Game viewing at Kruger National Park and Hlane Game Reserve. Stay in a traditional Swazi village and visit Zulus UNESCO protected St Lucia Wetlands. Beautiful beaches of Natal North Coast, known locally as the Dolphin Coast. Independent family trips available.

South Africa and its neighbour Swaziland are rich in wildlife and have a huge variety of landscapes. We experience the wildlife in the world famous Kruger National Park and Hlane Game Reserve. As we travel through Mpumalanga Province with its panoramic passes, viewpoints, mountains, valleys, waterfalls and forests we will learn about the history of this region and the battles that have taken place. We also experience its vibrant culture by staying in a traditional Swazi village in grass huts, and visiting the Zulu national hero's village before finishing our journey with a few days at the St Lucia Wetlands, the largest estuarine water body in Africa, and the beautiful beaches of the Natal North Coast.

Itinerary:

Day 1 Those on land only arrangements will meet us at the accommodation in Johannesburg this morning. The afternoon is free to relax or we can arrange an optional Soweto Tour or a visit to the Rhino Park, Lion Park & Cradle of Mankind. 2 In the morning we depart for Mpumalanga Province and the small, quiet town of Graskop. Mpumalanga means 'Place of the Rising Sun'. On route we will travel over the During the morning we visit the Panorama Route sites: the spectacular viewpoint known as God's Window which features in the comical 1980 film 'The Gods Must Be Crazy', Bourke's Luck Potholes which were carved into the rock by whirlpools and the Blyde River Canyon, the third largest canyon of its type in the world at 26km long and 800m deep. We then travel down the Abel Erasmus Pass and through the J.G. Strydom Tunnels to the Swadini Reptile Park, where we have an interesting guided tour. This park is dedicated to reptile conservation. We spend the night at the Swadini Aventura Resort. 3 During the morning we visit the Panorama Route sites: the spectacular viewpoint known as God's Window which features in the comical 1980 film 'The Gods Must Be Crazy', Bourke's Luck Potholes which were carved into the rock by whirlpools and the Blyde River Canyon, the third largest canyon of its type in the world at 26km long and 800m deep. We then travel down the Abel Erasmus Pass and through the J.G. Strydom Tunnels to the Swadini Reptile Park, where we have an interesting guided tour. This park is dedicated to reptile conservation. We spend the night at the Swadini Aventura Resort. 4 After breakfast we visit the Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre which cares for abandoned, injured and poisoned wildlife from all over South Africa. Some of the animals we may see include lion, leopard, serval, lynx, honey badger, crowned eagles and vultures. After lunch we drive into Kruger National Park and do a game drive to our campsite, where there will be a chance for a swim in the campsite pool. 5 Kruger is one of the most famous wildlife parks in the world. It is also one of the oldest being established by the first president of South Africa, Paul Kruger in 1898. It has one of the greatest variety of animals of any park in Africa, with lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, black and white rhino, as well as cheetah, giraffe, hippo and many species of antelope. The total census includes 147 mammals, 507 birds, 114 reptiles as well as 336 different trees. The campsites are also excellent and the general infrastructure good. We will do both a morning and afternoon game drive to maximise our chances of seeing the plentiful fauna. During the midday heat we can relax at the campsite pool. 6 We finish our stay in Kruger with a final morning game drive before crossing into Swaziland. We spend the night in the Kings old hunting grounds, now the beautiful and peaceful Hlane Royal National Park. Hlane means 'wilderness' and is particularly noted for its many raptors including martial eagles, bateleurs and several species of vultures and 1000 year old hardwood trees. In the afternoon we will set up camp and sit around the waterhole for a chance to see wildebeest, zebra, impala and if we are lucky, rhino's coming down to drink. 7 In the morning, for children 12 years and over plus adults there is an option to experience a 2-hour game walk with the possibility of seeing white rhino and elephant. Alternatively there is an option to have an extra game drive instead. After a late brunch we drive to Mantenga Nature Reserve for a guided tour through this traditional Swazi cultural village and a short walk to the cascading Mantenga waterfalls. This village is a living museum with beehive huts and represents a classical Swazi lifestyle during the 1850's. The traditional building materials include poles, grass, reeds, leather strips, earth and dried cow-dung. The objective of the cultural village is to enable Swazis from all corners of the country to maintain a positive interest in their cultural heritage, including language, customs, rituals, dance, music, folklore, arts and crafts, as well as showing their cultural achievements to other people. Tonight we stay in traditional grass huts in the cultural village, usually one per family. 8 After an early start we have a long but scenic day's drive through the southern region of Swaziland and back into South Africa. We continue to the St Lucia Wetlands via Pongolapoort Dam, the third largest dam in South Africa. 9 The Greater St Lucia Wetlands Park is one of the most diverse regions in South Africa with five different eco-systems. It became a listed UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999 and stretches 280kms to the Mozambique border. In the morning we have a leisurely boat trip on the St Lucia Estuary through the mangroves in search of hippos, crocodiles and the huge concentration of birdlife. In fact 526 species of birds are found here. Some migratory birds fly 18000 miles to breed here. In the afternoon we have closer encounters with crocodiles at a crocodile farm before taking a short walk through the sand dune forest, one of the highest vegetated dunes in the world. Loggerhead turtles lay their eggs on nearby beaches from October until January. An evening turtle watching tour with dinner may be available between November to March. 10 After breakfast we drive to Kwadukuza where in July 1827 Shaka, King of the Zulus established his capital and royal kraal. A year after building his royal kraal he was murdered. Shaka is considered the national hero of the Zulu people. We enjoy a guided tour through this intriguing Zulu village. After lunch we continue to Umhlanga Rocks on the Natal North Coast, which will be our base for the next three nights. This is a beautiful area with long sandy beaches and lush tropical vegetation. It is often referred to as the Dolphin Coast as it is not unusual to see a pod of bottlenose dolphins. 11 / 12 We spend two days on the Natal North Coast. There is plenty of time for relaxing on the wonderful beaches and exploring the local area where vast areas of hills are covered in sugar cane plantations. We can take an optional day trip to Ishaka Marine World of fun, entertainment and excitement plus there is a possibility of an optional dolphin tour. 13 The morning is free for further relaxation and optional activities. In the afternoon we transfer to Durb. End Durban.

Mode of travel: Flights via Jo'burg (inbound only) with South African Airways. Transport minibus.
Group size: Min 5, max 14, plus leader and camp assistant.
Accommodation: 2 nights lodges, 1 night traditional Swazi huts, 3 nights apartments, 6 nights full service camping.
Food: All breakfasts, 9 lunches and 7 dinners included.
Optional Single Supplement: from $380.00
Trip Reference: FAS
Reverse Itinerary: trips that run in reverse are specified with an 'R' in the dates and prices table below.