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Explore the big game of the Kruger National Park. We enjoy hiking Swaziland, before heading into the Zulu Kingdom. We visit the wetlands, wildlife and beaches of KwaZulu-Natal, before heading to the mountains of the Drakensberg.
ITINERARY
(B=breakfast, L=lunch, D=dinner)
Day 1 – 2 MPUMALANGA [chalets Bx1 Lx2 Dx2]
After the tour briefing, we depart Johannesburg at 06:30am and head east towards Mpumalanga. During the afternoon we visit the gold mining town of Pilgrims Rest, explore Bourkes Luck Potholes and the viewpoint over God’s Window. We then make our way to our chalets near the escarpment. We spend the next day exploring the Blyde River canyon on foot.
Includes: Entrance fees to Bourke’s Luck Potholes
Overnight: Chalets - 2 twin share bedrooms in each chalet with 1 bathroom shared between 2 bedrooms. Swimming pool, bar, restaurant.
Distance/time: 400kms, ± 5½ hours, excluding stops for sightseeing, breakfast & lunch
Day 3 – 4 KRUGER NATIONAL PARK (tented lodge or chalets BLD)
Big Game Safari. We spend the next 2 days on game drives in search of the elusive leopard, the majestic lion and the mighty elephant. Exciting game viewing on morning and afternoon game drives with the midday spent out of the heat resting in the camp. Our professional guides will impart their extensive knowledge of ecology, fauna and flora during our time in the bush. Night game drives with spotlights are available (own expense).
Includes: Entrance fees to Kruger National Park, morning and afternoon game drives
Overnight: Chalets – twin chalets (or lodge tent) en-suite facilities, swimming pool, restaurant & bar
Distance/time: 150kms, ± 2 hours + 3x 3 hour game drives
Optional Activities: Night game drive in National Park open game viewing vehicle
Day 5 – 6 KINGDOM OF SWAZILAND (cabins BLD)
We enter the Kingdom of Swaziland and travel through a lush fruit farming area before heading into the mountains of Swaziland. We spend 2 nights in Malalotja Nature Reserve with a full day to walk through this seldom explored mountainous reserve. The Swazi people have a rich cultural heritage and we will visit the craft and medicine markets on day 7 as we pass through the capital, Mbabane.
Includes: Entrance fees to Malalotja Nature Reserve
Overnight: Cabin – 2 twin share bedrooms in each chalet with 1 bathroom shared between 2 bedrooms.
Distance/time: 200kms, ± 4 hours, excluding 2-3 hour morning drive out of Kruger, shopping stop in Malelane, Jeppes Reef border formalities & stops for sightseeing etc
Day 7, 8, 9 ST. LUCIA (cabins Bx3 Lx2 Dx1)
We cross back into South Africa and head into the Zululand heartland. We visit a traditional village to learn more about the proud Zulu culture, and get a chance to meet the local people. We base ourselves on the shores of Lake St Lucia – a Unesco world heritage site. The park's uniqueness lies in its remarkable combination of estuarine lakes, subtropical coastline, forests and wildlife. We will spend a day in the Hluhluwe game reserve where rhino conservation has been a priority. We then have another full day free to explore the St. Lucia estuary and the beaches, as we enjoy a boat cruise or kayak excursion (own expense).
Includes: Entrance fees to Lake St Lucia & Hluhluwe Game Reserve
Overnight: Cabins - 2 twin share bedrooms with 1 bathroom and 1 washroom shared between 2 rooms,
Swimming pool, restaurant & bar
Distance/time: 400kms, ± 6 hours, excluding border formalities, excluding stops for sightseeing & lunch
Optional Activities Boat cruise, kayak excursion
Day 10 BATTLEFIELDS (lodge BL-)
We leave the coastline and make our way through the scenic hills and valleys of Zululand to the small town of Dundee. Here the battles were fought between the Zulus, British and the Boer troops - war cries still resound in the hills. We spend time at Rourkes Drift and Islandwana battlefields with an informative visit to the Tulana museum.
Includes: Visit to Roukes Drift, and Islandwana battlefields, entrance to Tulana Museum
Overnight: Guest lodge – twin rooms with en-suite facilities, swimming pool, restaurant & bar
Distance/time: 350kms, ± 5 hours, excluding stops for sightseeing & lunch
Optional Activities N/A
Day 11 – 12 DRAKENSBERG (tented lodge or chalets BLD)
Witness the grandeur of the Drakensberg or Ukhahlamba “Barrier of Spears” Mountains. We overnight at the base of the “berg” and spend a day walking the trails or taking a dip in the clear streams. The crisp mountain air is refreshing and invigorating and our lodge is a fantastic place to relax at the end of our tour.
Includes: Entrance fees to Royal Natal National Park
Overnight: Tented lodge / chalets - twin chalets share bathroom facilities
Distance/time: 200kms ± 2½ hours, excluding stops for sightseeing & lunch
Optional Activities N/A
Day 13 JOHANNESBURG / TOUR ENDS ( BL-)
Morning free to take a last walk in the mountains before we make our way back to Johannesburg. Tour ends at +/-18:00pm.
Includes: N/A
Overnight: N/A
Distance/time: 350kms, ± 5 hours, excluding stops for sightseeing & lunch
Optional Activities N/A
Safari Facts
Price 2012: EUR 1195
Local Payment: EUR 120
Start in Johannesburg/South Africa
End in Johannesburg/South Africa
Meals as per itinerary
Tour in english
Accommodation: as per itinerary
Group Size: 12 persons
Important notes: A single supplement is available on this trip @ EUR 345
Departure Dates 2012: bold are guaranteed departure dates - all other dates need a minimum of 4 bookings to be guaranteed
15-Jan-12 27-Jan-12
19-Feb-12 02-Mar-12
11-Mar-12 23-Mar-12
01-Apr-12 13-Apr-12
29-Apr-12 11-May-12
20-May-12 01-Jun-12
10-Jun-12 22-Jun-12
01-Jul-12 13-Jul-12
22-Jul-12 03-Aug-12
12-Aug-12 24-Aug-12
02-Sep-12 14-Sep-12
23-Sep-12 05-Oct-12
14-Oct-12 26-Oct-12
04-Nov-12 16-Nov-12
25-Nov-12 07-Dec-12
16-Dec-12 28-Dec-12
Please note:
The distance and travel times quoted above are an estimate only, and subject to local road conditions and photo stops!
Special Interest:
This safari has a walking focus. We include 5 day treks with group leader to explore different scenic areas of beautiful South Africa
Sustainable Tourism:
Several times a year the safari company operates a trip for underprivileged children from SOS Children’s Village to visit Pilanesberg Game reserve, introducing the children to the wildlife, the importance and of conservation and helping broaden their horizons. Should you wish to help in this project, please contact our office.
The walking grade:
The walks in Blyde Canyon, Swaziland and the Drakensberg will be easy to moderate. We walk on good mountain paths so walking shoes / light boots are sufficient. Although full days out, the actual walking time is 3-6 hours for 10-22km so a reasonable level of fitness is required.
DETAILED TOUR INFO
In a nutshell
• A comprehensive introduction to the northern part of South Africa – game viewing and scenery!
• Exciting trip with culture, wildlife, adventure, walking, mountains and beaches.
• Kruger NP, Swaziland, Zululand and Drakensberg.
Why this safari company
We understand that there are several options available to you when choosing your African safari. We also know that you want to make the most informed decision about your safari, what you get, what you see & experience, what’s included and which company to book with. So these are just a few of the company's qualities and facts:-
• Small groups – by travelling with a maximum of 12 people, you are able to witness Africa and have first hand contact with this amazing continent and it’s people without being a negative influence. This has been a key factor in our continued success. Our trips appeal to a wide variety of ages. The average is 37 – with most being aged 25 to 60. The range of travellers gives a variety of perspectives which adds to the experience of each safari.
• 2 tour guides – group leaders are the key to any safari. On one of our safaris you will travel with 2 qualified and registered field guides (FGASA). 2 guides as crew, not a guide and a driver, means maximum knowledge, informative and interesting trips. Our guides have a passion for Africa, her people and her wildlife, and they love nothing more than sharing their knowledge with our guests.
• Guaranteed departures – departure dates on each itinerary shown as bold are guaranteed departure dates. All other departures operate with a minimum of 4 clients.
• When booking this Safari there are no hidden costs. All of the entrance fees are included and a wide range of activities, and most meals. We have included as many highlights in our tours, so that you will see and experience the highlights without having to pay extra when you get there. So when you decide on which safari company to book with, look carefully at what you’re actually getting. You may only visit a place once, make sure you get the most out of it.
• Safety – All of our vehicles are custom built to ensure comfortable and safe touring. Each is constructed, by an authorised passenger vehicle builder, to the latest safety requirements, with a safety shell, and every seat has a lap belt. This gives you peace of mind when travelling with Sunway Safaris on the often demanding African roads.
• Responsible travel - Our commitment to sustainable & responsible tourism is reflected in our low impact travel style where all we take is photographs and all we leave is our footprints. Being an African company we have the grassroots contacts to make a real difference in the lives of the people whose lands we visit.
• Experience - We have more than 16 years experience in planning tours throughout Southern Africa. As such, our itineraries and routes have been perfected over many years ensuring that your tour will run smoothly. We visit the highlights of Southern Africa, but ensure that you do not follow the well trodden tourist track.
• Being adventure travellers ourselves, we know how to plan trips that give you a broad experience of the countries that you will visit.
• Based in Africa - probably the most important part of one of our safaris is that we are an African company. We live in Africa, we travel in Africa and it is our passion for this amazing continent that makes this safari company your best travel option.
Accommodation on this safari
• Mpumalanga, Graskop Mogodi Lodge - 2 twin share bedrooms in each chalet with 1 bathroom shared between 2 bedrooms. Swimming pool, bar, restaurant, telephone.
• Chalets, Kruger National Park – for 2 nights in Kruger we stay in national parks board chalets with en-suite / shared ablutions (depending on availability). Swimming pool, restaurant, and telephone.
• Swaziland, Malolotja Nature Reserve - mountain cabins, 2 bedrooms per cabin which are twin share with 1 bathroom and 1 washroom shared between 2 rooms.
• St Lucia, Shonalanga Resort - 2 twin share bedrooms in each chalet with 1 bathroom shared between 2 bedrooms. Swimming pool, bar, restaurant, telephone.
• Battlefields, Battlefields Country Lodge - twin share chalet (or lodge tent) with en suite facilities. Swimming pool, bar, restaurant, telephone.
• Drakensberg, Sungubala tented chalets – bedrooms are twin sharing with shared ablutions.
Please Note:
Accommodation specified in the itinerary is subject to availability. Alternatives will be nearby and of a similar standard.
Transport
• On foot - easy to moderate walks throughout the tour.
• Vehicle - for longer distance travel, place to place, we use custom-built Safari trucks with 12 forward facing seats. Comfortable touring and good for game viewing. Large, sliding windows and viewing hatches give everyone a good view; or Toyota Hiace minibuses with 10 forward facing seats (roof rack and trailer for equipment and baggage); or Mercedes Sprinter minibuses with 16 forward facing seats (and trailer for equipment and baggage). There are a couple of long days of travelling but the vehicles have a comfortable cruising speed. The emphasis of the trip is “getting out and doing things”.
Local Payment
• A local payment is required on this safari and this will be collected by your tour leader on departure. The local payment forms part of your overall tour cost, and must be taken into consideration when booking your safari. It will be used by your tour leaders to pay for some of the operational costs incurred on safari.
Participation
• An essential part of your Safari is participation – from packing away in the morning to helping with cleaning up – it’s all part of your adventure and when everyone puts in a little effort the trip will run smoothly. Your tour leaders will do all the meal preparation but we do ask the clients to help with the washing up. Team spirit is part of the fun!
Recommended reading
Before you travel you might want to read any of the following books. While not specific to the Sunway tour you will join, they do provide some background understanding of the countries you will be visiting.
• Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela (Autobiography - Nelson Mandela is one of the great moral and political leaders of our time.)
• Cry the Beloved Country by Alan Paton (Is the deeply moving story of the Zulu pastor Stephen Kumalo and his son Absalom. A classic work of love and hope, courage and endurance, born of the dignity of man.)
• The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay (Story of one young man's search for the love that binds friends, the passion that binds lovers, and the realization that it takes only one to change the world.)
• The Covenant by James A. Mitchener (The best and worst of two continents carve an empire out of the vast wilderness that is to become South Africa.)
• My Traitor’s Heart by Rian Malan (Malan, former South African crime reporter, searches for the truth behind apartheid.)
• When The Lion Feeds by Smith Wilbur (Fictional story set in Natal, South Africa in the 1870’s)
• Jock of the Bushveld by J Percy FitzPatrick (Story of a trader and his dog set in 1880 around Pilgrim’s Rest and Kruger area)
• The Steps of the Sun by Joanna Trollope (Love story set during the Boer War)
• Newman's Birds of Southern Africa by Kenneth Newman
• Sasol Birds of Southern Africa by Ian Sinclair, Phil Hockey, and W.R. Tarboton
• The Safari Companion: A Guide to Watching African Mammals Including Hoofed Mammals, Carnivores, and Primates by Richard D. Estes and Daniel Otte
• Field Guide to Trees of Southern Africa (Field Guides) by Braam Van Wyk, Keith Coates Palgrav, and Piet Van Wyk
Shopping
• Craft shopping for carvings, candles, batiks, wirework, paintings and clothing, in Swaziland and Zululand is some of the best in Southern Africa.
Food
• We pride ourselves on giving very good healthy meals to our clients and will provide three meals per day, except where shown in the itinerary, where we try out local restaurants.
• The tour leaders do the shopping and meal planning for each group. He/she will always try to obtain fresh produce wherever possible. A rough idea of what these will consist of is: Breakfast - cereals or coffee and toast or the occasional fried breakfast, Lunch - cheese, cold meats, salads on bread or rolls, Dinner - braais (local barbecue), potjies (stews), stir fries etc. We use regular plates, cups and cutlery. All cooking and eating utensils will also be provided.
• We do cater for special dietary requirements (e.g. vegetarian or allergies.)
• We will supply fruit squash served with breakfast and tea or coffee served with breakfast and dinner. All other beverages will be for your own expense. We will not supply bottled drinking water although it is available at many shops on tour.
Difficulty
• Anyone who is generally active and in good health should enjoy this trip. A combination of basic accommodation makes for a comfortable tour.
• Full itinerary with a couple of long driving days but also plenty of outdoors activity.
• Everyone is asked to help out with the running of camp on tour. In other words if everyone spends a little time setting up camp, preparing meals and cleaning up then the tour will run smoothly and everyone will have a good time. Participation is the name of the game.
Things you should know
•Includes park entrances
• You will need a valid passport and visas for entry into Swaziland and re-entering South Africa. Consult the tour dossier for a more detailed list of visa requirements and consult with your travel agent or Sunway Safaris. Swazi visa is free of charge and obtained at the border.
• Luggage, please pack to a limit of 12kgs in a soft sports tog bag. Bring a daypack for walks.
• We recommend that you bring South African Rand for personal expenses on this trip. Travellers cheques can be changed in most large towns. Major credit cards can also be used for optional activities and restaurant bills. See the Sunway tour dossier for approximate costs of drinks and meals etc.
Common questions about this trip
1. Can I buy camera film & memory cards? Film, memory cards and other photographic accessories will be available several times on tour. A camera with a zoom lens from wide angle to telephoto, 35-200mm, is advisable to capture both scenic and wildlife shots. Each vehicle is fitted with a 12/24V cigarette lighter – this should not be relied on for charging camera batteries and we recommend you bring a 2nd battery. Remember you can also charge your camera on those nights we use accommodation (SA 220V)
2. Is it safe? South Africa, like any many countries, has it’s problems but your guide knows the country intimately and will endeavour to show you the best parts while looking after you. Be aware, but not paranoid, and you will have a great trip!
3. Do I need malaria tablets? Mpumalanga, Swaziland and Zululand is a limited risk malaria area but prophylactics are recommended.
4.What do I need to bring? The basics are: - comfortable clothes for warm days and cool evenings, walking shoes, a raincoat, hat and sunglasses, swimsuit, a small pair of binoculars also comes in very handy and most importantly - a sense of adventure!
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