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This package combines
the diverse northern section of the country where we experience
the wildlife of Africa with the wild east coast and garden
route south coast ending in Cape Town.
Johannesburg - Panoramic Route
- Sabie
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 at the Lone Creek River Lodge.
Panoramic Route - Private
Reserve
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 Strijdom 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 at Mohlabetsi.
Private Reserve - Kruger National
Park
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.
Kruger National Park - Swaziland
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, the Foresters Arms Hotel, in the mountains just outside
Mhlambanyatsi.
Swaziland - Mbabane - South
Africa - Zululand - Hluhluwe/Imfolozi Park
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/Imfolozi
game reserve, where we arrive mid afternoon. After checking
in at Hilltop Camp, 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.
Zululand - Hluhluwe - St
Lucia - Durban
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, the holiday Mecca of South
Africa.
Durban - Oribi Gorge - Wild
Coast - Port St Johns
The drive from Durban along the South Coast takes you through
lush subtropical vegetation and numerous holiday villages
dotted along the seaboard. We visit the scenic Oribi Gorge
and some beautiful little beaches. Then we turn inland and
enter the Eastern Cape Province, the former homeland of Transkei,
and traverse over hilly grasslands dotted with Xhosa homesteads,
through valleys and clear streams. Overnight at the Cremorne
Lodge in Port St Johns.
Port St Johns - Umtata - East
London
We travel from Port St Johns to Umtata, the capital of the
former homeland. After a visit to the Nelson Mandela museum
we travel further south to East London, the only river port
in South Africa, and the place where a prehistoric coelacanth
was caught in 1938. Overnight at Quarry Lake Inn.
East London - Grahamstown
- Addo Elephant Park - Port Elizabeth
This morning's journey is along the coast and we enjoy the
lush vegetation and rugged coastline. We visit Port Alfred,
an outstanding holiday village situated on the Kowie river
mouth and travel to Grahamstown. This small cathedral city
is considered the art capital of South Africa and is steeped
in history. At the Addo National Elephant Park game reserve
we have an excellent chance of an encounter with these giants
of the bush amongst other animals. This afternoon we reach
Port Elizabeth, the fifth biggest city in the country, set
on the shores of the Algoa Bay and also called the “Friendly
City”. Overnight at Fifth Avenue Beach House.
Port Elizabeth - Garden
Route - Knysna
We depart from Port Elizabeth, along the N2 national route
to the Storms River with the impressive Paul Sauer Bridge
across the valley towering some 139 metres above the river.
Our next stop is at Tsitsikamma National Park (Khoisan for
“The place of much water”) stretching more than 100 kilometers
of wild and rocky coastline characterised by massive cliffs,
narrow isolated beaches and shady indigenous forests along
the river valleys. Now, truly in the famous Garden Route of
the Cape, we traverse more magnificently scenic river valley
passes to Knysna on the edge of the Knysna Lagoon with its
entrance to the sea guarded by two promontories known as 'The
Heads'. The area also falls within a National Park proclaimed
to conserve the extraordinary natural beauty of the Lakeland
and adjacent indigenous forests. Knysna offers shopping opportunities
of unusual, locally made, art and craft, etc. Overnight at
the Fish Eagle Lodge.
Garden Route - Knysna - George
- Oudtshoorn
We explore the lake areas, the Wilderness National Park and
travel via the scenic Montagu Pass to Oudsthoorn also known
as the 'Feather Capital' of the world, as by far the largest
concentration of ostrich farms in the world are found here.
We visit the Cango Caves, regarded as one of South Africa's
foremost natural wonders. The fascinating calcite caves comprise
an underground wonderland of stalactites and stalagmites.
Overnight at La Plume Guest Lodge.
Oudtshoorn
- Mossel Bay - Cape Town
After an early start we visit to an ostrich show farm for
some unique experiences, including ostrich racing. A ride
on the back of an ostrich is not for the fainthearted. Our
route to Mossel Bay takes us over the Outeniqua Mountains
via Robinson's Pass. Here we visit arguably the oldest post
office in Africa, the Post Office Tree, and the site of the
first landfall, made by the Portuguese explorer Bartholomew
Diaz in 1488. After an early lunch we travel via Swellendam
to Cape Town where we arrive late afternoon.
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