Kruger Park, Lesotho & Garden Route Tour

This 19-day journey through South Africa and Lesotho departs from Johannesburg heading for Kruger National Park where we spend two nights camping in dome tents with stretcher beds inside the world-famous Kruger Park. After game viewing in the Big Five Kruger we return to Johannesburg for some sightseeing before heading for the hills of Lesotho - the Kingdom in the Sky.

From mountainous Lesotho with its friendly Basotho people it's on to the majestic Drakensberg Mountains and scenic Royal Natal National Park, and then the historic battlefields near Dundee. Next we travel via the Valley of a Thousand Hills and its Zulu villages to Durban, before venturing into the rugged Wild Coast and meeting traditional Xhosa people. Leaving the remote beaches we make our way to Addo Elephant Park for a game drive en route to South Africa's much-loved Garden Route. 

Along the picturesque Garden Route we stop at Tsitsikamma National Park and stay in charming Knysna, continuing on to seaside Hermanus, famous for its whale watching. Lastly we visit the Cape Winelands on our way to the cosmopolitan city of Cape Town, where this action-packed tour comes to an end.

Tour Highlights:

• Stay inside world-famous Kruger National Park, game viewing in open 4x4 safari vehicles.
• Visit the mountainous Kingdom of Lesotho and meet the friendly Basotho people.
• Visit the historic South African battlefields of Blood River, Rorke’s Drift and Talana Hill.
• Walk in the forests of the Drakensberg Mountains and visit the scenic Royal Natal National Park.
• Go to remote Wild Coast beaches and meet traditional Xhosa people.
• Take a game viewing drive in Addo Elephant Park to see herds of elephants and other wildlife.
• Travel along the beautiful Garden Route enjoying optional adventure activities.
• Whale watch in Hermanus and go wine-tasting in the Cape Winelands en route to Cape Town.

DAY 1: Johannesburg to Cheetah Rehabilitation Centre (Dinner)

Departing from Johannesburg, the economic powerhouse of Southern Africa, we travel through one of the most scenic parts of South Africa, in the Mpumalanga Province. At our first stop we get to see Africa’s elusive cheetah, a threatened species. The cheetah rehabilitation centre is a non-profit organization where volunteers work to help rehabilitate cheetah and other wildlife.

Continuing on our journey we head for a private game reserve neighbouring the famous Kruger National Park. Our first night’s accommodation is at a bush lodge in this game reserve bordering Kruger Park. In the evening we enjoy dinner prepared by the crew and relax around the fire. We depart early in the morning after a good night’s rest in comfortable twin-share rooms at our rustic safari lodge.

Twin Share: Share Facilities per 6 clients

DAY 2 – 3: Kruger National Park (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner on both days)

Day two starts bright and early as we transfer into 4x4 game viewing vehicles and make our way into South Africa’s premier game park, Kruger National Park. The next two days are spent game viewing in the open safari vehicles in this over 2 million-hectare wilderness area teeming with wildlife. Our days in Kruger start early; with morning game drives into the African bushveld, as many wild animals are at their most active early in the morning. We return to our campsite for lunch and a rest during the hottest part of the day, before venturing back out into the wilderness on late afternoon game drives. Early evening game drives, a good time for spotting nocturnal wildlife activity, are available as an optional activity in Kruger (at extra cost).

Kruger is South Africa’s flagship game park and top travel destination, boasting an unrivalled diversity of plants and animals, including Africa’s Big Five - elephant, rhino, leopard, lion and buffalo. Our game drives in Kruger take us in search of the Big Five and a variety of other wildlife, such as giraffe, zebra, cheetah, hyena and various antelope species. With around 507 bird species, 147 mammal species and 114 reptiles game drives in Kruger Park offer excellent photographic opportunities. In addition to its abundance of wildlife, the untamed Kruger Park is also rich in archaeological and historical sights.

For our two nights in Kruger we stay in a rest camp located within the game park. Camping in the Kruger makes for an exciting bush experience, where you get to hear wild animals from the comfort of your camper bed.  Although we will be camping in the bush, the campsite is fenced off to keep out the predators and we sleep in pre-erected tents fitted with stretcher beds to ensure a good night’s rest at the end of our exciting days of game viewing.

Pre-erected Tents: Camper Bed & Sleeping Bag (if you don’t have your own)

DAY 4 - 5: Kruger National Park to Johannesburg (One Breakfast)

On day four we take one last game drive for a last chance to sight Kruger’s diverse wildlife. We make our way out of the vast game park on this game drive in the tour mini-bus and head back to Johannesburg, the City of Gold. We arrive back in the bustling city late afternoon or early evening and spend the next day sightseeing in and around Johannesburg.

There are numerous optional activities and attractions to choose from on day five (at extra expense), from Soweto Tours and visits to Gold Reef City and Lion Park, to Sun City Day Tours. The dynamic city of Johannesburg offers visitors plenty of things to do and places to go, including numerous restaurants and shopping malls. Alternatively you may choose to spend day five resting at the lodge, after our exhilarating Kruger safari.

Twin Share: Share Facilities per 6 clients

DAY 6 – 7: Johannesburg to Kingdom of Lesotho (One Breakfast & One Dinner)

Today we leave Johannesburg again, travelling south to our next destination - Lesotho, known as the Kingdom of the Sky. We spend the next two days exploring this beautiful landlocked country, rich in culture and tradition. 

In mountainous Lesotho we head into rural Africa to visit local villages and meet the friendly Basotho people. Here we experience the colourful local culture of Lesotho’s proud people, gaining insight into their traditions and way of life. Traditionally the Basotho people wear straw hats and wrap themselves in blankets to keep warm at high altitudes, in a country that lies entirely above 1000m. Lesotho is best known for its Basotho pony trekking and during our stay we have the opportunity of going on a scenic pony trek through the hills and villages. There is also the option of taking a guided walk to enjoy the spectacular mountain scenery and get away from it all.

Twin Share: Share Facilities per 6 clients

DAY 8: Lesotho to the Drakensberg Mountains (Breakfast & Dinner)

Crossing back into South Africa today we leave the rugged landscapes of the Kingdom of Lesotho. We make our way to South Africa’s highest mountains, the Drakensberg Mountain (Dragon mountain) range. This UNESCO World Heritage sight, also known as uKhahlamba, meaning the Barrier of Spears in Zulu, stretches 200km’s in length separating Lesotho and the Kwa-Zulu Natal province of South Africa. Today we explore the magnificent mountains of Drakensberg, visiting bushman rock paintings and walking on nature trails in the forests and lush bush. After the peaceful waterfalls, cliffs and spectacular mountain views of the Drakensberg we travel to our next overnight lodge near the Royal National Park.

Twin Share: Share Facilities per 6 clients

DAY 9 – 10: Royal Natal National Park & Battlefields of Dundee (Breakfast & Dinner, both days)

Early in the morning we enter the Royal National Park a wilderness area of the spectacular natural beauty offering breathtaking views. The Royal Natal Park’s most famous feature is the Amphitheatre, a 5km long and 500m high rock wall. Towering over the Amphitheatre is Mont-aux-Sources peak, where the source of the Orange River is found and cascading over the rock face is one of the world’s highest waterfalls, the Tuglea Falls.

Next our journey takes us to Dundee, the gateway to colonial-era battlefield sites where the English, Zulu and Afrikaner settlers fought some of South Africa’s most famous battles. This area has the highest concentration of battlefields in South Africa, including Blood River (Zulu/Afrikaner), Talana Hill (British/Afrikaner), and Rorke’s Drift (British/Zulu).

Twin Share: Share Facilities per 6 clients

DAY 11: Valley of a Thousand Hills & Durban (Breakfast)

Today we travel through the dramatic landscapes of the majestic ‘Valley of a 1000 Hills’, formed by the Mngeni River and it's tributaries. This tranquil valley is a Zulu stronghold dotted with villages that we visit to learn about the proud Zulu warrior culture.

From the Valley of a Thousand Hills we continue to Durban, our next stop located on the east coast of South Africa, where we meet the warm Indian Ocean and inviting sandy beaches.

Twin Share: Share Facilities per 6 clients

DAY 12: Durban (Breakfast)

Day 12 is free for you to explore the vibrant city of Durban at your leisure. Optional activities (at own expense) include visiting the large Indian market or sampling the delicious Indian cuisine, as Durban is home to the largest population of Indian descendants outside of India. You could choose to relax on the broad sandy beaches, take a tour of the busy harbour, shop for souvenirs or dine at one of Durban’s many fine restaurants.

Mahatma Gandhi started is political career in Durban, culminating in the struggle for independence in India and as the largest city in the Zulu dominated Kwa-Zulu Natal province Durban has strong tribal influences. A popular beach holiday destination with a unique township culture and plenty of activities, events and attractions – Durban has much to offer visitors.

Twin Share: Share Facilities per 6 clients

DAY 13 – 14: Durban to the Wild Coast (Breakfast & Dinner, both days)

Leaving Durban we travel along the Wild Coast, an untamed region of rugged beauty, meeting the Xhosa people of South Africa. Many of the Xhosa we will encounter in this region still practice tribal traditions and remain deeply rooted in old Xhosa customs and beliefs.

For the next two nights we will stay in the charming seaside village of Cintsa, located at the great Kai River mouth. This is a great stop for enjoying the beautiful beaches, laid-back atmosphere and unspoiled coastline of the rustic Eastern Cape. At Cintsa the optional activities on offer include horse-riding outings, canoeing trips and surfing.

Twin Share: Share Facilities per 6 clients

DAY 15 – 17: Addo Elephant National Park, Tsitsikamma National Park & Knysna (Breakfast & Dinner, on all days)

After relaxing in Cintsa we head west to Addo Elephant National Park, making our way towards the famous ‘Garden Route’ area of South Africa. As this reserve’s name implies, Addo Elephant Park is home to a large population of elephants, with more than 450 elephants recorded. Addo Park is also sanctuary to around 280 Cape Buffalo, black rhino and a variety of antelope species. The unique flightless dung beetle is found almost exclusively in the Addo region, which covers 5 of the major vegetation biomes found in South Africa. 

After an afternoon game drive in Addo we continue along the coast stopping off at the scenic Tsitsikamma National Park. Here the indigenous trees of the Tsitsikamma Forest stretch from the mountains to the dramatic cliffs of the wild coastline. The world’s highest commercial bungee jump is situated at Bloukrans Bridge in the Tsitsikamma area and for those brave enough there is the option of taking the 216m plunge. From Tsitsikamma we continue along the Garden Route to the charming town of Knysna, famous for its Oyster Festival and coastal scenery. We spend the next two nights in Knysna, a popular tourist destination with plenty of activities and attractions to offer visitors.

Twin Share: Share Facilities per 6 clients

DAY 18 – 19: Hermanus, Cape Vineyard & Cape Town (Two breakfasts & One Dinner)

On day 18 we depart from Knysna setting off along the coast for the seaside town of Hermanus, renowned for its excellent whale sightings. The quaint town of Hermanus has a relaxed atmosphere and pretty location, in addition to being a great place for whale and dolphin watching (in season).

Continuing westward our journey takes us into the Western Cape’s famous wine region, the Cape Winelands. We visit a local wine farm in this beautiful region and get the chance to do a wine tasting (optional). After sampling and even buying some of South Africa’s finest wines we set off on the last leg of our trip, heading for Cape Town. Our adventure through Southern Africa comes to an end in Cape Town, one of the most picturesque cities in the world.

Twin Share: Share Facilities per 6 clients

Tour Accommodation:

On this tour accommodation is mostly in shared rooms with twin beds in chalets, bungalows or cabins, or in guesthouses with shared facilities. Many of the places that we stay at are located in picturesque settings with a swimming pool, restaurant and bar. Some of the accommodation is a little more basic but still comfortable, clean and well secured.

We spend two nights camping inside the Kruger National Park in pre-erected dome tents. Although we are camping on these nights, the tents are fitted with stretcher beds to ensure a comfortable stay. (Please request a sleeping bag when booking your tour, if you do not have one of your own).

Tour Transport:

Transport on this tour will be in a comfortable mini-bus or microbus. Except in Kruger Park when we embark on game drives in open 4x4 safari vehicles.

Maximum group size: 14 passengers

Participation on this Tour:

This is an active participation tour; which means everybody helps out with the daily chores. The chores are usually shared on a roster basis and include tasks like shopping and cooking. 

The active participation on this tour provides good opportunities to meet local people and get to know your fellow travellers. Your contribution helps to make sure that your trip is successful and enjoyable for everyone. Sharing the responsibilities means that nobody has to work too hard! On past tours most people have found that the more they get involved, the more they enjoy themselves. With a sense of adventure and a flexible attitude you will be sure to have a wonderful trip.

Looking for departure date info? It's up here…