South Africa Scenic Route

A wonderful journey through the Rainbow Nation. Camping, trekking, game viewing, historical and cultural visits through South Africa!

Price: (Valid: Jan 2010 – Dec 2010)
€ 1,195 pps + local payment of ZAR 1,600 pp
18 Days Safari

Highlights * Mpumalanga Panorama Route sight seeing * Kruger National Park – game drives * Swaziland – mountain walks * Zululand – game drives & cultural village * Drakensberg Mountains * Lesotho – trekking with local guide and his pony * Karoo – visit a quaint Karoo town * Addo Game Reserve – game drives * Tsitsikamma – forest and coastal walks * Cape Town – Cape Point & Table Mountain

Departs from: Johannesburg - Ends: Cape Town

Includes
* 11 nights camping, 3 nights guest house en-suite, 3 nights cabin with shared ablutions
* Entrance fees
* Use of camping equipment (except sleeping bags & pillows)
* Transport in minibus / safari truck
* Meals as per itinerary
* Professional guide

South Africa Scenic Route Safari Itinerary

Meal codes [B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner]

Day 1 JOHANNESBURG to MPUMALANGA [Camping LD]
Departing from Johannesburg at 06:30am we head east towards Mpumalanga. A landscape characterised by mountains, panoramic passes, valleys, rivers, waterfalls and forests. We will camp the night in the old gold rush town of Pilgrims Rest, a living museum dating back to 1873. We explore the quaint town, visit Mac Mac falls and God’s Window viewpoint.
Includes: Entrance to Mac Mac falls & God’s Window
Overnight: Campsite – good ablution facilities & hot showers
Distance/time: 350kms, ± 5 hours, excluding stops for sightseeing & lunch.

Day 2 - 3 KRUGER NATIONAL PARK [Camping BLD]
Big game country - exciting game drives provide us with excellent game viewing. Spot lion, elephant, rhino and other animals in one of the last African wildernesses. Early morning & afternoon game drives get us close to the wildlife.
Includes: Entrance to Kruger National Park, morning & afternoon game drives
Overnight: Campsite – good ablution facilities, hot showers, swimming pool, restaurant & shop
Distance/time: 150kms, ± 2 hours + 3x 3 hour game drives
Optional Activities: Night game drives in National Park open game viewing vehicles

Day 4 KINGDOM OF SWAZILAND [Cabins BLD]
The mountainous Kingdom of Swaziland, led by King Mswati III, is one of only 3 monarchies in Africa. Swazi’s are proud of their traditional lifestyle & cultures. We explore the Malolotja reserve on foot to enjoy the mountain scenery, rare birdlife, and the 95m high Malolotja waterfall. Overnight in log cabins with fantastic panoramic views.
Includes: Entrance to Malalotja Game Reserve
Overnight: Cabin – each cabin sleeps a maximum of 6 people in 2 bedrooms and a loft room which share a ablution facilities, hot showers
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 5 - 6 ZULULAND [Camping BLD]
After visiting craft markets near Mbabane, we re-enter South Africa. Mkuzi Game Reserve is a safe haven for the endangered black rhino. We have a full day to game drive and stop at waterhole hides and watch game come down to drink.
Includes: Entrance to Mkuzi Game Reserve, morning and afternoon game drive
Overnight: Campsite – good ablution facilities, hot showers & swimming pool
Distance/time: 300kms, ± 4 hours, excluding border formalities + game drives in Mkuzi

Day 7 - 8 DRAKENSBERG MOUNTAINS [Camping BLD]
Moving further south to the base of the Drakensberg (Dragon Mountains). We have two nights at the foot of the mountains allowing time for walking along beautiful mountain stream paths, looking for Bushman rock paintings or
just enjoying spectacular views.
Includes: Morning and afternoon hikes in the Drakensberg Mountains
Overnight: Campsite – good ablution facilities, hot showers
Distance/time: 400kms, ± 6 hours, excluding stops for sightseeing & lunch.

Day 9 - 10 LESOTHO [Chalets BLD]
We travel through the towering red sandstone cliffs of Golden Gate en route to Lesotho. Quaint villages and towns offer interesting stops along the way. We cross the border and head to southern Lesotho to our overnight chalets at
Malealea. This lodge nestled in the mountains forms our base for two nights. The next morning we are up early and spend the day trekking with a local guide and his pony through the rugged mountains.
Includes: Trekking with local guide and his pony
Overnight: Chalets – twin rooms with shared ablutions, hot showers
restaurant & bar
Distance/time: 370kms, ± 8 hours, excluding stops for border formalities sightseeing & lunch.

Day 11 KAROO [Guest house BL]
Descending from the Lesotho highlands we make our way into the great Karoo. It covers most of central South
Africa and is a vast semi desert. It has become famous for its sheep and ostrich farming industries, and roadside
stalls selling handmade windmills.
Includes: N/A
Overnight: Guest house – twin rooms with shared ablutions & restaurant.
Distance/time: 370kms, ± 8 hours – a long day!, excluding stops for border formalities sightseeing & lunch.

Day 12 ADDO ELEPHANT NATIONAL PARK [Camping BLD]
A conservation success, Addo Elephant N.P. offers a unique wildlife area, famous for the Addo Elephants. We head out on game drives in search of elephant, black rhino, lion, buffalo and leopard. Evening viewing at the floodlit waterhole allows us to watch the nocturnal animals.
Includes: Entrance fees to Addo Elephant National Park, afternoon & morning game drives
Overnight: Campsite – good ablution facilities, hot showers, restaurant, bar, shop & floodlit waterhole
Distance/time: 276kms, ± 3½ hours Excluding stops for sightseeing & lunch + game drives
Optional Activities: Night game drives in National Park open game viewing vehicles

Day 13 - 14 TSITSIKAMMA NATIONAL PARK [Camping BLD]
Indigenous Tsitsikamma forests surround the campsite at Storms River mouth, and there are walks up the Storms River Gorge and along the rocky coastline. There is an option of the world’s highest bungi jump (own expense).
Whales may be seen in season (July to November).
Includes: Entrance fees to Tsitsikamma National Park
Overnight: Campsite – good ablution facilities, hot showers, restaurant, bar & shop
Distance/time: 220kms, ± 3 hours excluding stops for sightseeing
Optional Activities: Bungi jumping, whale watching & treetop canopy tour

Day 15 WESTERN CAPE [Camping BLD]
After visiting “The Heads” in Knysna, a town nestled on a tranquil lagoon we travel south along the Garden Route towards the famous wine regions of the Cape. We pass the Hottentots Holland Nature Reserve and Threewaterkloof pass to our campsite near Franschhoek for the evening.
Includes: N/A
Overnight: Campsite – good ablution facilities, hot showers.
Distance/time: 510kms, ± 7 hours excluding stops for sightseeing & lunch

Day 16 – 17 CAPE TOWN [Guest house B]
We enjoy a morning walk in historic Franschhoek. Visit Stellenbosch, for wine tasting (own expense) and a cellar tour. Explore Cape Town and the “mother city’s” many attractions; visit Cape Point, the Cape of Good Hope,
Chapman’s Peak drive, the harbour at Hout Bay, enjoy the famous beaches and the V&A Waterfront. Optional visit to Robben Island (own expense). Meals at a variety of local restaurants (own expense).
Includes: Cellar Tour, entrance fees to Penguin colony & Cape Point National Park
Overnight: Guest house – twin rooms with en-suite facilities, swimming pool & restaurant
Distance/time: 160kms, ± 2 hours + winelands tour & full day Cape Peninsular tour on day 17
Optional Activities: Robben Island cruise, Shark Cage diving, Seal Colony visit

Day 18 TOUR ENDS - TRANSFERS [B]
We climb Table Mountain in the morning admiring the views over Table Bay and Cape Town. Spend the afternoon catching up on last minute curio shopping or just lazing on the beach absorbing the Cape’s sunshine.
Tour ends at +/-18:00pm.
Includes: Guided walk up Table Mountain

Please note:
The distance and travel times quoted above are an estimate only, and subject to local road conditions and photo stops!

PRE & POST TOUR ACCOMMODATION:
Due to the early departure time of this safari we recommend that you stay in Johannesburg the night before safari. Please indicate if you require assistance with airport transfers and hotel reservations in the vacation planner when prompted.