on the look out for the 'Big 5' - lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino. In addition, we may see cheetah, wildebeest, giraffe, impala as well as some remarkable birdlife including vultures and eagles. |
| Day 7: | Kosi Bay activity day . Today it's a full day trip to the coast. Kosi Bay, with its estuary system and four connecting lakes is simply breathtaking. Famed as the home of the elaborate system of wooden fish kraals, we will be taught the simple and ageless art of spear fishing by our friendly local fisherman Elmon. In addition, try sea kayaking on the lakes, snorkelling in the estuary (tide dependent) or simply relax. |
| Day 8: | Free day or optional activity . This will be your final full day at Umkhumbi Lodge. You can choose between the array of activities still available; a scenic flight, fishing on Lake Jozini, visiting a cheetah rehabilition project, kayaking on Muzi Pan, horse riding in the wetlands park or a safari in Mkhuze Game Reserve (payable locally). |
| Day 9: | Amakhosi private game reserve . At Amakhosi we will experience the most private and authentic of game drives. We head into the bush this evening for a night drive; spotting the eyes of animals in the dark is an exhilarating experience. The guides have truly superb knowledge of the reserve's ecosystem and use their highly developed tracking skills to guide you to the heart of the action. This is a fantastic adventue experience further enhanced by being both eduactional and eco-friendly. The accommodation at Amakhosi is 5 star and based in lodges overlooking the Mkuse river. Game of all varieties has been known to venture down to the river at night whilst you dine in splendour. Our stay at Amakhosi includes brunch, high tea, dinner, all local beverages and house wine. |
| Day 10: | Dawn game drive and wildlife walk . Different animals venture out at different times so it is worth the early start to enable us to track any animals we may have missed the night before. After we have returned for breakfast we can head back into the park for a wildlife walk with our guide or for those under the age of 16 another game drive is possible. The rest of the day is free to relax. |
| Day 11: | Departh or extend your stay . Most good things must come to an end so today we may be heading back home. Alternatively you may want to take advantage of our Cape Town extension and fly south to experience what the Cape has to offer. A visit to Cape Town is almost a must do when visiting South Africa and there is plenty to see and do whatever the weather. Our family extension programme includes return transfers from Cape Town airport and a 3 night stay in a 2 bedroom apartment in a delightful apart hotel. We have left your time in the city open as there is so much to choose from. You can take a guided hike on Table Mountain, explore the Cape Wine lands or visit Robben Island and the townships (a remarkable experience for the whole family). If you prefer we can also arrange car hire for you so that you can head off on your own along the garden route. The choice is yours. Please see our website for futher details of possible activities. |
small group family holiday
This is a 'small group family adventure' - typically you will join several other families and travel in a group of approx. 16 people. The trips are great value and a great way for you and your children to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of time to yourselves. Most adventure kids tend to be aged between 7 and 15, but some are younger (minimum age is usually 5) and some older (perhaps travelling as part of a larger family group). Please check with the operator to confirm the minimum age for this trip how this holiday makes a difference
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Tourism provides the main economy for many parts of Kwazulu Natal and this itinerary has been prepared with a view to producing a perfect balance of wildlife conservation without intrusion or erosion of natural habitats combined with the need to stimulate and support the local economy.
 We use a combination of locally owned accommodation and lodges all of which have their own individual eco-friendly policies. These are designed to ensure that they utilise natural resources wisely and that their construction is appropriate to the environment. In cases like the Zulu Cultural Village at Simunye tourism provides 100% of the revenue of the local community and any products not produced by the community itself are sourced locally to ensure that the maximum tourism spend remains within the regional economy. In terms of the wildlife elements of this holiday all safaris are organised either by the local conservation projects or in direct liaison with them to ensure that the natural habitats are minimally disrupted by the presence of tourism. This is further enhanced by comprehensive briefings and educating visitors in their individual and collective responsibilities whilst visiting these habitats. Tourism directly contributes towards the protection of rare species such as the White Rhino in the Imfolozi-Hluhluwe Game Reserve. |
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. |
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